Return-Path: Received: from mtain-dg03.r1000.mx.aol.com (mtain-dg03.r1000.mx.aol.com [172.29.65.11]) by air-de03.mail.aol.com (v129.4) with ESMTP id MAILINDE032-5eab4d7a1e622c8; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:06:42 -0500 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [195.171.43.25]) by mtain-dg03.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with ESMTP id BD10A380000DA; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:06:40 -0500 (EST) Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1Py22W-0002la-Pj for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:05:56 +0000 Received: from [195.171.43.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1Py22W-0002lO-12 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:05:56 +0000 Received: from nm20-vm0.bullet.mail.ukl.yahoo.com ([217.146.183.115]) by relay1.thorcom.net with smtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1Py22V-00080Z-Ui for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:05:55 +0000 Received: from [217.146.183.184] by nm20.bullet.mail.ukl.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 -0000 Received: from [217.146.183.33] by tm15.bullet.mail.ukl.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 -0000 Received: from [127.0.0.1] by omp1022.mail.ukl.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 -0000 X-Yahoo-Newman-Property: ymail-3 X-Yahoo-Newman-Id: 829591.70269.bm@omp1022.mail.ukl.yahoo.com Received: (qmail 44802 invoked by uid 60001); 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 -0000 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=yahoo.co.uk; s=s1024; t=1299848749; bh=CVNk4gnwBWMLatFZgiw2ChsetXc1u7pINwi1nP6DvRc=; h=Message-ID:X-YMail-OSG:Received:X-Mailer:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type; b=SMgwL53gIo816MaTI67kqP+EZzr9yPpc0Z2aL4T8yA9U/3M1Rgy9vcfBGLTsOrzZ1wcUraHYbX2LcwI/jMus87Hb0EAZCXey9Sy7IF4k5K1nwdZWOxn9/0huV7BUTL0TBJJb5vgtm7183z9Q5kFN2qh38naxcCwWq4iryFoewOE= DomainKey-Signature:a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.co.uk; h=Message-ID:X-YMail-OSG:Received:X-Mailer:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type; b=3Eg9A544BKeoHQ1gHWof276x1vP42rPGFN9vk331Z1xVzFxPQvXiljezjwcJlEIvk5BnyEK5Juho4PYVH/A2gcfbVo1Ja4i8hoJGHqHPRKMXOYMMhgpZMraRDHQYOr/dKZ4x+M8/l6JSK1RxqTw33B6fxL79ZjPWaOZU3vcSbHM=; Message-ID: <684332.41256.qm@web28505.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> X-YMail-OSG: cV2ycyoVM1mpWXOZK82TksdxOE5kLxQc7lG4iO4RwLTuZYL SgNPI4YR8aA9DMG7JtbGnom3BMJwifuN6Ij3x6HFiWgXkvUtqAl2g8CVPE1W JWsN.arv.wW7kmpufivIIsCBAZE49E6PooxJ5.SgoIfdIlAqi6wlIaL3J46X HxZLHRvcGpOYK_ulPP8eojeRO64gvqitsQBQxQczF6uUR2JcVGxFvJl1WtNl YTtwJgQQ489EYt4jHg93DgdJlJJCXtuz8IatPyIQ- Received: from [194.62.210.50] by web28505.mail.ukl.yahoo.com via HTTP; Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 GMT X-Mailer: YahooMailRC/559 YahooMailWebService/0.8.109.295617 Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:05:49 +0000 (GMT) From: Chris Osborn To: LF Group MIME-Version: 1.0 DomainKey-Status: good (testing) Subject: LF: VLF G3XIZ - 12/13th March - Station Set UP - Advice Welcomed Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-2118964258-1299848749=:41256" X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on post.thorcom.com X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=HTML_MESSAGE,LINES_OF_YELLING autolearn=no version=2.63 X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false x-aol-global-disposition: G X-AOL-SCOLL-AUTHENTICATION: mail_rly_antispam_dkim-d236.1 ; domain : yahoo.co.uk DKIM : fail x-aol-sid: 3039ac1d410b4d7a1e600904 X-AOL-IP: 195.171.43.25 X-AOL-SPF: domain : blacksheep.org SPF : none --0-2118964258-1299848749=:41256 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable LF, I shall be transmitting on VLF again over the weekend. The main purpose will be to test (and=A0adjust) my new loading coil=A0ther= efor the=20 transmitted frequency may vary. I shall keep the reflector informed as to frequency and times that transmi= ssions=20 occur should anyone wish to take a look for=A0my signals. PRESENT STATION SET UP =A0 TX I=A0have the option to=A0use=A0either an internal OCXO or an external off-= air standard=20 frequency, both=A0of 10.000 . . MHz which=A0is then passed through a progr= ammable=20 divider=A0to give even divisions e.g. 10.000/1110 =3D 9.090 909 kHz=A0=A0=A0 10.000/1112 =3D 8.992 806 kHz etc.= . . The=A0PA is capable of giving several hundreds of watts but it has a low= output=20 impedance and the aerial system has a high impedance (several kilohms). To achieve reasonable matching I use a large laminated-core mains transfor= mer=20 with a step up ratio of 1:24 LOADING COIL(S) To tune out the aerial's capacitive reactance I use a series loading coil= =20 (inductor). The original coil was single-wound, about 600 mm diameter and has an induc= tance=20 of ~ 1.25 H With the above TX, loading coil and my 40m inverted 'L'=A0I can generate= an aerial=20 current of=A0 0.15 - 0.2A The original coil's losses seemed high so to improve matters I have wound= =20 another unit, this time using heavier gauge wire and of double-layer=20 construction. Initial results have been disappointing as I generate less aerial current= than=20 with the old coil. The inductance necessary to achieve resonance has also fallen: from ~=A01.= 25H to=A0~=20 0.75 H implying that the new coil has considerably more self-capacitance. There are a few hundred turns on it which are not used and may be causing= the=20 problem so I intend slowly to remove these, checking the aerial current at= =20 intervals. AERIALS=20 I generally use my 40m inverted 'L' aerial, height 10m but have the facili= ty=20 (wind conditions being suitable) to launch balloon or kite-assisted wires. My property borders a public playing field so I need a wind direction SE= - S=A0 or=20 SW for kite operations and near still air conditions for balloons. ADVICE =A0 I should be much=A0obliged for information which will enable me to improve= the=20 station's ERP and detectability. Can someone point me in the right direction to improve the matching system= ,=20 maybe using ferrite cores which are readily available ? Link coupling to the loading coil may be an option but my early attempts= at this=20 merely shorted out the loading coil and damaged the PA, so I have avoided= it. 73=20 Chris G3XIZ =20 --0-2118964258-1299848749=:41256 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
LF,
 
I shall be transmitting on VLF again over the weekend.
 
The main purpose will be to test (and adjust) my new loading coi= l therefor the transmitted frequency may vary.
I shall keep the reflector informed as to frequency and times that tr= ansmissions occur should anyone wish to take a look for my signals.
 
PRESENT STATION SET UP
 
TX
 
I have the option to use either an internal OCXO or an= external off-air standard frequency, both of 10.000 . . MHz which&nb= sp;is then passed through a programmable divider to give even= divisions e.g.
10.000/1110 =3D 9.090 909 kHz    10.000/1112 =3D 8.992= 806 kHz etc. . .
 
The PA is capable of giving several hundreds of watts but it has= a low output impedance and the aerial system has a high impedance (severa= l kilohms).
To achieve reasonable matching I use a large laminated-core mains tra= nsformer with a step up ratio of 1:24
 
LOADING COIL(S)
 
To tune out the aerial's capacitive reactance I use a series loading= coil (inductor).
The original coil was single-wound, about 600 mm diameter and has an= inductance of ~ 1.25 H
With the above TX, loading coil and my 40m inverted 'L' I can ge= nerate an aerial current of  0.15 - 0.2A
 
The original coil's losses seemed high so to improve matters I have= wound another unit, this time using heavier gauge wire and of double-laye= r construction.
Initial results have been disappointing as I generate less aerial cur= rent than with the old coil.
 
The inductance necessary to achieve resonance has also fallen: from= ~ 1.25H to ~ 0.75 H implying that the new coil has considerably= more self-capacitance.
There are a few hundred turns on it which are not used and may be cau= sing the problem so I intend slowly to remove these, checking the aerial= current at intervals.
 
AERIALS
 
I generally use my 40m inverted 'L' aerial, height 10m but have the= facility (wind conditions being suitable) to launch balloon or kite-assis= ted wires.
My property borders a public playing field so I need a wind direction= SE - S  or SW for kite operations and near still air conditions for= balloons.
 
ADVICE
 
I should be much obliged for information which will enable me to= improve the station's ERP and detectability.
Can someone point me in the right direction to improve the matching= system, maybe using ferrite cores which are readily available ?
Link coupling to the loading coil may be an option but my early attem= pts at this merely shorted out the loading coil and damaged the PA, so I= have avoided it.
 
73
Chris G3XIZ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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