Re: LF: Re: My first ferrite experiments

[Daniele Tincani <danieletincani@yahoo.com>]

Hello Stefan,

 

yes, this is what I planned to do.

Additional 100 pF should be enough for the NDB band, then with another parallel cap it should be possible to go to the 136 KHz band.

Best 73

Daniele

Da: Stefan Schäfer <Stefan.Schaefer@iup.uni-heidelberg.de>
A: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Inviato: Mercoledì 28 Settembre 2011 22:59
Oggetto: Re: LF: Re: My first ferrite experiments

Hi Daniele,

I agree with Wolf's comments.

Another thing: If you add a (switched)  cap of the same C value, you will come down to the LF radio band and to the amateur band too. I took styroflex caps in my RX antenna and got the mentioned Q. So then you can see/listen LF stations, if there are any ;-)

73, Stefan/DK7FC

Am 28.09.2011 21:05, schrieb Daniele Tincani:

Hello Stefan,

 

this morning I received the litz wire and tried another build, using a 16 mm PVC tube to enclose the 3 x ferrite rods. I wound 70 turns of litz (as good as I could) and went to the test bench again to measure Q (please see the attached picture). In fact, things have improved a bit. With the air varcap I'm using for these tests, tuning can range from about 235 KHz up to about 978 KHz. Using nominal min/max valued of capacitor, this gives approx L = 670uH which is very good for my purposes.

Unfortunately Q - although improved - is still quite low: about 104 @ 235 KHz, about 60 @ 978 KHz.

As I don't plan to try another build of the ferrite-cored coil, I can only hope that Q will improve further with shorter and better connections with the capacitor.

Many thanks to you, Stefan, for the very helpful suggestions!

 

Best regards

Daniele

 

Da: Stefan Schäfer <Stefan.Schaefer@iup.uni-heidelberg.de>
A: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Inviato: Martedì 27 Settembre 2011 22:42
Oggetto: Re: LF: Re: My first ferrite experiments

Hi Daniele,

Am 27.09.2011 17:15, schrieb Daniele Tincani:

Hello Stefan,

 

> but maybe the Q is reduced by the aluminium shield!

Do you think the aluminium could be the problem or the distance between the coil and the core?

The wire shouldn't wound directly on the rod. I have a PVC tube above the rod and so the wire is in a distance of about 3 mm to the rod. I used litz wire and got a Q of 485...

I could replace the aluminium tube with a plastic tube, if shielding is not necessary, but this would not improve the Q if the problem is the gap between the coil and the core.

Just experiment what is the best solution. But the aluminium shield - if used - should be thin and can be applied above the winding in some distance. I know you have much QRM at home so probably an E field shield makes sense here. Anyway you will be bothered by the local magnetic QRM of course.
I personally think that a shield is not necessary if you are /p and far away from man made noise. Then, a higher Q helps more than the shield and a Q of 30!

 

> Are the rods galvanically separated from each other by a thin plastic tape? What type is the ferrite material?

Yes I put two layers of plastic tape on tips of each rod. The ferrite material is russian MU400HH.

Fine! I also use the same ferrite type and 55 turns. Your cap is surely the best what you can use. So shorten the wires between L and C and measure the Q on 137 kHz. If it is still in the range of 30, i assume the shield causes high losses.
Another idea: There is some conducting spray available. Maybe this can help here? No experience with that, just a spontaneous idea...
http://it.farnell.com/_/kontakt-chemie-emv-35-200ml/rivestimento-conductive-emv-35/dp/220115

73, Stefan/DK7FC