Recently I have had difficult reaching the local DMR repeater on 70cm, and needed to check that the antenna system had not deteriorated.
I took a baseline measurement with an AA-600 after some refurbishment work in Jan 2018, and was able to compare a current sweep to that baseline.
Above, a wide Return Loss sweep of the Diamond X-50N with feed line compared to the baseline (the thin blue line). Continue reading Diagnosing a possible antenna problem by comparison with a baseline
In my experience, action cam underwater / weatherproof transparent cases have buttons that are quite difficult to use. This seems mostly because they are assembled with no lubricant.
Above, the button in the genuine Sjcam SJ8 has a stainless spring, shaped washer, two 6x2x2mm orings, and a 2.5mm E clip. This pic shows that the thing is assembled dry which makes operating pressure high, and in any event not smooth as the button shaft is not particularly smooth. Continue reading Refurbishing the push button in action cam cases
A chap seeking details for a matching inductor for his 5/8λ vertical on 20m reported “my AA54 RigExpert analyser gives the following reading (SWR 8,2). (R 81,5). (X -158) ” measured looking into a “length of rg58 about 15-20 cm” and asked “is the inductor coil going to be enough or will I need an L match to bring the real resistance to 50 ohms”. Continue reading Matching a 5/8λ ground plane – a single stub tuner example
Some time ago I wrote some articles on so-called Coax Traps, and an example design of an Inverted V dipole for 80 and 40m.
A coax trap (before cross connection).
The whole subject of trapped antennas elicits a lot of online discussion that is often more about semantics than understanding. Continue reading Trapped dipole
Designing with ferrite binocular cores can be frustrating as there are different formats in which data is provided, and data for different mixes on the same dimensioned cores appear inconsistent.
There are several source of the Al parameter for some common cores, often from resellers rather than manufacturers. Continue reading Designing with binocular ferrite cores – published Al values
Designing with ferrite binocular cores can be frustrating as there are different formats in which data is provided, and data for different mixes on the same dimensioned cores appear inconsistent.
This article documents calculated geometry Σ(A/l) derived for a number of Fair-rite cores from their specified Al (at µi). Continue reading Designing with binocular ferrite cores – Σ(A/l)
I am asked about my use of the term Distortionless Lines
from time to time, often in the vein of they don’t exist, so why discuss them?
The concept derives from the work of Heaviside and others in seeking a solution to distortion in long telegraph lines.
The problem was that digital telegraph pulses were distorted due to different attenuation and propagation time for different components of the square waves.
Heaviside proposed that transmission lines could be modelled as distributed resistance (R), inductance (L), conductance (G) and capacitance (C) elements.
In each incremental length Δx, there is incremental R, L, G and C. Continue reading Do Distortionless Lines exist?
Several correspondents refer to my article Feasibility study – loop in ground for rx only on low HF – small broadband RF transformer using medium µ ferrite core for receiving use – 50:200Ω and suggest “I got it wrong, #73 is the proven material choice for such a thing, and a 2t primary is optimal”.
In fact, I did explore #73 as an option, this article presents some key comparisons. The two key statistics shown in this article provided the basis for selecting the design.
Note that the scales are different from plot to plot.
Where the magnetising impedance appears in shunt with an ideal transformer with Zin=50+j0Ω, Insertion VSWR can be calculated.
The article On the concept of that P=Pfwd-Prev discussed the question of the validity of the concept of that P=Pfwd-Prev, exploring an example of a common nominally 50Ω coaxial cable at 100kHz. The relatively low frequency was used to accentuate the departure from ideal.
This article digs a little further with analyses at both 100kHz and 10MHz.
A plot was given of the components and sum of terms of the expression for power at a point along the line.
Lets look at the power calculated from voltages and currents for the example at 100kHz where Zo=50.71-j8.35Ω and Zload=5+j50Ω.
Above, the four component terms are plotted along with the sum of the terms. Continue reading Transmission lines: departure from ideal Zo
The STC15Fx chips use a simple TTL/CMOS async programming interface that is suited to the common USB-RS232(TTL) adapters. This article describes a low cost programmer that also allows the programming application to Vcc (so initiating the boot loader automatically).
Above is the programmer ($2.50 on eBay) and a small adapter that plugs into the top row of the 2×5 header on the programmer.
DIP-28 are located carefully so that the pins 10-18 are in the socket, the same connections are used for both chip sizes for STC15F104E and STC15F204E. Continue reading Basic programming jig for STC15F104E and STC15F204E chips #3