The article End fed matching – design review and many later ones set out a method of estimating the magnetising or core loss in a ferrite cored RF transformer (such as often used with EFHW antennas).
There are two elements that are critical to efficient near ideal impedance transformation over a wide frequency range, low flux leakage and sufficiently high magnetising impedance. While low magnetising loss is essential for efficiency, it does not guarantee sufficiently high magnetising impedance for near ideal impedance transformation.
Magnetising impedance can be estimated using one of the following calculators, but keep in mind that there are quite wide tolerances on ferrite cores.
- Inductance of RF cored inductors and transformers
- Calculate ferrite cored inductor – rectangular cross section
- Calculate ferrite cored inductor – circular cross section
- Calculate ferrite cored inductor (from Al)
- Calculate ferrite cored inductor – ΣA/l or Σl/A
- Ferrite permeability interpolations
Magnetising impedance can be measured (eg with an analyser), but it should be measured with only the measured winding on the core. Did I mention the wide tolerance of ferrites?
Example – FT240-43 3t @ 3.6MHz
You might ask the question is 3t sufficient for the primary of an EFHW transformer that delivers a 50+j0Ω load to a transmitter. Continue reading Estimating the magnetising or core loss in a ferrite cored RF transformer