FabricatingImpedanceTransformers.docVIP

A Second Look at Fabricating Impedance Transformers for Receiving Antennas John Bryant with Bill Bowers and Nick Hall-Patch, VE7DXR DX, July 2003 Authors Note When I wrote the first version of this article in May 2001, based on the state-of-the-art and manufacturers recommendations, I never expected to have to rewrite it with totally new recommendations. That is what has happened. In the fall of 2002, I happened to be discussing transformers with by close friend Bill Bowers and he indicated that he really wasnt sure the winding pattern that I had been recommending for impedance transformers was anywhere near the most effective. That shook me, because I knew that Bill had spent his career dealing with low levels of AC current and magnetism and I knew that he had recently completed a major research project and had just published articles on impedance transformers for use at long wave frequencies. A rather intense discussion followed and, happily, Bill volunteered to undertake the same kind of laboratory-grade study of impedance transformer designs hoping to develop an ideal transformer for medium wave and the lower shortwave frequencies. Nick Hall-Patch, VE7DXR, the Technical Editor of IRCA, also lent his expertise to the subject. The ensuing joint project took almost all of our individual hobby time during the 2002-2003 DX Season and resulted an a recently published 26article that, to say the least, goes into far more detail than most people would ever want to know about this rather arcane subject. That article is available as an auto download (MS Word format) to anyone who is interested at (/equipment/impedance_matching_bryant.doc). The following is a rather thorough update of my original fabrication article. Why Should You Roll Your Own??? With the proliferation of local neighborhood noise sources and the growing popularity of wire antennas in configurations other than the inverted L, coaxial cable has become the antenna lead-in of choice for most radio ho