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[Amps] Input circuit resonance in G-G Amps

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [Amps] Input circuit resonance in G-G Amps
From: 2 at vc.net (2)
Date: Tue Feb 18 16:14:05 2003
Eric the Magnicicent:
^^  To measure the resonance of a 3-500Z grid, I used a dipmeter and 
grounded one grid pin with a Cu strap to make sure I was not measuring a 
pin-to-pin resonance.  
--  What was the resonance of the 833A's grid?
tnx

>...
>I have some unfinished business here, 

^^  agreed.  Do you know W8JI?

>regarding g-g amplfier input circuits. 
>When I attempt to read the postings I am somewhat frustrated by a certain 
>vagueness to the language. I do not believe in or participate in arguments 
>which are sematic only - if there is a REAL issue, the language problems can 
>always be eliminated. So in the present case I will simply post my own 
>comments, some of which are facts and some of which are opinions. I will be 
>very careful to distinguish bwteen the two, and to make the intended meaning 
>of my statements as precise as possible.
>
>       First, there are no resonances in the grid structure of a 3-500Z at 
>anywhere near 90MHZ. This is a FACT which I obtained by measuring two 
>different tubes, using three different measurment techniques. I would like 
>to 
>dwell for a moment on this technique(s), since it is of prime importance 
>here.
>
>       When you look at the base of the tube, it is clear that the shortest 
>possible lead from grid-to-cathode (i.e. the "grounded grid" lead itself) 
>will be about 1" long. This immediately implies a lower limit on the amount 
>of external circuit inductance to the range of 25nH. or so. In other words, 
>any conceivable circuit will have at least that amount of L. in series.That 
>situation also applies to the measuring fixtures which I used. I was able to 
>fabricate interconnect leads to my instruments which were in the 1" range 
>(total length.
>
>       The three different instruments I used were: 1. An HP4815A Vector 
>Impedance Meter, 2. An HP 8407A/8601A Network analyzer, and 3. An HP 8920A 
>Communocations analyzer. 
>
>       On the direct Z measurment (4815) the Grid-Cathode circuit, as a 
>terminal pair with a driving point impedance, read -j120 (negligible R) at 
>100MHZ. This translates to about 10pF  opf capacitance. I was able to 
>sweep F 
>from 40-125MHZ (by means of some of my own proprietary enhancements to the 
>4815). As I did that sweep manually, there were virtually NO signs of any 
>resonant behavior. The thing just acted like a perfect capacitor!. The slope 
>of the dX/dF curve, which gives some insight into the inductance of the 
>circuit, also was consistent with an extremely low value of Linternal.
>
>       To cross check with the NA's, I simply fed the terminal-pair thru a 
>50 
>ohm source resistor and looked at the output amplitude/phase response. Since 
>the impedance happens to be not very from 50 ohms (although it is fully 
>reactive) this is an acceptable way of doing quick and approximate searches 
>for resonances. For example, connecting a short (5-20') piece of coax in 
>place of the tube shows the very market resonances at 1//4-lambda lengths. 
>Well, once again, no hint of resonance in the tube. With the 8920A, in the 
>Analyzer/Tracking Generator mode, I was able to sweep up to 1GHZ.
>
>       Conclusions:   1. The tube does not have any resonances visible up to 
>over 200 MHZ. I don't really know what happens at that frequency and beyond, 
>except that the conditions for a lumped-circuit analysis are probably not 
>valid any more. Trying to establish a meaningful terminal-pair to which an 
>impedance can be assigned becomes progressively meaningless.
>
>       2. The tube does act every bit like a 10pF capacitor. When you use it 
>in a GG amplifier, your "grounding" lead inductance had better be less than 
>100nH or so. This is not too hard to achieve. Recall that the entire L 
>required for a 6Meter PInet tank circuit may be 300nH .
>
>       3. If you are not careful to do this you almost certainly will have 
>an 
>unstable amplifier.
>
>Eric von Valtier K8LV
>
>P.S. I also tried 811's, SV572's and an 833A. The latter has a minimum G-K 
>terminal path of almost a foot, and would resonate exactly as per simple LC 
>theory....

-  R. L. Measures, a.k.a. Rich..., 805.386.3734, AG6K, 
www.vcnet.com/measures.  
end

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