Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] Need help estimating cable length of DXE 400 MAX

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Need help estimating cable length of DXE 400 MAX
From: Michael Tope <W4EF@dellroy.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2020 15:55:21 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Jim,

Thanks for this info. Good stuff.

FWIW, the lowest frequency I used was about 2 MHz. The 140 KHz was the frequency difference (not the absolute frequency) between adjacent points where the impedance came back around to the same zero reactance crossing point on the Smith chart. According to the graph in your paper,  the difference between the Vf at 2 MHz and the asymptote would be about 2%. That was plenty close for my purposes (I just wanted to make sure the length of the subject reel was close to what was advertised).

73, Mike W4EF..............

On 1/12/2020 12:54 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
On 1/12/2020 11:07 AM, Michael Tope wrote:
The published velocity factor for this type of cable is 0.81 so,

    Lp = 3514 ft * 0.81 = 2847 ft


This is very close to what the guy was advertising, so I knew I wasn't being short changed.

BUT -- VF for ALL transmission lines varies with frequency, and is typically about 5 percent slower in the range where you measured. The published value is that to which it converges at VHF, and is what most TDR instruments measure. The difference will make the line "measure" that percentage longer than it really is using the technique of looking for the first quarter-wave null.

See page 8 of http://k9yc.com/Coax-Stubs.pdf for an example of this measurement made by finding nulls at harmonic frequencies and plotting VF from those data. This can be done with instruments as simple as an MFJ-259 -- you turn the dial to find the null(s), then write down the frequency(ies) and compute VF.

73, Jim K9YC




_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>