My coil inductance and Q calculator is used to evaluate and optimize antenna loading coils so I usually post about it on the antenna forum. But I'm told that amplifier builders use it to design tank coils so I thought I'd post here this time. I recently updated the program:
http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/coil.htmThis version improves accuracy. For my junkbox coils, average error magnitude is 1.6% for inductance and 5.2% for Q based on HP 4342A Q meter measurements.
The program now handles additional form geometries. It finally models dielectric ridges, as found on older ceramic or newer 3D-printed forms. It handles Air Dux and coils wound on open polygonal frames. Though it only makes a small difference, it can now account for form grooves.
I've updated the RLC model. It provides much better accuracy for wideband circuit or antenna analysis than the usual RL model.
I resolved some ambiguities about the Litz coils used to evaluate program accuracy, which now seems even better. I include a discussion of resistance variation among Litz manufacturers in the documentation. I don't think Litz wire is useful for amplifier builders, but it can provide coils with Q > 2000 for high-efficiency crystal sets. And if you can obtain Litz with 0.02 mm strands, extremely high-Q antenna loading coils for 40-meter QRP operation seem possible. Just for fun, compare them to Wolf River loading coils that use stainless steel 316L wire.
If your anti-virus software prevents you from downloading the ZIP file, pass its URL (
http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/coil.zip) to VirusTotal (
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/url) to assure yourself that it is virus-free. Then temporarily disable your anti-virus software.
Brian
Author
Topic: COIL 4.53 (Read 217 times)