Date
1 - 10 of 10
Oren Elliot latest "0219" series variable cap?
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Steve Ratzlaff
Hi Gary,
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Where are you obtaining the latest 0219 variable caps--from the manufacturer or from Mike's Electronics? This is certainly a very interesting finding. 73, Steve On 7/5/2020 11:05 PM, Gary DeBock via groups.io wrote:
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Hi Steve,
<<< Where are you obtaining the latest 0219 variable caps--from the manufacturer or from Mike's Electronics? This is certainly a very interesting finding. 73, Steve >>> During the Pandemic I have been doing a lot of FSL experimentation, and have been buying these new "N50 384P" variable caps from Mike's Electronic Parts in batches of 7. Around March I first noticed that one of 3" Baby FSL's recently constructed was outperforming one constructed in 2018, even though all of the components were exactly the same. The only difference was that the variable caps used in 2018 had a "0217" series number, while the new ones received in 2020 had a "0219" series number. Both of those were received from Mike's Electronic Parts, with Oren Elliott as the OEM. Kind of curious about this, I substituted another "0219" variable cap for a "0217" variable cap in another 2018 FSL design, and immediately got the same noticeable performance boost (sharper tuning, and a greater sensitivity peak when zeroed in on the radio's frequency, which only happened when you tuned the FSL to exactly the right point). This "0219" variable cap performance boost was most noticeable on the extreme low band frequencies (such as 530, 531 and 540), although it was detectable all the way up to 1700 kHz. The effect was enough to motivate this fanatical tinker to replace all the FSL variable caps headed for the Rockwork Cliff this summer, ensuring that they all have new "0219" upgrades. This is the first time that I'm sharing this discovery with anyone, Steve-- I had actually considered keeping it a secret :-) 73, Gary |
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daiche
Gary and Steve,
I had noticed a difference in older vs newer Oren caps also, although I saw no physical difference between them. I tried something on the 'older' ones that seems to work to freshen them up. I have used DeOxit D5 and/or 91-99% alcohol on them to clean the blades, keeping away from the bearings and gearing. That seems to perk them up also. So maybe it is plain old corrosion from bad city air, causing a problem, rather than a new manufacturing technique. I have always used canned air to dry them off after a treatment, as a finishing touch. You might try one or both treatments on one of your old caps to see if that helps. I'd be interested to hear if my improvement method is real or imaginary. Ha! 73's Dave Aichelman N7NZH Grants Pass, Oregon |
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Les Rayburn
Looking on the Mike’s Electronics Parts web site, I see three different air variable capacitors.
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Is the desired part the 384 variable capacitor here: Or the one with the 8:1 drive here: I’d like to substitute the one on my shiny new 5” FSL and see if I can detect any difference in performance. Glad that this secret leaked out—now about those lottery numbers…. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF 121 Mayfair Park Maylene, AL 35114 EM63nf NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman Member WTFDA, MWC Perseus SDR, Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. “Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…”
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Tom Crosbie G6PZZ <tom@...>
Dave, I looked up DeOxit D5 from Amazon UK. Almost £30.00 for 142ml. This side of the pond we pay around £10.00 for 400ml of contact cleaner, with several good brands to choose from, excluding WD40, which I class as for mechanical use only! I guess your D5 is more of a pro product. This piqued my curiosity as last year I purchased three 500+500pf airspace variables with reduction drives, described as new old stock. That’s what I got wrapped in layers of tissue. A squirt of air duster took care of disintegrating tissue but you’ve made me think about hitting them with some isopropyl. Next time I find myself looking at them again!
Tom | G6PZZ Nr Chesterfield | Derbyshire |UK | IO93he HF250 | Sentinel 4 |RSPdx | RM50 | TR2 | ATS 808 15m MLB | MTA | D707 tom@...
From: main@UltralightDX.groups.io <main@UltralightDX.groups.io>
On Behalf Of daiche via groups.io
Sent: 07 July 2020 00:29 To: main@UltralightDX.groups.io Subject: Re: [UltralightDX] Oren Elliot latest "0219" series variable cap?
Gary and Steve, |
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<<< Or the one with the 8:1 drive here:
I’d like to substitute the one on my shiny new 5” FSL and see if I can detect any difference in performance. Glad that this secret leaked out—now about those lottery numbers…. >>>
Les, Your new 5" FSL is one of the many ones built here during the Pandemic, and almost certainly has the latest variable cap installed. You can confirm this by noting the "0219" stamp on the back of the variable cap, after the "N50 384P" stamp. For ordering, always purchase the 8:1 drive variable cap-- otherwise you will feel like you are at a casino when you try to tune in a station. Gary |
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Gord Seifert
Hi Gary, I just looked on Mike's site and can not find a part with any reference to Oren Elliot. I do see this.. https://www.mikeselectronicparts.com/product/384pf-air-variable-capacitor-with-81-planetary-reduction-drive/ But, the price is SO much less than on the Oren Elliot site that I can hardly believe it is the same. No problem with Mike's price, but no way am I paying well over twice as much to Oren Elliot. And, in the photo, the one on Mike's does not look anywhere near as pretty. Is the Oren Elliot version really that beautiful, or is that simply a computer generated image? Also, I have been looking for ferrite rods. I came up with this: https://tinyurl.com/ybk5amyr Looks to be the same material you use (same seller too) but is considerably shorter at 125mm. Also MUCH less expensive. Would this work reasonably well for someone who does not need the absolute nth degree in performance? The 10mm x 200mm version is completely out of the question due to price. One other question. Did you actually test the various different ferrite mixes for suitability while designing you FSLs? Or is it just a basic, known, fact that, for this frequency range, NiZn 400 permiability works best for this application? Regards, Gord |
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daiche
DeOxit is not cheap here either! We use it here mostly for scratchy pots, with the F5 formula having more lubricant compared to the D5 formula. They both remove corrosion and protect the contact surfaces without leaving an oily film, which is why I tried it on the variable caps of my FSL's too, to 'freshen' them. I use both formulas on my phasers to keep them running smooth. You don't need much so it lasts a long while......
Dave Aichelman N7NZH Grants Pass, Oregon |
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On Tue, Jul 7, 2020 at 12:19 PM, Gord Seifert wrote:
I just looked on Mike's site and can not find a part with any reference to Oren Elliot. I do see this.. Hi Gord, The "N50 384P" variable cap from Mike's Electronic Parts (at the link you posted above) is exactly the same as the one from Oren Elliot Products, despite the much cheaper price. Oren Elliot is the OEM for the component, and has always charged higher prices (I have ordered from both sources, in the past). <<< Also, I have been looking for ferrite rods. I came up with this: https://tinyurl.com/ybk5amyr Looks to be the same material you use (same seller too) but is considerably shorter at 125mm. Also MUCH less expensive. Would this work reasonably well for someone who does not need the absolute nth degree in performance? The 10mm x 200mm version is completely out of the question due to price. >>> The 125mm x 8mm ferrite rods are perfectly fine for FSL use, although if you would like significantly cheaper 140mm x 8mm ferrite rods than the ones that "Alexer1" sells (which are also slightly higher in gain than the 125mm variety), try this link from my friend Dennis ("sovtube," on eBay) https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Russian-Large-balun-ferrite-rods-8x140-mm-Lot-of-20-NEW-High-Quality/164167133643?hash=item26391fa9cb:g:PekAAOSwYaFWfwfH I have dealt with both of these sellers multiple times on eBay, and can assure you that Dennis will always provide the best price and service, if he has the ferrite rods that you are looking for. <<< One other question. Did you actually test the various different ferrite mixes for suitability while designing you FSLs? Or is it just a basic, known, fact that, for this frequency range, NiZn 400 permiability works best for this application? >>> To be honest, the reason why I use the Russian surplus 400-permeability ferrite rods in almost all of my FSL antenna designs is because back in 2011 (when the U.K.'s Graham Maynard introduced modern FSL antennas), the cost of this Russian surplus ferrite was dirt cheap, and the early FSL experimenters like Steve Ratzlaff, Kevin Schanilec and yours truly bought up a ton of it. I still have loads of this stuff stashed away, which cost about a third of what it costs currently. Of course I have nobody to blame but myself for the explosion in ferrite price, since immediately after I publish an FSL construction article the Ukrainian eBay sellers quickly jack up the price on the ferrite type I suggest, so that some weird cases result like the 140mm x 8mm ferrite rods actually costing more than the 160mm x 8mm ferrite rods in 2016. After noticing this in 2016 I published a 3.5" FSL construction article using the 160mm x 8mm ferrite rods, and the eBay sellers promptly evened out their prices :-) Gary |
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Gord Seifert
Thanks again Gary, Those 140mm rods look great! Don't know how I missed them. Ordered 40 of them this morning. They cost only about $32 Canadian more than 30 of the 125mm rods I was considering would have. If I decide to go with the 1162 strand Litz wire, with 60 feet of it, and 40 ferrite rods, I should be able to build something somewhat larger than the 3 inch, 28 rod, 'Baby' FSL. Waste not, want not. And it will, no doubt, work better. Will likely order one of those caps from Mike's, but I have a brute of a dual section with about 440 in one section and 500 in the other and a three to one geared drive. Will see how that works to start. Thanks for the history lesson too! Regards, Gord |
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