The AM Forum
March 28, 2024, 08:02:26 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
 
   Home   Help Calendar Links Staff List Gallery Login Register  
Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: seeing parasitics  (Read 3592 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
KC2ZFA
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 441



« on: April 25, 2019, 02:53:37 PM »

what’s the safest way to couple a scope to
the plate of a PA tube to check for hf and vhf
parasitics during operation ? assume the
scope can see up to 400 Mc or thereabouts.

Thanks!

Logged
K1JJ
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 8893


"Let's go kayaking, Tommy!" - Yaz


« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2019, 04:05:24 PM »

https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Voltage-Probes-low-noise-for-scope-DMM-50Mhz-15KV-X1000-Tektronix-OEM-HVP15/162948647945?hash=item25f07f0c09:g:HlEAAOSwPoZaq00w

You can use a HV scope probe. New HV probes are usually expensive.  Be sure the rating is at least X2 the working voltage. Look on eBay for deals.

Another way is to make a HV divider using  (20) 100K resistors in series.   The top of the ladder goes to the HV... the bottom to a 1K resistor to ground. The 1:1 scope probe gets connected across the 1K to ground.
2000:1 ratio... which makes 3KV = 1.5V at the scope.   Or, 0.15V using a 10:1 scope probe.

Or, you can make whatever ratio you want depending on parts or probes available.

* From what I understand, a well-compensated commercial scope probe is superior to seeing high freq parasitics compared to a resistive ladder.

T
Logged

Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
KA0HCP
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 1188



« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2019, 07:19:33 PM »

https://www.w8ji.com/testing_for_stability.htm

Tom W8JI, gives two methods for testing for parasitics; one without additional equipment, one with a spectrum analyzer.

what’s the safest way to couple a scope to
the plate of a PA tube to check for hf and vhf
parasitics during operation ? assume the
scope can see up to 400 Mc or thereabouts.

Thanks!


Logged

New callsign KA0HCP, ex-KB4QAA.  Relocated to Kansas in April 2019.
WA4WAX
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 415


« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2019, 02:10:06 PM »

Look at the "RF Sniffer" in the March 1951 CQ.

It will not display parasitics, but it may help you detect them.

Good luck!
Logged
KC2ZFA
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 441



« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2019, 02:14:56 PM »

thanks for the feedback...I can hear the parasitics (the 807 squeals when they're present), what I want to do is see them on a scope so I can measure their frequency(ies) and tailor the remedy.

I'll play with a voltage divider.
Logged
K1JJ
Contributing
Member
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 8893


"Let's go kayaking, Tommy!" - Yaz


« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2019, 02:55:01 PM »

Now that I think about it, a simple pickup loop, 5 turns across the scope probe, might give you a decent signal when placed next to the tube plate or tank area.   When I suggested the  resistive divider or HV scope probe, I thought you were looking for a direct connection.


As long as the RF pickup loop doesn't receive a lot of spurious garbage, you will certainly see the parasitics when they appear. They may appear as fine fuzz drifting around on the edges of the main signal.


T

Logged

Use an "AM Courtesy Filter" to limit transmit audio bandwidth  +-4.5 KHz, +-6.0 KHz or +-8.0 KHz when needed.  Easily done in DSP.

Wise Words : "I'm as old as I've ever been... and I'm as young as I'll ever be."

There's nothing like an old dog.
PA0NVD
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 615


Nico and Chappie (Chappie is the dog...)


« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2019, 09:32:23 PM »

thanks for the feedback...I can hear the parasitics (the 807 squeals when they're present), what I want to do is see them on a scope so I can measure their frequency(ies) and tailor the remedy.

I'll play with a voltage divider.

When you hear the 807 squealing, I really doubt that it are parasitic s. It may be just oscillations due to insufficient neutralizing of the driver or the 807. If it are, the frequency of the squealing may change tuning the circuits.
Logged
kc4mne
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 18


« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2019, 10:03:59 PM »

I agree with PA0NVD. It is self ocillating but not parasitics.
Logged
KC2ZFA
Member

Offline Offline

Posts: 441



« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2019, 10:12:44 AM »

you’re possibly both right...the reason I called it parasitics is because
the grid current doesn’t vary as I turn the plate tuning through its
range (with plate/screen bolts off the 807) and, more significantly,
the squealing gets reduced when I slap a suppressor on the plate. This
is a mopa where the plate of the xtal oscillator is called on to double
or triple the xtal freq. Slight detuning of the oscillator plate tank eliminates
the squealing.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
 AMfone © 2001-2015
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines
Page created in 0.061 seconds with 18 queries.