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Re: [Ham-Antennas] FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENATS 2.0
Having the 8753C is a privilege of once having worked for HP. As you may
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know, HP (before Carly - the wicked witch of the west) encouraged dumpster dipping. There were two of these in the dumpster. I chose the one with all the adaptors in place. All the cal kits were also there. So....... the rest is history. My interests end when one has to involve waveguide. Dave - W?LEV On Wed, May 21, 2025 at 12:03?AM Michael Carter <Mike.Carter@...> wrote:
Thanks, Dave - the incremental improvements are less critical than the-- *Dave - W?LEV* --
Dave - W?LEV |
Re: [Ham-Antennas] FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENATS 2.0
I can't give you numbers of improvement as I didn't record those. But I
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can give you the order of additions. 1) Lengthened the shield between the ports. It was originally only the width of the main board. supporting the BNCs. 2) Playing with a thin sheet of double sided board, I added the additional orthogonal shields. I was going to enclose each port except for the lond ends, but in "playing" with the essentially scalar network analyzer, I discovered I gained just as much by shielding opposite sides of each port. 3) That looked pretty good, but again playing with just a piece of AWG #18 stripped solid copper wire, I discovered the added wires on each side of the alligator clips really bought me a lot. And, yes, I believe your analysis that the wires form a transmission line which electrically looks much like a trough line but allows access to the clips. 4) From there, I could make minor improvements in isolation, but all those severely limited physical access to the alligator clips. The additional improvements traded off against physical access was clear I'd stop where I was. The 70 dB (somewhat +) isolation between ports was quite satisfactory for me. I could dig deeper into the noise by increasing the output of the source port on the 8753C, but, again, any additional physical components would limit access to the clips. So I stopped with what you see. Now I gotta wonder how high in frequency it maintains the isolation and good RF performance. Maybe tomorrow? I have too many projects lined up in retirement. It's the satisfaction and joy of having good RF test equipment in retirement! Dave - W?LEV On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 8:06?PM Michael Carter <Mike.Carter@...> wrote:
Hi Dave (W0LEV), -- *Dave - W?LEV* --
Dave - W?LEV |
FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENATS 2.0
As promised, I made some rigorous measurements of my home brew fixture for
making transmission measurements of various HF circuit elements using a "professional" instrument. I could have used the NANOVNAs, but using HP might add some credence to the results ????? Subjects for the fixture might include common mode chokes, ugly baluns (which I do not use), current baluns (which I use wound of RG-400 on toroids), filters, and other active and passive circuits where a fixture is required. I took the time to calibrate my HP8753C using HP standards with a full 2-port cal from 1 to 30 MHz to make these measurements of the fixture. Please have a read of the attachment for the results. While the fixture is essentially free for a few inexpensive components and my time (retired, so that's free, too). While it's not up to the old HP standards, not bad for a home baked project which will lead to other projects. Oh, yes,..... any typos are also free. If you attempt duplication based on the images, YMMV. Dimensions can be scoped from the standard alligator clips which are 1.3-inches tip-to-tip (¡À amateur measurement relying on a non-RF ruler). Measure everything. Let the data speak for itself, *not *opinion, snake oil, or sorcery. Dave - W?LEV -- Dave - W?LEV |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 07:58 AM, W0LEV wrote:
Dave, the connector is part of the fixture, but since its impedance is 50 ohms, its capacitance does not contribute to the stray fixture capacitance. If you measure an uninstalled connector, you can subtract the capacitance reading from what you measure for the fixture, which includes connector capacitance. I'm glad you posted about your new fixture. I think I've been overly concerned about shunt capacitance at HF. I see lots of evidence of it in the .s2p files the commercial L and C manufacturers provide, but that's in the GHz range where tiny strays do matter. Brian |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
Broam, the BNC connectors are part of the fixture and I can not eliminate
them. Yesterday, I even questioned my own measurement of 2.7 pF. I need to revisit that today as it was a hurried measurement. I will get back with you after I'm satisfied I made a rigorous measurement. Dave - W?LEV On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:30?AM Brian Beezley via groups.io <k6sti= [email protected]> wrote: Dave, out of curiosity I created a circuit model for a common-mode choke.-- *Dave - W?LEV* -- Dave - W?LEV |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
Dave, out of curiosity I created a circuit model for a common-mode choke. It has an inductance, capacitance, and resistance in parallel. I chose the values to mimic attenuation results for a common-mode choke someone sent me a couple years ago. It's shown below. The choke was measured with a DG8SAQ VNA with all four S-parameters. The software that accompanies the VNA can implement what they call scripts. He ran the Y21 script and sent the results. One of the neat features of the Y21 method is that it can calculate the shunt capacitance at each port as well as the DUT response with the capacitance nulled mathematically. Calculated shunt C was 2.8 to 7.3 pF depending on port and frequency. (I don't know why it varies with frequency.) I used his choke to create my choke model. When I added a shunt 2.7 pF to each side of the choke in the model, I saw no difference in choke attenuation to 30 MHz. I thought at least it would be noticeable, but the curves overlap. I tried 27 pF to make sure the model was working, and I could then see a small difference. 2.7 pF is about 2k ohms at 30 MHz. This is comparable to the usual several-k ohm CMC impedance so I expected some effect. You can notice the Y21/S21 difference below for a shunt capacitance roughly double what you measured. The effect isn't great and is of no consequence for choke attenuation, but it would be measurable.
One thing I often forget is that measured capacitance for a test fixture like yours includes the connector capacitance. It is not stray capacitance. It matches the connector inductance to form a 50 ohm impedance. You should subtract the capacitance of a bare connector from the 2.7 pF you measured to get the stray fixture capacitance. There is also capacitive coupling between the choke and the VNA enclosure if it is nearby. That will contribute to shunt capacitance. Based on my circuit model. I think the capacitance of your fixture should have a negligible effect at HF. It would be a good idea to verify that expectation by measurement. Brian |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 03:28 PM, W0LEV wrote:
Thanks for the info, Dave. Please measure a common-mode choke using the fixture with your HP VNA with S11, S21, S12, and S22 and post the .s2p. I'll see how the Y21 method compares with the usual S21 method. Any difference will be due to the shunt fixture capacitance. Brian |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
1) My take on dynamic range is the ratio between the fixture with nothing
between the two ports to a fat and short as possible conductor between the ports. With the recent images and using the HP8753C, that measured 80 dB over the HF frequency range. 2) The capacitance at each port is 2.7 pF measured directly at each BNC connector. I just measured it. That certainly is quite low especially for HF frequencies. Dave - W?LEV On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 5:04?PM Brian Beezley via groups.io <k6sti= [email protected]> wrote: OK, after looking more carefully at the photos, I think you're referring-- *Dave - W?LEV* -- Dave - W?LEV |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
And with HP test equipment now KeySight, I dub it KeyOutOfSight.
On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 12:57?PM Clyde Spencer via groups.io <cftr01b= [email protected]> wrote: One of the definitions for HP is High Price!! |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
One of the definitions for HP is High Price!!
*Clyde K. Spencer* On Sun, May 18, 2025, 11:17?PM Charles VK1CM via groups.io <mrcharlesmuller= [email protected]> wrote: I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the HP fixture prices. May I |
Re: FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
OK, after looking more carefully at the photos, I think you're referring to the ratio of the desired signal through the device under test to the residual feedthrough with the device absent. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Did you consider the effect of the increased capacitance to ground at each port? It looks like it may be substantial. Easy to measure. Brian |
FIXTURE for XMSN MEASUREMENTS
You've all seen my fixture I use for evaluating transmission measurements
on various items, especially common mode chokes, filters, and other circuits. Well, that old fixture was limited to about 35 dB of dynamic range over the HF frequencies, nominally 1 through 30 MHz. One day I went to work using various methods to up that dynamic range. I ended up with easily 75 dB of range after about 2-hours of work on the older fixture using the HP3585 spectrum analyzer with its tracking generator. Yesterday, I verified that 75 dB of dynamic range using the HP8753C. With that instrument the fixture measured closer to 80 dB of range over 1 to 30 MHz. Have a look at the attached images for the physical construction. YMMV. Dave - W?LEV -- Dave - W?LEV |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
Yes. My last visit to JB was just after they closed. Sitting on the
concrete table outside the store was a Tektronix 7623A, with a sign on it that read "FREE". You can guess what happened next. JB was the local parts source for common parts for us at Benchmark. As far as I know JB was the last surplus store (of the four that existed back in the 90s) to close and I'm guessing that no new ones have opened since. My sister worked at Sandia and told me about the surplus store there. And don't forget the StorageTek surplus store. My Simpson 260xi came from there. It was basically free (maybe $5 or something like that). DaveD KC0WJN On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 11:42 W0LEV via groups.io <davearea51a= [email protected]> wrote: Dave, we all miss J. B. !! I can't count the number of times we, |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
Dave, we all miss J. B. !! I can't count the number of times we,
collectively, solved (unpaid consulting) design problem with unknown designers in the isles of J. B. Saunders. And......, then found the parts to buy. They are sorely missed ! ! ! And in New Mexico: The surplus sales at both Los Alamos and Sandia. Dave - W?LEV On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 3:33?PM Dave Daniel via groups.io <kc0wjn= [email protected]> wrote: And J. B. Saunders ....-- *Dave - W?LEV* -- Dave - W?LEV |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
And J. B. Saunders ....
DaveD KC0WJN On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 11:24 AG6CX via groups.io <edwmccann= [email protected]> wrote: And Yardley Beers, W0JF, a Boulder legend along with McGukins. |
Re: READING L AN C VALUES USING THE NANOVNAs and the SMITH CHART
Yes, when we can't find something at Ace, we head to Boulder. White Rock,
New Mexico also had something similar that "served" the lab at Los Alamos. Good hardware stores are rare these days with all the chains. Dave - W?LEV On Mon, May 19, 2025 at 3:21?PM Dave Daniel via groups.io <kc0wjn= [email protected]> wrote: I severely miss McGuckins.-- *Dave - W?LEV* -- Dave - W?LEV |
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