On Sun, 12 Mar 2006, W5OMR/Geoff wrote:
John Coleman ARS WA5BXO wrote:
How difficult would be it be 'sweep' the mod iron?
The reason I ask, is because so much of the surplus stuff we get is still of
Mil-Spec design. Therefore, if the mil-spec transformer says it's freq
response is +/- 1db from 100Hz ~ 3000Hz, how would one determine exactly what
this particular peice of iron will be capable of handling, in the
'non-comercial' application?
An instructive test for most audio transformers is to apply nice, clean
square-waves to them, and observe the result both in the time
(oscilloscope) and frequency (spectrum analyzer) domains.
The 'better' a transformer is, the fewer artifacts it will add,
especially at the "ends" of it's specified bandwidth.
Of course you can always sweep a transformer quite easily yourself - a
stable audio generator and AC voltmeter (that will read accurately over
the range of frequencies you'll be using) is all that is required.
First, choose some reference frequncy, often 500Htz or 1KHtz - adjust
the generator output to some convenient reading on the meter - doesn't
matter what it is, as long as it's not down in the microvolt range..!
If you have a dB meter - all the better, set your output level so the
meter reads '0' or '-10' dB - or .775 VRMS if the transformer is near
600-ohms output... but no matter what type of meter you use, the object
is to lower the frequency until a substantial fall-off in voltage is noted
(the generator must NOT change it's output at all during this) - then
raise the frequency until a similar fall-off is observed. You'll get a
pretty fair idea of the working bandwidth of that particular tranny.
This will change under load, especially with large DC currents flowing in
the windings - but the wider, the flatter, the better. If you want to get
Fancy - get some (linear) graph paper and plot the output reading vs.
frequency from, say, 10 Htz to 50 KHtz.
Then do this again with square waves and watch on a scope for ringing
and rounding of corners - you can use a distortion analyzer if you have
one.
If you really want to get obsessive, you can plot out the magnetic
curves, too - but this is outside the scope of this post.
If you're completely insane, you can also calculate the acoustic
environment of the transformer... speed of sound in steel, acoustic energy
coupling between Mass 'A' of copper and Mass 'B' of laminations...
At any rate, soon you'll get a 'feel' for the various transformers at
your disposal.
Cheers
John KB6SCO
