ARRL sent me over to discuss a novel attempt.

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Jon Abel

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Apr 1, 2026, 1:45:29 PMApr 1
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Hello HAMSci:

ARRL advised that you guys might have to ability to assist with something novel and different.  

1.  First off, pictures of the interleaved coil (2 parallel wires), and an SWR analysis of it.
Interleaved coils are attached.   This coil is also called patent 512,340 - if you wish to analyze it or have A.I. analyze it for you.   

2.  Secondly, the device will be biased with a resonant frequency that falls inside it's SWR curve using a MOSFET (coming from a low jitter signal generator) - and is meant to cause an electric field between the 2 wires.   The 2 wires are tied in series but laid out in parallel for this to happen.  

The coils are high capacitance and low inductance, so they are atypical.  

3.  Thirdly, the goal is to attempt to make the antenna more sensitive by picking up plasma wave perturbations from the ionosphere and beyond (Van Allen belts) & use the electric field in-between the 2 wires to detect them.   I have access to several dozen supercapacitors of 5.5 volts & 2 Farads, a TRX-DUO SDR, and a Rigol 1032Z signal generator.     Integration times of 600 seconds (10 minutes) for the slowest 1.7 milliHertz waves may be needed. 

The SDR cannot detect such a slow wave, but if it is multiplied by the modulation frequency applied  to the transistor - it will encode the signal as AM for proper analysis by the TRX-DUO.


Conical VNA Analysis.jpg
US512340.pdf
Screenshot 2026-01-17 21-27-59.png
Screenshot 2026-01-31 00-13-25.png

Fleet Belknap

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Apr 1, 2026, 2:00:44 PMApr 1
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How do you account for the effect that the Meade LXD-55 has on performance? Wouldn't the motors in the Meade change operating characteristics?

Happy April 1!

Fleet 
KJ4ZWA

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Jon Abel

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Apr 1, 2026, 2:13:48 PMApr 1
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Um, nice identification of the mount.    But, I'm just using it as a holder.   The coil will be pointed at only 1 spot in the sky - not tracking.    it will not be powered.

Jon Abel

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Apr 3, 2026, 1:11:30 AMApr 3
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If there is somebody with the ability to have a serious conversation - go ahead.   

googl...@cox.net

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Apr 7, 2026, 8:12:25 PMApr 7
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Jon,

 

The coils shown in the patent document are wound in a bi-filar configuration with distributed capacitance produced by the dielectric between the two windings. As you mentioned, the coil configuration is “high capacitance and low inductance.” Electrically, this can be viewed as a parallel-resonant LC circuit. Your SWR curve on the network analyzer shows the high impedance of the circuit where the SWR increases dramatically.

 

While you have wire wound around a form (the conical shape in the photos) you may not necessarily have “an antenna.” Instead, you may just have a resonant LC circuit.

 

Antennas radiate, i.e., they transfer electromagnetic energy to the surrounding medium. The way to find out if you truly have an “antenna” is to connect it to the network analyzer and touch the surface, or place your hand in close proximity, to various spots along the structure. If the SWR changes noticeably when you touch it, you have a radiating structure. If little to no change occurs, you have a resonant circuit where all the energy is circulated within the inductance and capacitance.

 

Let us know the results of your measurements.

 

73,

 

Mark Braunstein  WA4KFZ

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Jon Abel

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Apr 8, 2026, 12:08:25 AMApr 8
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The coil is not being used to radiate, only receive.   

I am attempting to build a energized sensor, not an antenna in the conventional sense.

But, then again, this patent is not something people use to build HAM antennas with either.   

So, the SWR is at about 1.3-1.5 from 4.5 Mhz to 18.5 Mhz from the graph.   
And, if put a transistor in series with the coil and feed it with - let's say 5 Mhz, along with putting 10-30 DC volts into the horn - will it do as the patent says and create an electric field between the wires.

If so, then the question becomes whether this "sensor" can be perturbed by charge (plasma) waves or Alfven waves in the ionosphere or the Van Allen belts.  
No, I won't be transmitting a "bounce signal" to do this.    

 

googl...@cox.net

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Apr 8, 2026, 4:31:44 PMApr 8
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Jon,

 

Even if it’s a receive antenna, touching the structure (“the sensor”) should produce a change in the network analyzer response. If the response doesn’t change appreciably, then there would be little interaction with the external environment. An electric field would exist between the wires; the question is could the field be perturbed by the surrounding plasma.

 

What happens to the SWR when you touch the structure with your hand?

Jon Abel

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Apr 8, 2026, 6:59:16 PMApr 8
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The device is being designed to perform for electrostatic properties, so I think there's more to it than your simple test.   

When I get my signal generator & correct transistors - I'll let you know, but until someone can show me an example of an active, powered receiver design (no, not just adding a pre-amp) - I'll be assuming a novel design philosophy.   

But, I don't expect it will behave the same as an antenna dictated by conventional ARRL rules or design.     

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