Magnetic Resonance Devices based on Don Smith Concepts

[Yucca]

I will get a scope some day.

Your tests sound pretty interesting.  I'm still working out how the led on my other circuit is lighting but it looks like it has something to do with the + rail and a few other factors.  Anyway I will figure it out!!! 

Instead of a choke try a power inductor like in my pic.  It works ok. I think the radiant event is taking place off the tungsten electrodes so that is where I think it could be captured.....maybe 

At such high freqs your protoboard rails can couple quite effectively to the source oscillation, the magical world of RF... I would imagine you could tune the LED brightness by moving a small shunt up or down the power rails to tune for resonance.

[stprue]

At such high freqs your protoboard rails can couple quite effectively to the source oscillation, the magical world of RF... I would imagine you could tune the LED brightness by moving a small shunt up or down the power rails to tune for resonance.

That is a good idea but not for this set up.  I already tried to no avail.  It is using part of my JT and/or part of my +probe of my DMM even when it is off.  I will do some more tests Sunday or Monday when I have some time.

[Yucca]

Yucca
yer it was air, i didn't realize they had a top freq, it's amazing how much we need to know when building this stuff, a fantastic way of learning anyway.

Wow just looked up Vacuum caps they look amazing, how do you adjust them?

Edit OH i see they still have an adjuster, i guess you fit a knob to the shaft


JENNINGS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY VACUUM VARIABLE CAPACITOR
• PN: CMV1-1000 - 0103 • Capacity Range: 8 - 1000pF
• Voltage (KV) Peak Test 3KV Test 3KV Working
• Current Amps (RMS) Max. 40A
• Type: Ceramic • Length: 4.33”
• Diam: 1.78” • Capacity vs Turns 10t = 8pF   0t = 1000pF
• Drive on TOP: Please Note, this is not ¼" Shaft, but a special "Spline" Cog Type Drive!! Click for large photo
• Frequency: 2 - 30MHz
• Brand New Item / Never been used. Unusual and very hard to find!
• Price:£125 (5pcs available) Click for large photo

I checked out the site, that looks like a good vac cap at a fair price, 1000pF is nice and high, 3kV sounds low but should be enough for this particular device judging by Dons gap width. I'm not sure what happens if you overvolt vacuum caps, do they just arc, does a conducting plasma begin to form, do the copper cap plates get pitted or otherwise damaged? Maybe a plasma glow develops because I often see them made with clear glass envelopes, perhaps for eyeballing when running?

Maybe on this device we could get away with air caps, they only drop off when you drive them hard, for high impedance work they should get to much higher freqs. But I suppose in this case we will be driving it pretty hard and wanting a fast powerful impulse and large amplitude ring when the gap fires, perhaps a high power rated aircap would suffice if we were running at say 0.1 of its power rating? But then that would be big and pricey too. hmmm...

[Paul-R]

I wish I had a scope.

Why not go back to your old school and talk to your Head of Physics?
You might be able to start up a dialogue, and maybe bring your
rig in and test it on their premises.

Alternatively, you could ring up the Group Chief Accountant of any very
large firm, possibly British Telecom, and ask them if they will give you
one (They say "Yes" more often than one would think):
British Telecommunications plc
81 Newgate Street
London
EC1A 7AJ
This number may not be right, but you should ask for the correct one:
Tel: 020 7356 4894 (international: +44 20 7356 4894)

Paul-R

p.s. I suggest the chief accountant because they often have a very boring
life, and your intervention may be the most fun they have had for years.

[allcanadian]

@stprue

I wish I had a scope.

Another option is to get your hands on an old CRT computer monitor or small television that everyone is throwing away these days, the premise of a crt is that an electron beam is deflected by a magnetic field. A mosfet gate is voltage driven which can be used to drive the deflection coils. A mosfet/555 can be used to drive the horizontal deflection coils and a mosfet on the vertical deflection coils will convert a voltage potential to a proportional current in the coils. It is a cheap alternative if you are playing with HV fields which tend to destroy oscilloscopes.
Regards
AC