Unit 2 — Construction and Materials
TM-TOOL-008 — Open Handout TM Chapter: Chapter 3 ELOs: Identify required components and materials; understand component selection criteria Estimated time: 20 minutes
Step 1: Read the TM
Open TM-TOOL-008. Read Chapter 3 — Equipment and Materials completely.
Then come back here.
Chapter 3 Content
3-1 HF Plug-In Element (Bird 43 Compatible)
Slug body: 6061-T6 aluminum, black anodized, D-shaped cross section. PCB: 22×18 mm FR4. Key components per power/band range:
| Range | N2 turns | Core | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100W / HF | 6 | Fair-Rite 5943000401 (#43, 9mm) | 1.8–30 MHz |
| 250W / HF | 10 | Same | 1.8–30 MHz |
| 1000W / HF | 32 | BN-43-202 | 1.8–30 MHz |
| 100W / VHF | 6 | Fair-Rite #67, 9mm | 50–175 MHz |
| 100W / UHF | Microstrip coupled | PCB | 420–1000 MHz |
3-2 Bird 43 Body
The Bird 43 body (if homebrew): SO-239 or N-type input/output connectors on a milled aluminum body with a 25.0 mm diameter slug cavity. Spring-pin contact engages the slug banana jack. Retention sleeve threads onto body.
Component Selection
Review the equipment and materials list in Chapter 3 carefully.
Before building, verify every item on the materials list. Key considerations: - Use the specified component types — substitutions may affect performance or frequency coverage - Non-inductive components are required in RF circuits; standard wirewound resistors are unsuitable - Toroids and ferrite cores are frequency-specific; use the specified core material (#43, #61, #67, etc.) - Connector types affect impedance — match the specified connector to avoid SWR errors
The quality of your materials sets the ceiling on the tool's performance.
Self-Check Questions
SC2-1. List the three most critical components or materials specified in Chapter 3. Why are they critical?
SC2-2. Does Chapter 3 specify non-inductive resistors? If so, where are they used and why does it matter?
SC2-3. What connector type(s) does Chapter 3 specify, and what is the frequency/power justification?
SC2-4. Does Chapter 3 specify a particular ferrite core material or type? What is its significance?
SC2-5. What would be the consequence of substituting a standard wirewound resistor for a non-inductive type in an RF application?
Answer Key
SC2-1. See Chapter 3. Identify items with specific part numbers, special materials, or critical tolerances — these are the ones that most affect performance.
SC2-2. See Chapter 3. Non-inductive types are used wherever standard inductive wirewound resistors would add series inductance that degrades high-frequency performance.
SC2-3. See Chapter 3. SO-239, N-type, BNC, and SMA each have different frequency and power ratings.
SC2-4. See Chapter 3. Ferrite #43 is for 1–100 MHz; #61 for 10–200 MHz; #67 for 50–500 MHz. Wrong material = wrong permeability = wrong coupling.
SC2-5. A wirewound resistor has several microhenries of series inductance. At HF and VHF, this adds inductive reactance proportional to frequency, destroying the resistor's value as a termination or load.
Checkpoint
Before proceeding: - [ ] You have read Chapter 3 completely - [ ] You can name the critical components from memory - [ ] You understand why non-inductive and correct ferrite materials are required
→ Proceed to Unit 3