OpenBCM V2.0.2 (Linux)

Packet Radio Mailbox

IZ3LSV

[San Dona' di P. JN]

 Login: GUEST





  
G8MNY  > TECH     04.05.26 09:04l 122 Lines 5361 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 58835_GB7CIP
Read: GUEST
Subj: 88mH Coils, Explained!
Path: IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP
Sent: 260504/0659Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:58835 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To  : TECH@WW

By G8MNY                                    (Update Dec 07)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)
After seeing several buls on 88mH coils, I thought I would explain what they
were used for by the millions in the UK telecomms industry.

LINE THEORY
The basic 600ohm 2 wire telephone line system is quite lossy. This is due to
too high a capacity between the wires and the copper resistance, this causes
high loss and also higher loss at higher frequency than ideal.

         Simple Line                      A Loaded Line section
    ÄÄÄÂÄÄRÄÄÂÄÄRÄÄÂÄÄRÄÄÂÄÄÄ                ÄÄÄÂÄÄ((()ÄRÄÄÂÄÄÄ
600R  ===   ===   ===   ===  600R       1200R  === ::::   ===  1200R
    ÄÄÄÁÄÄRÄÄÁÄÄRÄÄÁÄÄRÄÄÁÄÄÄ                ÄÄÄÁÄÄ((()ÄRÄÄÁÄÄÄ

The capacitance & resistance value of the wires can't be changed. Reducing the
load Z flattens the frequency response, but increases the loss (a useful trick
for short music circuits!). But adding series inductance spaced evenly along
the line, makes the line look like a cut off filter and has several effects...

     1/ increases the line impedance (matching transformers need for 600ê!)
     2/ substantially reduces the line loss below the cut off frequency
     3/ and flattens the comms band frequency response.

Normal 600ohm                          88mH Loaded 1200ohm
Line Loss  (e.g. 20 miles)             Line Loss
dB                                     dB
30´                         ,'         30´                    Þ
  ³                      .ú'             ³                    Ý
20´                   .ú' No Sharp     20´  Flatter response  Ý Sharp 
  ³             __..-~    cut off.       ³ And Half the Loss Þ  cut off.
10´------ÄÄÄÄ~~~                       10´                 __/
  ³                                      ³  -------ÄÄÄÄÄ~~~
 0ÅÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂ>Hz        0ÅÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂ>Hz
   100 200 500 1k  2k  5k  10k            100 200 500 1k  2k  5k  10k

The standard for cables between telephone exchanges (office) was to use a
loaded cable with an 88mH balanced coil every 2000 yards, starting 1000 yards
from the exchange and completing the last 1000 yard pi section with an added
capacitor or added capacitor & 44mH terminated inductor half section.

   1000 Yards       2000 Yards       1000 Yards
    ÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()ÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄ         ÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()Ä
1200ê ===     ::::      ===     ::::    ===       OR     ===     ::::  1200ê
    ÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()ÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄ         ÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄ((()Ä
              88mH              88mH  (Made up to)               44mH
                                      (1 section)
   <- - full section - ->                             <- half section ->

BACK TO THE COILS
The coils consist of 2 identical bifilar wound windings on a common ferrite or
iron core, they are quite high Q, and capable of keeping their inductance with
up to 50mA of DC current flowing (which is a lot for a pot core!) which is why
they are quite large for a max of 20mW (+13dBm) of AF signals on telecomms
lines.

Wire colours are normally Black & White Red/Black & Red/White, & it should be
quite easy to identify the 2 line pairs.
           _..._
Pot Core  <_   _>===== 2 pairs
2cm tall  ³ ~~~ ³===== of wires
2.5cm dia ³     ³
          \_   _/
            ~~~
Some coils are ally can encapsulated, others plastic & some not at all.

INDUCTANCE VALUE
Watch out for the 44mH ones, as they look much the same other than labelling
and have half the 88mH test inductance values below.

       Centre                     Centre
  ______ Tap                        Tap ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
  )::( o                                 )::(o\ /   L Cancels
  )::(                         WRONG     )::(  X     so just a
o )::(___                              o )::(_/ \___  few mH
 ³_______88mH                           ³___________ ?


If just 1 winding is used then you have 22mH. By paralleling the 2nd coil you
get half the DC resistance, but the phase must be right!

     _____         ÚÄÄÄÄÂÄÄ                    ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄ
 )::(             o )::( o                    o )::(o\ /   L Cancels
 )::( 22mH   OR     )::(  22mH         WRONG    )::(  X    so just the
 )::(_____          )::(  1/2 DC ê              )::(_/ \   odd mH
                   ÀÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ                    ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ

USES
So with suitable capacitors they make useful AF filters etc.

They can be used as isolation transformers, not too well isolated, & no good
for LF response with the low L value.

One can also be used as an efficient voltage step up or a -rail inverter with
just 2 transistors in flip flop. Note the push pull gives nearly 100% output
all the time so smoothing is not needed in some applications!

+12V ÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄ¿
 55mA ³   e\³ 2K2 2K2 ³/e
      ³+    ÃÄÄ´   ÃÄÄ´  2x 50V PNP
100u ===   /³ 22K 22K ³\    100mA
      ³   ³     \ /     ³
      ³   ³      X      ³
      ³   ³_____/ \_____³
      ³   ³             ³
      ³   ³  =========  ÃÄÄ´<ÃÄÂÄÄÂÄÄ> -11V 50mA
      ³   ÃÄ(((()Â(((()ÄÙ      ³  ³ -  (unregulated)
      ³   ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄ)ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´<ÃÄÙ ===100u
 0V ÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ>


See my buls on "Passive CW Headphone Filter", "AF 2 Tone Test Osc Design" &
also "DC Power Conversions".


Why Don't U send an interesting bul?

73 De John, G8MNY @ GB7CIP


Read previous mail | Read next mail


 05.05.2026 09:23:50lGo back Go up