On Tue, 25 May 2004 02:59:52 GMT, "Henry Kolesnik"
wrote:

Richard

You say my question has been answered but I haven't seen the answer, too
old, too stupid, whatever but I still would like to understand. So, would
you be kind enough to give me a better understanding of the "mechanism" in
the transmitter final that can dissipate and transform yet it can't
dissipate a reflection because there's some kind of one way device that acts
like a checkvalve or diode that reflects.
tnx

Hi Hank,

There is no answer as you phrase the question because the transmitter
does dissipate power reflected to it. I can easily imagine you may
find no understanding as I go hyperbolic in the following lines. :-)

It can also reflect (some or all of) what it does not absorb, but only
if it does not match the line connected to it. The degree to which it
absorbs/reflects is determined by the ratio of its Z to the line/load
at the antenna terminal. In this case (bear with me), the source Z is
NOW found at the load's mismatch, transformed through the line. This
means matching works both ways (often the singlemost ignored aspect of
obvious reciprocity in any of these arguments). Such circuit analysis
is called superposition. This is merely an academic way of saying you
look at the problem from both points of view where you reverse roles
(source becomes load, and load becomes source). This is a common
practice learned in first quarter circuit analysis when Kirchhoff's
laws are developed (Thevenin/Norton equivalent circuits also emerge).

For example (a strained one at that), if you had a 500 Ohm Source
characteristic Z, you will never launch much power into a 50 Ohm
system because it would immediately hit a reflective interface at the
antenna connector. This means that a 500 Ohm source, when confronted
by power going towards it from a 50 Ohm system will reflect most of
that power (but how did we get this power into the system in the first
place - Karma?) This, by design, will never happen in any transistor
ham rig built in the last quarter century.

So, this is why you see such a vacuum of response when you (the
general readership "you") ask:
"What is the source Z if it is not 50 Ohms?"
Silence guarantees they either don't know (a fatal admission for egos)
or if they offered a value, we could all balance the checkbook and
that would end the game being played. Hence we are treated to all
these suppositions of shorts and opens or magic reflectors hidden
beneath the hood. The frequent toss-off comment of "no one knows" is
called projection, a psychological salve for the ego meaning if I
don't know, then certainly no one else does either - or they are
wrong.

The answer is the transmitter source Z is 50 Ohms at rated power. If
a watt of power is chooglin' down the line toward it, that 50 Ohms is
going to dissipate into a watt worth of calories. This can be argued
with wave mechanics, or lumped circuit equivalents - doesn't matter
because it's all the same calories. Modern rigs can tolerate this
watt through limited feedback and level controlling circuitry - if you
paid more than a kilobuck for your rig that is. For the rest of us,
it's a spin of the wheel and you take your chance. 1 watt hardly
amounts to much, but are you that lucky that it is ONLY 1 watt? Are
we to suppose those unfortunate souls who blasted their rig
transmitting into a mismatch lost it only because they lacked enough
magic pixie dust? I will bet no rig was lost to a cold snap with
frosty finals.

I've already answered about where the heat can be found, so we will
conserve bandwidth.

=== WARNING to the logic impaired, the following is a supposition ===

Now, lets simply accept those answers that require the magic pixie
dust of total reflection from the transmitter. Fine, the mismatched
antenna reflects some power, this power returns to the transmitter,
the transmitter simple routes it ALL back to the antenna,
round-and-round until the antenna finally radiates it. If this were
true, what do we need tuners for? Take a survey of everyone who
chants this mantra of the rig reflecting, and ask if they have a tuner
in the line. Is it a paper weight holding down their license? Is it
a line stretcher because they needed another foot extension between
the antenna lead and their rig? Dare I point out the utter failure of
their faith?

I will pause to allow those answers to emerge and enjoy the thrashing
dawn of a new era of metaphysics. Ooooohhhhhhmmmmms Laaaaaaaaaaw!

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC