solid state simulation

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Original poster: "Kelly & Phillipa Williams by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <kellyw-at-ihug.co.nz>

Hi All!

While thinking about computer simulation of the primary circuit, I wondered,
why can't you do that for real? (putting two back to back zener diodes in
for the static spark gap was not my idea, I read it on this list ;-)

Can you replace your spark gap with a solid state device (triggered switch
for an SRSG or a pair of back to back zener diodes for a static gap) and
replace the transformer with a, say, 10 to 100V AC source, and then use a
frequency probe on a DMM or ocilliscope to measure the frequency that the
capacitor and primary coil resonate at?

This would be done to get the primary voltage down to a level an Oscope or
(especially.) a DMM can handle. Then either of these could be used to
measure the frequency of the primary circuit.

10-100 VAC source charges tank capacitor. At point where SRSG fires (solid
state switch is triggered) or static gap fires (zener diode becomes forward
biased) the primary cap resonates with the primary coil. Frequnency counter
measures frequency.

Question - does resonant frequency change, even slightly, with voltage?
(15kV rms down to say, 50VAC rms)

Can this be done? Will it work?

Thank you in advance,

Alan Williams