Re: Lower secondary cself => better performance?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

> Concerning why large toploads appear to give superior performance, as
> opposed to using a small one designed to maximize topload voltage - what
> follows is the reasoning I have heard and understood.  You no doubt have
> studied these issues in far greater depth than I have, so I would enjoy
> hearing your take on this.


> I'm not sure that maximizing the theoretical peak pre-breakout secondary
> voltage is useful in maximizing streamer length.  Maximizing the efficiency
> of getting the total energy stored in the secondary to the streamer is.
> Easier said than done, for sure.
> 
> Comments MOST welcome!
> 
> Gary Lau
> Waltham, MA USA

	I'd change that to getting the maximum energy stored in the PRIMARY
into the streamers.  As for the reason heavy top loading improves
things, I believe it is because it lowers the operating surge impedance
of the secondary, and hence increases the loaded (streamers present) Q. 
This, in turn, simplifies impedance matching and coupling adjustment
"for maximum good".