streamer output - toroids vs. spheres

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Original poster: mileswaldron@xxxxxxxxxxx 


It seems that everyone is using toroids as toploads these days. I 
admit tuning a coil with a toroid is much easier than tuning a coil 
with a sphere; however, there is one remarcable difference in 
streamer output that I have noticed. This type of streamer output is 
so *AMAZING* that I don't like toroids, and prefer spheres.

What I see happen with a tuned in sphere, with careful and painful 
adjustments, is that I can get exactly 1 streamer rolling around the 
top of the ball. The streamer will eventually settle itself down on 
the top of the ball and start "reaching" upwards. The end of the 
streamer licks and curls around in a shape that I cannot describe, 
going inside itself in fractal looking loops. It will stand there 
doing this for quite some time. It is a beautiful site to see. My 3" 
diameter coil can project a 42" streamer upwards using a single 12-60 NST.

This is a simple observation about topload shape that I hope will 
foster some interesting commentary.

Miles