[Boatanchors] Lettine 240 Transmitter Plug In Coils

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Drew P." <drewrailleur807 at yahoo.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 10:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Lettine 240 Transmitter Plug In 
Coils


>
> Lee wrote:
>
> [snipped for brevity]
>
> "What is really disturbing is new B&W coil stock at 1 3/4 
> inches in diameter with many turns per inch, which would 
> be used to re-coil a 80 meter and 160 meter coil base, 
> sells for $80 for a 4 inch long piece from B&W direct! 
> The price is insane.  I think I can make my own coil stock 
> for the high bands which have few turns per inch but close 
> wound ones for 80 and 160 meters might be a real challange 
> to make myself."
>
> How much demand is there for B&W coil stock these days? 
> Welcome to the world of supply and demand. 
> Statospherically high prices on many specialty items have 
> certainly dissuaded me from attempting many otherwise 
> appealing projects.
>
> A friend of mine made PA tank coil forms for his BC-610 by 
> threading ABS (not PVC) pipe of appropriate diameter on a 
> lathe. It was an easy matter to then wind the wire into 
> the threads.  This worked out well in operation with no 
> undue heating of the finished coil.
>
> My friend is lucky in that "his" lathe runs on beer. (He 
> tossed a six pack in the direction of his lathe-owning 
> buddy).
>
> Drew
>
>
     I also wonder about the logic behind B&W's pricing. If 
the coils are uneconomical to make why not just discontinue 
them instead of pricing them out of reach. One would think 
that if low volume is the problem reducing the price and 
advertising a little would increase it quite a bit. Or, 
perhaps, they could just farm them out. I suspect that 
whatever patents B&W has will have long ago expired and 
would tell you how to make similar coils. Essentially, the 
are just air-wound coils on strips of polystyrene for 
support.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com