Tesla Notes Re: 1/4 wave theory/cite the variance?

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

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

(Related, to save a post:
Yes, i understand 1/4 wave is 1/4 wave over ground, which acts like a
1/2 wave...  etc...  One level deeper than seems needful here.


Tesla list wrote:

> I should point out that much of the 1/4 wave "myth" comes from the Colorado
> Springs Notes as do a fair number of other "myths" about Tesla coils.
 
> The Colorado springs notes are Tesla's personal notes he took at the time.
> He NEVER intended for someone to find it 80 years later and publish it and
> send tens of thousands copies all over the world to hungry Tesla coil
> builders.  If he had, he would have removed all the mistakes.

	Respectfully submit that other views on this are held.
	I suggest that this is apropos to the extent that those notes
	DO describe a working coilers lab.
	Students of Tesla have stated that:
		He wrote the notes specifically BECAUSE lack of
		notes had hurt him in patent disputes in the past.

	Taking this as accurate (i think it was Marc Siefer????)
	Then one may infer that the notes ARE intended as accurate.
 
> Tesla used the 1/4 wave thing a lot in his calculations "there" because
> that is all he had "at that time".  Much of the notes are filled with Tesla
> struggling with the fact that "it didn't work".  Later on, Tesla certainly
> understood the problems with his old calcualtions back then.  However, If
> you read the notes, they do sound like Tesla had it all figured out,
> "before he tested it"!

	As someone who has had to keep a lab book, I read the notes
	(as to lab procedure, skipping various side notes) as someone
	doing cut and try.  Start with an idea, extend it until it
	won't extend, then try to find a way around.
 
> So be very careful of getting "facts" from the Colorado Springs notes.  The
> experiments are wonderful but the "analysis" was not ready for prime time.
> I hate to hear people argue that soemthing there is the truth when Tesla
> himself would not defended it in light of his later understanding.
 
> For fun, if one has any old Tesla notes form 20 years ago.  Imagine how
> they would sound "now" if they suddenly made the six o'clock news!
> Maybe I should go burn mine :o))

	I suggest that there is an element (tho i disagree somewhat)
	in Dave Ts point that Tesla's coils WERE space wound, reducing,
	if not eliminating capacitance effects.  Also, Tesla's Colorado
	Springs coils were HUGE in diameter and SHORT in height.  This
	is the end of the aspect ration range where the wire length for
	a 1/4 wave (over ground, resonating as a half wave, counting
	the image....   8)))  DOES approach a 1/4 wave in physical
	length.

	Few since have had the luxury of working on such a scale.
	(Anyone have parameters handy for Robert Golka's coil?).

	best
	dwp