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> Minicircuits TC1-6-75 300MHZ+ 1:1 transformers (qty.8)
Minicircuits TC1-6-75 300MHZ+ 1:1 transformers (qty.8)
Minicircuits TC1-6-75-1 SMD 100kHz..300MHz? RF 1:1 Transformers (Qty.8)
On offer are several lots, each of 8 new RF 'balun' transformers by Mini-Circuits, type TC1-6-75-1, in cut factory tape.
These are 1:1 transformers, 6 turns/winding on a small binocular core and mounted on a ceramic or hard plastic surface-mount base.
There is not a datasheet for the exact part number listed on the Mini-Circuits site, but these seem to have identical form factor and connections to the similarly numbered TC1-6 type (link to data below). Usually Minicircuits uses the -75 suffix to denote a 75 ohm variant ... but it seems this is more a matter of specification than anything in the transformers design and they seemed quite at home in a 50 ohm environment during testing.
The TC1-6 type for which there is data are specified from 150kHz ..350MHz, and are usable from 50kHz to 400MHz, a range hard to duplicate with homemade transformers. I have hooked these up and swept them up to 300MHz, the limit of my (50 ohm) VNA and they are very flat, apparently within the specs of the TC1-6.
These would be useful for converting between balanced and unbalanced signals, and coupling between RF stages over a wide frequency range whilst providing DC isolation.
I would like to point out that they are small. Not too hard to solder with a small soldering iron tip and good light (same as SOIC chips) but certainly smaller than the types with pins. For testing I attached short fine wires with a regular iron in my preferred ugly style (over a copper-clad groundplane), though a PCB would be neater.
There are a couple of useful application notes on the MCL site about RF Transformers which are worth a read ...
* How RF Transformers Work - http:// /pages/pdfs/howxfmerwork.pdf
* Balun Transformers - http://minicircuits.com/pages/BalunApplicationNote.htm
Wideband SMD RF 1:1 Transformer
http://minicircuits.com/pdfs/TC1-6+.pdf
The similar TC1-6 transformers have a list price of $6.99 each (for 1..9 pieces), dropping to $1.69 each at 100+ quantity.
That's 36+ for 8pc. Much cheaper here for the experimenter!
