148

IEEE TRANSACTIONS

ON PARTS, HYBRIDS, AND PACKAGING,

VOL. PHP-7, NO. 4, DECEMBER 1971

Twisted Magnet Wire Transmission Line

PETER LEFFERSON

Abstract - Transmission line principles are applied to twisted

magnet wire lines made of two wires to establish design limits.
Expressions are developed to predict the effects of wire film insulation
and of twisting. A design procedure is developed to realize a desired
characteristic impedance for the design of radio frequency broad-band
transformers, signal combiners, and pulse transformers.

INTRODUCTION

ROAD-BAND transformers and signal combiners for HF

thru UHF and the digital field using twisted magnet wire
transmission line, have been discussed in the literature and are
widely used. [l]-[3].
The terminal impedances of these
passive devices are a function of: the transmission-line characteristic impedance, line length, core material, and source
impedance at other terminals. If the line impedance can be
controlled, these devices can be built with a wide frequency
range without requiring additional lumped elements. The
terminal reactance can be tailored in the same way to improve
matching into active devices.
This paper will consider only the twisted magnet wire
transmission line and a design procedure will be given as a
function of wire size, wire insulation thickness, insulation
relative dielectric constant, and wire twist.
Twisted magnet wire transmission lines using the wire size
range from 4 to 44 can be realized with characteristic
impedances ranging from 10 to 85 R. More practical examples
would be a 50-a line made with a pair of number 40 wires and
a 25,a line made with a pair of number 15 wires.
Basic Dimension Standard
The United States military specification for magnet wire,
MIL-W-583, will be used for a well-ordered base on which to
build a design procedure. Among other things, this specification defines round magnet wire having film insulation. It lists
American Wire Gage sizes 4-44 in four insulation thickness
groups with their dimensions and tolerances. The minimum
insulation thickness for each wire size in groups 2-4 is
approximately the minimum thickness for the wire size in
group one multiplied by the group number. The maximum
thickness is about equal to the minimum of the next higher
group. These data from MIL-W-583 is repeated in Table I.
Using the dimensions from this table and the expression for

characteristic impedance of two parallel wires [4]

Z1 = pcash-4.
(1)
u
Vt req
The computer calculated characteristic impedances are plotted
in Fig. 1 for a relative dielectric constant of 1.O.D and d are
the wire diameters with and without the insulation film,
respectively. freq is the equivalent relative dielectric constant.
Fig. 1 shows the calculated impedances for the film-thickness
extremes.
WIRE TWIST AND PITCH ANGLE

The effect of twisting the line can be normalized for all

wire sizes if the twist per inch T is equated to the angle
included between each wire and a line drawn down the center
of the transmission line (pitch angle0). For bifilar wire, twist
is given by
tan 0
j-z----(2)
I-iD
The relation of twist and pitch angle is plotted in Fig. 2 for
wire sizes 4-44 and the insulation thicknesses of classes one
and four.
Experimental data suggest that optimum performance is
obtained from lines having pitch angles between 20-45.
When the line twist is loose, it becomes difficult to maintain
continuous line geometry as the line is wound on a form. This
is seen as a large reflection on a time-domain reflectometer.
The transmission line is subjected to excessive stress as the
twist angle approaches 50.5 and in the vicinity of 50.5 it will
break. Equation 2 and. the maximum pitch angle are developed
in the Appendix.
A line impedance rise of 1 or 2 S2can be anticipated when
the line is wound of a ferrite form.
FILM DIELECTRIC

The equivalent dielectric constant that must be considered

in order to give meaning to the theoretical characteristic
impedance of Fig. 1, is a function of the film insulation and
pitch angle. It is common to express a system having two
dielectrics as
freq = (YE~I+ /3Er* CX+ /3 = 1
=Erl

ManuscriptreceivedJune 9, 1971;revisedSeptember13, 1971.

The author is with the Milton Roy Company, St. Petersburg, Fla.
C.L. Ruthroff, Some broad
47, pp. 1337 - 1342, Aug. 1959.
0. Pitzalis, Jr., Practical
transmission line transformers,
Am. 1968.
* 3R.E. Matick, Transmission
application,Proc.
IEEE, vol. 56,

band transformers,

Proc. IEEE, vol.

design information
for braod-band
Proc. IEEE, vol. 56, pp. 738 - 739,
line pulse transformers - Theory and
pp. 47 - 62, Jan. 1968.

(1 -P)+PEr*

= 91 + P (Er2 - frl>,

where erI and er2 are the relative dielectric constants of air (or
some other surrounding material) and the film insulation,
41nternationa1

Telephone and Telegraph Co., Reference Data for

New York: Sames, 1969, ch. 22, p. 22.

Radio Engineers, 5th ed.

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LEFFERSON:

TWISTED MAGNET WIRE

149

TABLE I
MINIMUM

Wire size
(AWG)

Diameter
nominal
(W

4--5---

6-e7---

8--m
9--lO--ll--12--13--14--15--16--17--18--19--20--21--22--23--24--25--26--27--28--29--30--31--32--33--34--35--36--37--38--39--40--41--42--43--44---

0.2043
. 1819
. 1620
. 1443
. 1285
.!144
. 1019
. 0907
.0808
.0720
.0641
0571
: 0508
.0453
.0403
. 0359
.0320
. 0285
.0253
. 0226
. 0201
. 0179
. 6159
. 0142
. 0126
. 0113
. 0100
. 0089
.0080
. 0071
.0063
. 0056
. 0050
.0045
.0040
.0035
. 0031
. 0028
.0025
.0022
.0020

INCREASE IN DIAMETER OF BARE ROUND WIRE AND THE MAXIMUM

OVERALL DIAMETBR DUE TO FILM INSULATION
CLASS 1

CLASS 2

CLASS 3

CLASS 4

Minimum Maximum
increase in overall
diameter
diameter

Minimum
Maximum
increase in
overall
diameter
diameter

Minimum
Maximum
increase in
overall
diameter
diameter

Minimum Maximbm
increase in
overall
diatieter
diameter

(InI
0.0019
. 0019
.0018
.0017
.0016
.bo16
.0015
.0015
.0014
.0014
. 0014
.0013
.0012
.0012
.OOll
.OOll
. 0010
.OOlO
.OOlO
. 0009
. boo9
. 0009
.0008
.0008
.0007
.0007
.0006
.0006
.0006
.0005
.0005
.0004
.0004
.0003
.0003
.0002
.0002
.0002
.0002
.0002
. 0001

(In)
0.2093
. 1867
. 1665
. 1485
. 1324
. 1181
. 1054
. 0941
.0840
.0750
.0&70
. 0599
.0534
.0478
.0426
-0382
.0341
.0306
.Q273
.0244
.0218
. 0195
. 0174
. 0156
! 0139
. 0126
. 0112
. 0100
. 0091
.0081
.0072
.oo64
.0058
.0052
.0047
.0041
.0037
.0033
.0030
.oO26
.0024

(InI
0.0037
.0036
.0035
.0034
.0033
.0032
.0031
.0030
.0029
.0028
.0027
.0026
.0026
.0025
.0024
t 0023
.0022
.OOZl
.0020
.0019
.0019
.0018
.0017
.0016
.0015
.0014
.0013
.0013
.0012
.OOll
.OOlO
.0009
.0008
.0008
.0007
.0006
.0006
.0005
.0004
,0004
.0004

(In)
0.2111
. 1884
. 1682
. 1502
. 1342
. 1198
. 1071
. 0957
.0855
. 0765
.0684
.0613
.0548
. 0492
.0440
. 0395
.0353
. 0317
. 0284
.0255
. 0229
.0206
.0185
. 0165
. 0148
. 0134
. 0120
. 0108
. 0098
. 0088
. 0078
.0070
.0063
.0057
. 0051
.0045
.0040
. 0036
.0032
. 0029
.0027

(InI
0.0049
.0048
.0047
.0046
.0045
.0044
.0043
. 0042
.004b
.0039
.0038
.0037
.0036
.0035
.0034
.0033
.0031
.0030
.0029
.0028
.0027
.0026
.0025
.0023
.0022
.0021
.0020
.0019
no018
.0017
.0015
. ooi4
.0013
.0012
.OOll
. 0010
.0009
.0008
.0008
.0007
.0006

(InI

(In)

0.2125
. 1897
. 1695
. 1515
.1355
. 1211
: 0969
1084

0.0064
.0062
: 0059
0059
.0058
.0057
.0054
.0056

.0867
. 0776
. 0695
.0624
.0558
.0502
. 0450
.0404
.0362
.0326
. 0292
.0263
. 0237
. 0214
. 0192
. 0172
. 0155
. 0141
. 0127
. 0115
. 0105
. 0095
. 0084
.0076
. 0069
; 0062
.0056
. 0050
.0044
.0040
.0037
.0033
.0030

.0052
.0050
.0049
.0048
.0046
.0045
.0044
:0042
.0040
.0039
.0037
.0036
.0035
.0034
.0032
.0030
.0029
.0028
,0027
.0026
.0025
.0024
.0021
.0020
.0019
.0017
.0016
.0015
.0013
.OOlO
.OOlO
.OOlO
.0009

0.2148
. 1920
.1717
, 1537
. 1377
. 1233
.1106
. 0991
.0888
. 0796
.0715
.0644
.0577
. 0520
.0468
.0422
. 0379
.0342
.0308
. 0279
.0252
.0228
.0206
. 0185
. 0166
. 0152
. 0137
. 0124
.0113
.0102
. 0091
.0082
.0074
.0067
.0060
.0053
.0047
.0043
.0038
.0035
.0032

(InI

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS

150

ON PARTS, HYBRIDS, AND PACKAGING,

DECEMBER 1971

130120llOLOO
Z_Wc
z
2
E
I

8Q70-

uaE
B soti
24D1

JoM10 I

II

Fig. 1.

Characteristic

10

I,

I1

20
WIRE

15

II

25
(AWG)

SIZE

II

II

1 I

35

30

I1

40

44

impedance for bifilar magnet wire transmission line based on MIL-W-583 dimensions and with relative
dielectric constant of one.
1DODt

loo-

5
E

w
P lot
F
c

1.0 -

I
-

0.1

10

20

PITCH ANGLE

Fig. 2.

30
IN

CLASS 1
CLASS 4

40
DEGREES

50

60

Bifilar transmission line twist per inch versus pitch angle for wire sizes 4-44 having class-l and 4 insulation thickness.

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LEFFERSON:

151

TWISTED MAGNET WIRE

E
,.q

FROM

C- MEASUREMENTS

10

1;

2b

PITCH

Fig. 3.

Measured equivalent

dielectric

25

ANGLE

;D

3;

4b

i-0

DEGREES

constant versus pitch angle for a sample of no. 29 magnet wire having class-2
insulation thickness.

respectively. erl and er2 are published constants, but 0 is a

function of pitch angle.
The behavior of fi can be seen by observing ereq as the
pitch angle is increased, If one assumes that the internal,
external, and mutual inductance of the line are not changed by
twist, ereq can be calculated from measurements of the actual
characteristics impedance by
calculated Zo for flat parallel wires
with E req = 1
Greq =

IN

measuredZO

(4)

It can also be calculated from capacitance measurements of

the line by
measured capacitance
ereq = calculated capacitance for the same length of
flat parallel wires with ereq =l

(5)

It can be calculated from the electrical line length by

measured electrical length
Greq = measured ph y srcal length of the twisted line . (6)
Laboratory data show agreement among all three of these
within the measurement accuracy of wire dimension, characteristic impedance, and relative dielectric constant of the film.
Five percent random impedance fluctuation along a twisted
line is common. Fig. 3 illustrates an example using number 29
wire having a class-2 thickness of polyester film insulation. The
example shows Ereq calculated from capacitance, electrical
length, and impedance measurements of four line samples
twisted to different pitch angles.
The characteristic impedance and electrical length data
were taken with the Hewlett-Packard model 1415A time

domain reflectometer. The film relative dielectric constants

were calculated from capacitance measurements of wire
samples in a mercury bath.
It was observed that the measured relative dielectric
constant can be greater than the published value for the film
material. This might be expected because as the twist is made
very tight, the wire dimension and the film thickness change SO
that they no longer fit the model for which the theoretical
parameters were calculated.
When the /3 is calculated from the equivalent dielectric
constant measurements, it is found to fit the expression.
p = 0.25 + 4 x 1o-4 8 2.

(7)

In Fig. 4 this expression is used to predict the characteristic

.
impedances
for three magnet wire sizes, as samples. It is seen
to consistently predict the correct impedance sufficiently
closely to yield a voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR) within
l.l:l.
The slope of fi versus 8 in (7) is a function of the softness
of the wire insulation. Equation (7) holds for most modern
magnet wire insulating films but it will change if the insulation
is very soft. Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) covered hook-up
wire is a good example that shows how far it can change. The
relative dielectric constant versus pitch angle is given in Fig. 5
for a sample of no. 24 19-strand wire. A fit is found by using
p=o.zs+

1 x1o-3 02

03)

DESIGN PROCEDURE

The following steps form a useful outline for designing a

twisted magnet bifilar wire transmission line for a required
characteristic impedance.

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152

IEEE TRANSACTIONS

Fig. 4.

ON PARTS, HYBRIDS, AND PACKAGING,

DECEMBER 1971

Comparison of measured to estimated characteristic impedance for 3 wire sizes versus pitch angle.

~~

MEASUREhiENTS

t
0
,1

10

20

15
PITCH

Fig. 5.

Measured equivalent

dielectric

25
ANGLE

IN

301

35I

40I,,

45

50

DEGREES

constant versus pitch angle for a sample of Teflon-covered

no. 24 19-strand wire.

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LEFFERSON:

TWISTED MAGNET WIRE

Fig. 6.

Bifilar wire transmission line twisted to its maximum pitch angle of 50.5.

1) Choose a film insulation thickness group and film

relative dielectric constant. (These are usually limited by their
availability and other physical and electrical considerations.)
2) Calculate the relative dielectric constant assuming pitch
angle of 30 from (3) and (7):
ereq = err + 0.61 (LIZ - err)
where err = 1 for air.
3) Calculate the required characteristic impedance for
relative dielectric constant of 1 from
Zl = N&q;
where
Zl
Z

153

impedance when Ereq = 1;

desired impedance.

4) Use Fig. 1 to choose the correct wire size.

5) Use Fig. 2 to determine the required twist per in.
CONCLUSION

The electrical length of a twisted line is related to the

square root of the equivalent dielectric constant in (6).
Using these basic expressions the following statement can
be made.
1) The impedance increases as the wire dimensions decrease.
2) The impedance decreases as the wire twist is increased.
(The pitch angle increases.)
3) The relative dielectric constant for the line is controlled
more by the film dielectric constant as the pitch angle
increases.
4) For small pitch angles the line impedance can be
reduced by immersing the line in a material other than air.
5) For large pitch angles the line impedance can be
reduced by using a wire insulating film having a high dielectric
constant. The useful pitch angle range is bounded by the
limitation on line uniformity at about 20 and the strength of
copper at about 4.5.
For a film dielectric constant of 3.5 and with air as the
surrounding medium, the useful impedance range for twisted
magnet wire transmission lines is lCM50a.
Over 60 magnet wire transmission lines of many different
forms have verified the conclusions of this paper.

The characteristic impedance of any twisted magnet wire

transmission line can be found if the dimensions and the
dielectric constant are known. Figs. 1 and 6 give the impedance
at the expected tolerance limits for standard wire sizes having
an insulation dielectric constant of 1. This is modified by the
APPENDIX
equivalent dielectric constant, which is a function of the
The
center
lines
of
two
twisted wires form a helix as shown
relative dielectric constant of the film insulation and
in
Fig.
6.
The
helix
diameter
is one wire diameter. It forms a
increases as the line is twisted. The twist for various pitch
sine
wave
in
the
longitudinal
plane.
angles [determined by (2)] is shown in Fig. 2 for wire sizes
4-44. The equivalent relative dielectric constant is related to
the pitch angle by (3) and (7).
A = (D/2) sin (2 71Td)
(9)

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154

IEEE

TRANSACTIONS

where

ON PARTS,

HYBRIDS,

AND

PACKAGING,

DECEMBER

1971

lines is D and twist can be expressed as

D wire diameter;
T twist per inch;
d distance along the transmission line.

Tmax = (sin 0 )/(2D).

The pitch angle comes out of this as

tan 0 = 71TD

(lo)

where 43 is the pitch angle defined in Fig. 6.

The maximum pitch angle occurs when the line has been
wound to the point where the distance between wire center

00

The maximum pitch angle of 50.5 is found by equating 9 and

11. It is not a function of wire diameter.
The actual wire length can also be seen in Fig. 6 where one
twist is unwrapped. The wire length for one twist is
nDJ1 + l@n 01.

(12)

Peter Lefferson received the B.E.E. and M.E. degrees from the University of Florida, Gainesville, in 1962
and 1965, respectively.
He worked for NASA as an Instrumentation Engineer for one year. He spent five and one half,years with
Electronic Communication Inc., in design of UHF transceivers. Presently, he is with Milton Roy Company,
St. Petersburg, Fla.

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