A honeycomb coil is an inductor wound so the turns cross each other at an angle rather than lying parallel. This lattice-like structure physically separates the adjacent wires, which significantly reduces the parasitic capacitance between the windings. Engineers use this winding technique primarily for high-frequency radio applications where self-capacitance would otherwise degrade the coil's performance or cause unwanted resonance.
I swapped out the standard inductor for a honeycomb coil to push the self-resonant frequency higher.
Winding these by hand requires a specialized jig, so most builders buy them pre-wound for vintage radio restoration or custom RF projects.
Also heard as
- basket-weave coil
- lattice coil
Related terms
Inductor
A passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it.
Parasitic
An unintended electrical property like capacitance or inductance that exists physically in a circuit.
Resonance
The state in an LC circuit where capacitive and inductive reactances cancel each other out.