Rf trap tuned by selectively inserting electrically conductive tuning elements

A radio frequency trap comprising:

• one or more dielectric formers;
• a cable including an inner conductor and a coaxial outer conductor, at least a portion of the cable being wrapped around the one or more dielectric formers, the coaxial outer conductor of the portion of the cable wrapped around the one or more dielectric formers defining at least one inductive element;
• a capacitance connected across the at least one inductive element;
• and
• a selected amount of electrically conductive material inserted into the one or more dielectric formers, the selected amount of electrically conductive material cooperating with the at least one inductive element and the capacitance to define a resonant circuit having a selected resonance frequency.

An apparatus comprising:

• a radio frequency trap including at least:
• an even number of dielectric formers,
• a coaxial cable wrapped around the dielectric formers, and
• a plurality of tuning elements selectively inserted into the dielectric formers to tune the radio frequency trap to a selected resonance frequency.

A radio frequency trap comprising:

• one or more dielectric formers;
• a cable including an inner conductor and a coaxial outer conductor, at least a portion of the cable being wrapped around the one or more dielectric formers, the coaxial outer conductor of the portion of the cable wrapped around the one or more dielectric formers defining at least one inductive element;
• a capacitance connected across the at least one inductive element;
• and
• one or more electrically conductive fasteners securing the one or more dielectric formers to a substrate wherein at least a portion of each electrically conductive fastener is disposed inside the dielectric former to which it fastens.