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Old October 29th 08, 04:10 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Michael Coslo Michael Coslo is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2006
Posts: 828
Default Carolina Windom without a balun: go figure

jawod wrote:
Well, as an update to my Carolina Windom project, I find that the CW OCF
dipole cut to typical dimensions works well WITHOUT a balun but does not
work at all WITH a balun.

Specifically, a DX Engineering BAL200-H10-AT 4:1 balun. I bought it to
go with a folded dipole from DX Engineering. It worked fine with the
folded dipole and a length 300 Ohm ladder line as feed.

When I use the above balun with the CW cut to typical dimensions and
using a 300 ohm ladderline feed, even RECEIVE is muted...no change from
coax only.

I am fairly sure that the balun is a voltage type and not a choke type.
I also installed a series of ferrite beads from Palomar to choke the
coax near the bottom of the ladderline.

I guess I'm not all that surprised that the CW works without a
balun...the ATU tunes it and sig reports aren't bad. I guess I have
some radiation from coax and a mismatch from coax to ladderline but I
think I can live with that. It's getting cold and I needed to finish
this thing before winter really sets in.

I am clueless as to why the CW failed to work AT ALL when USING a balun.
The internals of the balun look fine.



Hey John,

Trying to make sure that we are on the same page here.

You are using a OCF dipole with a 4:1 Balun, and using ladder line to go
from the balun to the shack?

Most of the OCF's I am familiar with run coax from the balun to the shack.

What are the respective leg lengths here? Height? Something is a little
askew here.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -