On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:02:20 -0500, clvrmnky
wrote:
This implies that I should use a traditional BalUn to make the balance
connection work for me. Otherwise, one side of a dipole or looped
longwire is just going to go straight to ground (such as it is.)

Hi OM,

You reject the BalUn (matching/choking) to only presume the
implication (one wire goes to ground) forces you to use it for another
reason?

Wrong implication, even if the solution works. The one side of any
dipole/loop antenna design going "straight to ground" (ground a
euphemism for Hell?) is not a loss in any sense of the design. The
receiver is sharing the same path - unless it is strictly battery
operated without a charger connection.

Your radio wants to see a signal potential applied across its input
and chassis (as you put it, which is suitable enough). With a
monopole the input is satisfied, but you need either a ground or
counterpoise connected to the chassis. With a dipole or loop, the two
returning wires meet the radio's needs at the input/chassis
connection. A ground connection or counterpoise for the dipole/loop
would be benign in the practical sense. You won't need it (unless you
have lightning phobias); and with the common specie of radio you will
have it, somewhere, anyway (it will then simply be uncontrolled and
variable).

Perhaps the ground of the BalUn can just go to the coax sleeve?

That will work fine.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC