Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement
is the main challenge since inexpensive means simple.
Now I have not measured losses of the balun before hand because the
switching
challenge is what is driving me.
Anybody have any thoughts about what I should expect from this
balun other than knowing that it is not a tuner as is generally known
since
it does not have the ability to obtain the priceless 1:1 condition
that so many desire?
Regards
Art

Art, are you sure you have a balun? Your description sounds like a tapped
r-f transformer.

A balun, of course, is completely different from a transformer in that it is
a "transmission line transformer" which is made of short transmission line
sections instead of "windings."

If a balun is made with line sections of Zo, then the load must be an
appropriate multiple of Zo and purely resistive for the balun to function
properly.

Usually it is best to let a balun do the current steering and keep the outer
braid of the coax "clean" and do the impedance matching elsewhere, as in a
tuner.

Just a thought . . .

--
73/72, George
Amateur Radio W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13QE
"In the 57th year and it just keeps getting better!"






"Art Unwin KB9MZ" wrote in message
m...
Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement
is the main challenge since inexpensive means simple.
Now I have not measured losses of the balun before hand because the
switching
challenge is what is driving me.
Anybody have any thoughts about what I should expect from this
balun other than knowing that it is not a tuner as is generally known
since
it does not have the ability to obtain the priceless 1:1 condition
that so many desire?
Regards
Art

Yes George, I mispoke, you are correct
It says in very large letters on it " TRANSFORMER"
Since transformers are touted as being efficient
I was wondering how it would compare with
the normal tuner. Half of the challenge for me
was to come up with an inexpensive switching
system where the input was stationary while the rest
were switched thru and then repeated for the next
input e.t.c. With that being solved I look forward
to finishing and then playing with it
Regards
Art



"George, W5YR" wrote in message ...
Art, are you sure you have a balun? Your description sounds like a tapped
r-f transformer.

A balun, of course, is completely different from a transformer in that it is
a "transmission line transformer" which is made of short transmission line
sections instead of "windings."

If a balun is made with line sections of Zo, then the load must be an
appropriate multiple of Zo and purely resistive for the balun to function
properly.

Usually it is best to let a balun do the current steering and keep the outer
braid of the coax "clean" and do the impedance matching elsewhere, as in a
tuner.

Just a thought . . .

--
73/72, George
Amateur Radio W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13QE
"In the 57th year and it just keeps getting better!"






"Art Unwin KB9MZ" wrote in message
m...
Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement
is the main challenge since inexpensive means simple.
Now I have not measured losses of the balun before hand because the
switching
challenge is what is driving me.
Anybody have any thoughts about what I should expect from this
balun other than knowing that it is not a tuner as is generally known
since
it does not have the ability to obtain the priceless 1:1 condition
that so many desire?
Regards
Art

(Art Unwin KB9MZ) wrote in message om...
Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement


I'd rather wind a coil, "oatmeal tube carton"? and find a good
variable cap, and make a simple L network to feed a random wire. I'd
rather not use an apple to do a job that an orange should rightfully
have. :/ MK

(Mark Keith) wrote in message . com...
(Art Unwin KB9MZ) wrote in message om...
Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement


I'd rather wind a coil, "oatmeal tube carton"? and find a good
variable cap, and make a simple L network to feed a random wire. I'd
rather not use an apple to do a job that an orange should rightfully
have. :/ MK

Mark,
What sort of range of impedance matching would this provide?
How would you switch bands and what voltage/capacitor range
would be required?
I suspect you would have to have several relays to pick up various
points on the oatmeal inductor as well as a rotation method
for the capacitor

Seems like you have something specific in mind that you would put in a box
for safety reasons. Are the specifics shown somewhere for people to copy?
Art

In a time long, long ago, there were no commercial antenna tuners that
I can recall. The first commercial tuner I remember was the Johnson
Viking. Everyone I knew made their own. You just went to the surplus
store, and got a coil and capacitor that looked about right, and tried
it. No one owned any equipment to measure them anyway. We never used
relays. Maybe a switch, or just change the coil. The ARRL handbook
and Antenna Handbooks still have diagrams for antenna tuners. Also
the Hints and Kinks manuals, among many others.

Dick - W6CCD

On 4 Aug 2003 12:51:51 -0700, (Art Unwin KB9MZ)
wrote:


Mark,
What sort of range of impedance matching would this provide?
How would you switch bands and what voltage/capacitor range
would be required?
I suspect you would have to have several relays to pick up various
points on the oatmeal inductor as well as a rotation method
for the capacitor

Seems like you have something specific in mind that you would put in a box
for safety reasons. Are the specifics shown somewhere for people to copy?
Art

Dick, A REAL LONG time ago when I needed my first tuner I bought a
military surplus ARC-5 transmitter for $5 USD and removed the roller
inductor and final plate tuning capacitor. [Actually, I bought 3 ARC-5s:
one for 80, one for 40 both converted to XTAL control, and one for the
tuner and spare 1625s. Nice NOVICE CW rigs.]

Made a real nice L-tuner at 125 watts continuous duty!!

Hmmm .... where are those old ARC-5s when someone needs them??

Deacon Dave, W1MCE

Dick wrote:

In a time long, long ago, there were no commercial antenna tuners that
I can recall. The first commercial tuner I remember was the Johnson
Viking. Everyone I knew made their own. You just went to the surplus
store, and got a coil and capacitor that looked about right, and tried
it. No one owned any equipment to measure them anyway. We never used
relays. Maybe a switch, or just change the coil. The ARRL handbook
and Antenna Handbooks still have diagrams for antenna tuners. Also
the Hints and Kinks manuals, among many others.

Dick - W6CCD

On 4 Aug 2003 12:51:51 -0700, (Art Unwin KB9MZ)
wrote:



Mark,
What sort of range of impedance matching would this provide?
How would you switch bands and what voltage/capacitor range
would be required?
I suspect you would have to have several relays to pick up various
points on the oatmeal inductor as well as a rotation method
for the capacitor

Seems like you have something specific in mind that you would put in a box
for safety reasons. Are the specifics shown somewhere for people to copy?
Art

Did the same thing!! Even used the chasis! Sawed it off, moved the front
cover/ cap, and rotary inductor into the area of the osc/ magic eye tuneing
tube area-- makes nice package, and considering these tuned from around 160
meters thru 20 (or thereabouts) in different versions, and loaded a aprox 20
foot piece of wire--- make very versatile tuners . also wonder where all
of the bazillions of these dissapeared to! Jim


Dave wrote:

Dick, A REAL LONG time ago when I needed my first tuner I bought a
military surplus ARC-5 transmitter for $5 USD and removed the roller
inductor and final plate tuning capacitor. [Actually, I bought 3 ARC-5s:
one for 80, one for 40 both converted to XTAL control, and one for the
tuner and spare 1625s. Nice NOVICE CW rigs.]

Made a real nice L-tuner at 125 watts continuous duty!!

Hmmm .... where are those old ARC-5s when someone needs them??

Deacon Dave, W1MCE

Dick wrote:

In a time long, long ago, there were no commercial antenna tuners that
I can recall. The first commercial tuner I remember was the Johnson
Viking. Everyone I knew made their own. You just went to the surplus
store, and got a coil and capacitor that looked about right, and tried
it. No one owned any equipment to measure them anyway. We never used
relays. Maybe a switch, or just change the coil. The ARRL handbook
and Antenna Handbooks still have diagrams for antenna tuners. Also
the Hints and Kinks manuals, among many others.

Dick - W6CCD

On 4 Aug 2003 12:51:51 -0700, (Art Unwin KB9MZ)
wrote:



Mark,
What sort of range of impedance matching would this provide?
How would you switch bands and what voltage/capacitor range
would be required?
I suspect you would have to have several relays to pick up various
points on the oatmeal inductor as well as a rotation method
for the capacitor

Seems like you have something specific in mind that you would put in a
box
for safety reasons. Are the specifics shown somewhere for people to
copy?
Art

I would suggest that anyone that strapped for cash use transmission line
segments for impedance matching. That is about as cheap as it gets.

"Art Unwin KB9MZ" wrote in message
m...
Seems like a lot of hams with limited resources are still compelled
to operate on many bands with just a long wire and a tuner.
The wire is inexpensive but the tuners are not. Thus my present
project.
I was given a Palomar enginnering balun with 5 female connenection
which by selection can match a antenna in steps from 5 ohms to over
450 ohms
in a series of steps. I am presently rigging it up so that all
steps can be switched thru remotely by a single motor. The switching
arrangement
is the main challenge since inexpensive means simple.
Now I have not measured losses of the balun before hand because the
switching
challenge is what is driving me.
Anybody have any thoughts about what I should expect from this
balun other than knowing that it is not a tuner as is generally known
since
it does not have the ability to obtain the priceless 1:1 condition
that so many desire?
Regards
Art

Jimmy wrote:
I would suggest that anyone that strapped for cash use transmission line
segments for impedance matching. That is about as cheap as it gets.

Yep, I bought an SGC-500 amp and didn't want to spring for a high power
tuner. So I vary my window-line length to obtain a match.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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