Jack Painter wrote:

Nice site. Except for the inaccurate advice warning of disastrous effects
from operating a J-Pole w/o a BalUn. I use neither a BalUn nor any
coiled-feedline as a choke. If my feedline is radiating, it's the most
efficient feedline radiator ever made, getting loud and clear 100 mile
coverage on VHF Marine between other high sites, and surface contacts
between 20-30 nautical miles depending on height of vessels antenna. . .

The problem is that without the balun, the feedline is part of the
antenna. So anyone trying to get the same results as you do has to use
the same length of feedline, position it the same, and maybe even ground
his rig the same way you do. (That is, have the same path from the rig
to the Earth through the power wiring.) If he does it differently and
happens to not be as lucky as you, he could take a bit of a beating in
field strength. And both of you could be running the risk of causing RFI
if you're running significant power and your feedline runs close to
house or telephone wiring.

If a balun is used (actually, two are likely necessary, spaced about a
quarter wavelength apart), only the J-Pole will radiate, and the user
won't have to worry about lucking out and having just the right feedline
and orientation.

I think the reason some people love J-Poles and some hate them is that
some, like you, have been lucky with feedline length and placement and
some haven't. I prefer to depend on design rather than luck to make my
antennas work, but lots of folks are perfectly happy to just roll the dice.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL