Use an unun not a balun if you're simply going from 50-Ohm antenna or coax to 75-Ohm coax. Personalyy, why bother? 75 to 50 is a 1.5:1 VSWR. You'll probably lose the same in a tuner or unun. I fed a
Contact Anchor Guard. They are, I believe, in South Dakota. I no longer have their address or tel #'s, but perhaps Steve LXC might. They are in the business of anodic/cathodic protection. 73, Bob AA0
Comm-Scope? P-I or P-III? TFC? T-4? Trilogy? I have the spec's on most hardline and it doesn't vary much from brand to brand. Trilogy is air dielectric, however. Comm-Scope has their spec's on their
Just to throw oil on troubled waters, this information is from a cable TV amplifier (and other products) manufacturer from their Reference Guide. Antennas for different frequencies mounted on a commo
Same difference. Return loss is the amount, in dB, that the reflected signal (power) is down from the forward or incident wave. The ARRL Handbook has a converstion nomograph. However, it is obvious t
Match your antenna, feedline and transmitter to a 1.0000001:1 VSWR Let the antenna tuner (or whatever you wish to call it) handle that 5:1 VSWR Have several lengths of cable to change the R+jX value
Comments within your post I'm finally ready to correctly ground my Trylon tower. I'll describe my grounding plan for those that are interested below... but for now, I have a question: I am using #2 b
Power lines and coaxial cables buried underground must be kept at least 36" apart per NEC code to prevent the possibility of a power cross. Usually in a common utilities trench, the power cable is bu
Roger Block, author of the 'Grounds' book and PolyPhaser's founder and chief technicable guru wrote the book, and most of his advice, based on typical commercial procedures where the tower is relativ
Actually I think that info's in there somewhere! PolyPhaser suggests 12~18 inches, but you defintiely want to below the point where the ground freezes in winter. If you use a conductivity enhancer, y
This topic was recently discussed, so you may want to check the archives. The two main issues of concern, I believe, are frost heaves and frozen ground doesn't absorb surge current. I honestly have n
A block splice is a mechanical splice (and rectangularly-shaped, hence the name block splice). It's simply a device with two 5/8-24 threaded holes and screws to seize the center pins of the cable con
Yep, I found 5/8" x 8' ground rods at the Home Depot in Tukwila. The galvanized ones were about but under $6 and the copper-clads were over $12. I still need to look at other sources and see how they
First off, I believe that applies only to towers and their associated grounding and guying system. Secondly, I have great concerns about the logic (and the company) behind the F revision. Yes disimil
Interesting. (Reply to Doug, not to me. Thanks.) 73, Bob AA0CY 1st I am in South Louisiana. #1 hot spot in the USA for corrosion. Have nearly 50 years in underground construction. Soil is very acid,
I doubt there's anybody left at PolyPhaser who knows this stuff (ham radio) or even if a ham can get through to the technical folks anymore. If you can, however, ask for Tricia or Grant, especially T
Alpha Delta makes products of the type Joe's looking for, however, they are totally dc-pass. Lynics makes these products as does MFJ, but again they are dc-pass. The models that I was talking about s
To the best of my recollection, yes; however, you have to make sure the ac value is rated properly for the +/-30 Vdc. I think that comes out to be 35 or 40 Vac? My brain is dead from my new job where
If you want to do it right, Al, spend the few $ and buy the right parts. The best CATV connectors/splices are made by Gilbert Engineering in Glendale, Ariz near Phoenix. I don't have the particulars
It is called the rolling ball concept and is based on the fact that lightning travels down in approximately 150-foot (50 m) increments known as step leaders. Basically, you roll an imaginery ball wit