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Re: [RFI] FW: Quiet Switching Power Supply?

To: RFI@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RFI] FW: Quiet Switching Power Supply?
From: Howard Lester <howard220@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2016 17:44:42 -0400
List-post: <rfi@contesting.com">mailto:rfi@contesting.com>
> On Aug 4, 2016, at 1:40 PM, Jim Brown <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:

You're asking the right questions, Paul. And balance is determined by the 
entire antenna system, not only the feedline and the transmitter (tuner). Most 
REAL antennas are unbalanced by their surroundings, and most REAL parallel-wire 
feedlines are unbalanced by their surroundings -- we have to get them through 
walls, for example.
 
When I bought my FT-950 4+ years ago I bought it with an Astron switching 
supply. I wanted a lightweight “desktop” supply. I don’t remember what kind of 
noises I heard from it, nor the exact spacing, but whatever I did hear, maybe 
every 50 KHz, it sure was annoying. (At the time, I didn’t know it was the 
power supply that created the noise.) I phoned the dealer who sold it all to 
me. “What kind of transmission line are you using?” he asked. (I was surprised 
at the seemingly irrelevant question, and hesitated.) “450-ohm window line,” 
was my reply. He  then said, “You need a linear power supply." I sent back the 
switcher and got an Astron RS-35M (that weighs a ton) and have had no noise. 

No way is my 140’ inverted-V balanced, and I knew this; as far as I know, it’s 
“unbalanceable." The apex is at 33’, and each leg is over different terrain 
that is of different heights. One leg now even goes through extended branches 
of a tree! (I can’t stop it from growing.) The antenna support pole is about 50 
feet from the shack. The window line, with a few twists to it, drops straight 
down for about 27’, then heads for the house, suspended above the lawn, also 
with a number of twists. But there are a few splices along the way, and a dual 
banana plug and jack quick-disconnect I devised. 

The window line attaches to a Balun Designs 1171 current balun outside the 
shack. From the balun an 8’ length of RG8 runs through the wall to the Palstar 
transmatch. A balanced system? I don’t think so. Regardless, I’m pleased with 
the antenna’s performance 80 - 10 and I have fun with it. Isn’t that the point? 

Howard N7SO
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