Scott Straw wrote:
> I have an antenna question: I bought a G5RV, and built an air core 1:1 balun
> like the instruction said. They also said to isolate the shield of the coax
> feedline from the antenna. I stripped back about three inches of jacket, cut
> the braid and pulled it back so that only the center conductor of the PL-259
> was connected to the SO-239 that the G5RV had soldered to the twin lead. I
> was able to tune up, but couldn't make any contacts. I switched to another
> coax feedline and coiled about 8 or 9 loops which I zip-tied "randomly"
> versus "nice and neat." With this setup I started getting reponses to my
> calls.
Scott, first of all, every balun must have a ground return. Whoever
wrote that nonsense about the "isolation of the shield" does not know
very much.
Secondly, while you do note that you are getting responses, you simply
cannot make a
balun by just coiling up a length of coax. It MUST be in the form of a
coil. This is noted many times in almost all antenna books.
Redo that balun on a PVC form or whatever, and see the difference.
73
Ed
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