The purpose of these "baluns" is to attenuate any RF current on the
outside of the shield. That helps cut feed line radiation when the coax
is hooked to an antenna. Sometimes that helps cut TVI and received
interference from local sources. Sometimes that hurts working stations
that need the vertically polarized component from feedline radiation.
Unless the radio and amplifier and such are not shielded, beads on those
jumper cables will have no detectable effect. If the coax connectors
don't make good braid contact they will have some effect, but not much
benefit over having tight and well crimped or soldered coax connectors.
UHF connectors have a history of poor ground connections if not kept
really tight.
73, Jerry, K0CQ
On 8/6/2010 11:38 AM, Jim Lowman wrote:
Background -
QST Magazine, and various commercial entities, tout the benefits of a
1:1 line-isolation balun - sometimes simply made by slipping a number of
ferrite beads over the coax feed lime. and securing them with heat
shrink tubing. (e.g., Palomar Engineers, BuxCom, and other vendors
sell these as an inexpensive kit.)
Several articles and commercial vendors suggest using line isolation
baluns ( which are often made of ferrite beads) on feed lines in the
shack - including the short jumper cables running between rig and amp,
and between amp and tuner, and so forth.
Questions -
1) What if I put those ferrite beads on ALL my coax jumper cables as
they run between rig and amp and tuner ? Any downside to this ?
2) What if I installed those beads on outside coax cables, at the feed
point, as suggested in the many articles I have read. Any downside to
this ?
3) What if I do both 1) and 2)... and install them all over the
place ?
THANKS in advance for your insight.
====================== James - K8JHR ========================
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