N6RK wrote: "I spent a lot of time analyzing the balun in my MonstIR and
characterizing it on a network analyzer."
I have always wondered how well that thing worked. They use half of the
core for a voltage balun and they use the other half for a choke by
winding a few turns of the coax thru it. What does your measurements
tell you about how well the common mode choke works?
Jerry, K4SAV
Rick Karlquist wrote:
> K4SAV wrote:
>
>> I wouldn't recommend using the SteppIR elements as a capacity hat. The
>> elements are insulated from the boom and most of them won't add a lot a
>> capacity. The driven element has a 2 to 1 balun. It also does a choke
>> function. The primary to secondary capacitance of that balun will
>> conduct some current and cause some dissipation. The balun is unlikely
>> to have a high impedance on 160 meters. It will also have a lot a
>> voltage across it. I have not heard of anyone reporting a destroyed
>> balun, and I have heard of some people using the SteppIR elements for
>>
>
> I don't agree with "a 2 to 1 balun ... also does a choke function".
> First of all, the impedance ratio is 9 to 4, and the turns ratio is
> 3 to 2. Second, all "current baluns" or "common mode chokes" are 1:1.
> I have never seen one that is not. I spent a lot of time analyzing the
> balun in my MonstIR and characterizing it on a network analyzer.
> IIRC, the balun is of the "voltage balun" type with a center tap connected
> at least to the outer conductor of the coax, if not the boom. If you
> simply connect the outer conductor to the boom, near the balun, you should
> be OK. You could probably get away with bonding the coax outer conductor
> to the tower near ground level in many cases. You do need to do something
> to keep RF off the control cable of the SteppIR, but this problem
> exists whether or not you extend the elements to use as a capacitive
> hat. If this is wrong, somebody correct me.
>
> Rick N6RK
>
>
>
>
>
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