[TenTec] " A Low vswr will kill you !"

[Sherrill WATKINS]

Also, I forgot to mention, and as Dr. Johnson stated in his post;  Mr. Maxwell was also referring to the fact that many hams incorrectly assume that if a given antenna system shows a low vswr then the antenna is operating correctly.  Of course, this is unscientific and completely FALSE!  A low vswr is an excellent indication that loss may be occurring somewhere in the antenna system.  A good check for this is to operate the antenna in a nonresonant condition and see if the vswr increases as it should.  If it does not, then that is the clue that loss is occurring somewhere.  Many hams incorrectly assume just the opposite and say that their swr is low so they should be "getting out" !  Also, it has been explained in QST by several writers such as Mr. Doug Demaw, now a sk, that wideband antenna systems fed with open wire line should NOT be fed through a common balun.  Instead, they should be fed through a link coupled balanced output antenna tuner; i.e. E.F. Johnson "Matchbox" or equivalent.  Baluns will easily "saturate" at high vswr levels and convert the precious rf energy into heat.  Again, this produces a low vswr reading when loss in the system is occurring.  -  Corn - k4own.


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