[TenTec] Antenna is up, but the coupler doesn't like 160 meters

[Mike Bryce]

I'll give it a try when i am back on my feet.

Looks like a zipper down the front me.

I wonder why the thing works so good on the other bands. tunes right up.

I am going to order the 470 pf doorknobs caps from the russian guy and install them inside the 238. seems to be an issue with high power and the 160 meter band


Mike, WB8VGE
SunLight Energy Systems
The Heathkit Shop
http://www.theheathkitshop.com/
J e e p
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A man with one clock knows what time it is. A man with two clocks is never sure. 



On Oct 15, 2013, at 12:36 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 10/15/2013 8:28 AM, Mike Bryce wrote:
>> there are two wires, one of each side, that are 131 feet long. they meet in the middle at the support and continue down 175 ish feet into the shack to a 1:1 current balun.
> 
> The feedpoint impedance of this antenna is close to 50 ohms on 160M. Feeding it with high impedance open wire line is an unnatural act! It's no surprise that you can't match it.
> 
> Replace that open wire line with 50 ohm coax and it will load nicely. As to your "balun" -- those things often called a "current balun" are really a common mode choke, and their most important function is to keep noise picked up on the feedline from coupling to the antenna. To do that, they must be AT THE ANTENNA, not at the shack.
> 
> When you're buying coax, don't buy junk from a CB vendor at a hamfest. The Wireman sells the good stuff. Same with connectors -- if it doesn't say Amphenol on it, it's junk. The Wireman also sells several nice center insulators.
> 
> As to the "balun" -- see my RFI tutorial for detailed recommendations.  My material has been in the ARRL Handbook for several years.
> 
> http://k9yc.com/RFI-Ham.pdf
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
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