[TowerTalk] Any BN-86 Balun Replacement Suggestions?

[Eric - VE3GSI]

Wow Gang,

First things first, I never said the BN-86 Balun failed. It is, I just am
not happy with the results I am seeing with my installation. As I mentioned
in a second post, I actually have two Hy-Gain TH series antennas and they
both do exactly the same thing. That is, I assembled the antennas for the CW
portion of the band, and the SWR on 15 and 10 meters shows best up in the
phone portion of the bands. It also scares me a bit when I hear of so many
failures and idiosyncrasies with the same Hy-gain balun. 

Until now, I have been hitting the auto-tuner to make the less then logical
grey matter between my ears happy. But now that I am considering adding
bandpass filters to my station I need to step back into reality and
fine-tune my antenna.

Many many thanks to the TT Gang for your valued input, A special thanks to
Pat, K8PC for sending me a photo of how he installed a DXE Balun on a TH7. A
great job Pat and thanks for letting me know of a positive result with the
DXE Balun.

Without doubt, I will look at everyone else's ideas who mailed me direct or
left their footprint on the reflector.

As for the technocrats (I do mean that in a good way), I will leave you
fellows to sort out whether the BN-86 is a voltage or current balun. I have
not pried the lid off the top to see how the balun is constructed. But, I am
beginning to think it is a voltage device regardless as to what is on the
printed page because of the poor results I am having with same hardware.

I may add to Mike's collection of cheap baluns. <Just kidd'n Mike>

73,
Eric - VE3GSI



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eric - VE3GSI
> Sent: April 8, 2008 12:08 PM
> To: Towertalk e-Goups
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Any BN-86 Balun Replacement Suggestions?
> 
> 
> TT Gang,
>  
> It looks like my BN-86 Balun used on a TH7-DX beam is giving 
> me grief. The antenna was assembled to use the DX or lower 
> portions of the bands. The SWR measurements are good on 20 
> meters, but on 15 and 10 meters the SWR is 2.1:1 on the CW 
> portion of the band. After doing some basic research and 
> talking with a friend we have come to the conclusion the 
> Balun may be causing my SWR problems. I am considering a new 
> Balun for as a replacement from DX Engineering. DXE have 
> several models to choose from so I will have to wade through 
> the details, but several obvious questions come up. 
>  
> How do you mount these Baluns on a beam and is the ground 
> strap still required for beam mounting or does one 'float' 
> the Balun electrical ground? 
>  
> Which DXE Balun model works best on the THY antenna?
>  
> Are there other Baluns I should consider for using with the 
> TH7 antenna?
>  
> Thanks gang,
> Eric - VE3GSI
>  
>