[TowerTalk] Length of balanced line

[steve]

Hello TT,

Question is how to figure the length of balanced line between antenna and 
remote balun.

Here is the setup:  3 band dipole, full size for 40, and shortened with 2 
sets of coils for 80 and 160.    Overall length is 124 ft. Made by Hy-power 
antennas, but similar to those made by Alpha Delta and the old W9inn. 
Currently fed with 100 ft. of Davis Bury Flex coax.   As you might guess, 
bandwidth is narrow on 160 and 80, and I am always tweaking the manual tuner 
to keep the solid state amp  happy swr wise.  A new high power auto tuner 
makes tuning a snap, but I'm  finding some matching problems  and am 
thinking about going to balanced line and remote balun.

Already own a DX Engineering 1:1 balun designed for this purpose.  DXE and 
other sources say that the balanced line should be 1/8 wavelength or odd 
multiple on the lowest desired freq.   Does this formula still apply with a 
loaded, shortened dipole such as this?

No access to an analyzer, and being blind, it wouldn't be much help anyway. 
Most of what I do in this hobby is trial and error, and I'll do the same 
here, but I'd like to get started in the right ballpark.

73 and tnx for all the info I've gotten here over the years,

Steve KW3A