[TowerTalk] Fwd: current balance in ladder line?

[Steve, W3AHL]

The current flowing in each element of a dipole is a result of its impedance.  If the impedance is not balanced, neither will the current be.

To demonstrate this use EZ-NEC to create a simple dipole and make it unbalanced by moving the feed point off center or by tilting one side closer to the ground.  Using an ideal point source to feed it, look at the currents.  They will not be balanced.  It is NOT dependent on the feed line, although that can also cause additional imbalance.

Steve, W3AHL

Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:07:17 +0000
From: Steve Hunt 
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Fwd:  current balance in ladder line?
To: towertalk at contesting.com

The problem is, I don't know how to get power to a dipole without using 
a feedline ;)
So the potential for imbalance is always there in a practical system.

Steve G3TXQ

On 19/01/2011 20:09, jimlux wrote:
> Exactly.. because the feedline is part of the antenna, now.  If it's
> asymmetric with respect to the antenna, it will have currents induced in
> it (whether common mode in the case of a balanced open wire line or on
> the outside of coax).
>