[TowerTalk] Six meter balun

[Dave Sublette]

My six element 6M LFA is showing a high SWR and severe loss of receive
signal.  This happened this afternoon as I was working the band with 500
watts from my KPA500.

To this point, the antenna was very nicely matched with a 1:1 SWR over
almost 1 MHz of bandwidth. The antenna is home brew and I made the matching
balun per the instructions from K9YC using two toroids with six turns each
of high quality teflon insulated, double shielded silver braid. I think it
was RG142 purchased new from a reputable vendor in Tennessee. It has worked
perfectly at the 100 watt level for three or four years.  I had looked at
the specs on the coax and thought it would be good for 500 watts.
Evidently not.

So what is the consensus on what coax I should use?  I don't want to go
through the hassle of replacing it only to have it go bad again.

There is one other possibility that the position on the RCS10
remote antenna switch has gone bad.  I haven't had a chance to get out
there and check it out yet.

I am looking forward to your advice.

73,

Dave, K4TO