[AMRadio] Antenna Question

[Donald Chester]

> Can
> I not simply run a proper length of ladder line directly to my tuner 
> from
> the antenna?  I don't want to use ferrite baluns in any of my antenna
> systems.
>
> Thanks & 73
> Brian / w5ami

Of course you can. And I can't see why that would be off topic.

Just measure out the total length of ONE LEG of the dipole plus the 
length of the open wire feed line. If that total length adds up to close 
to an odd number of quarter waves, the end of the transmission line will 
present a low impedance to the link coupled tuner. Use series tuning. If 
the total length of one leg plus the feedline is near to an even number 
of quarter waves, the tuner will see a high impedance load. Use parallel 
tuning. Try to avoid a total length that is midway between a voltage 
point and a current point, IOW an odd number of eighth-waves. That will 
cause the tuner to see a highly reactive load that will be difficult to 
tune with a simple link coupled balanced tuner.

If each  leg of the dipole is the same  length, the antenna is close to 
horizontal and parallel to the ground, and the feeders come off 
perpendicular to the horizontal wire and remain so for at least a 
quarter wavelength, the feed point should be inherently balanced, so no 
balun is needed with a balanced link-coupled tuner.

73,

Don k4kyv