[Antennas] Lightning Bolt Quad Inquiry

[Ed]

Bill Brannick wrote:
> I have had a LB quad (5 band, 2 element version) up for 14 years now.
> Recently during the "Santa Ana" winds, one of the element wires broke
> loose from the matching device. I sent one of my sons up there to
> re-attach the wire and he found that the material used to house
> the 239 connector, and whatever was used as a matching device, was
> cracked through and through.

My LB has been up since 1993 and I also had a cracked balun as you did. 
I simply filled it with liquid electrical tape goo and put it back up. 
That has been several years ago and do not notice any ill effects.


> The antenna seems to function normally so we just filed the crack
> with a epoxy material in the hope that it would hold up for a while.

Don't see why not


> Lightning Bolt quad went out of business  last year (or perhaps it was 
> in 2005)
> 
> So ... does anyone here know what balun,  or matching transformer ,
> or "whatever" can be used to replace the original matching device
> included in the original design. Sooner or later I will need to
> replace that device and would like to know in advance what options I 
> will have.


I would use a 2:1 ferrite balun, that is what the original balun is.


> Of course, I could feed each element individually, but would rather not 
> mess with the wire  lengths and the shape  (front to back) of the antenna
> 
> Thank you for any assistance offered.
> 
> Bill, W6WLB


Ed W3NR