[Elecraft] Balun with a G5RV?

[Ron D' Eau Claire]

> The two coax lines in parallel are being used as a balanced feed to the
> antenna.  Only the center conductor is being used for the feedline.  It
> acts like any other balanced feedline with the exception that you don't
> have as many "gotchas" as with the "real" thing.
> 73 de John - KC4KGU
> K2 #2490

Hi, John.

Maybe I misunderstood. I thought that your schematic showed the shields
being grounded. If they are you have losses caused by leakage and dielectric
losses between the center conductor and the shield. These losses increase as
the SWR or the operating frequency increase.

If the shields are not connected to anything at any point, you are right.
You won't have losses in the dielectric between the center conductor and the
shield. But you will have losses through the dielectric to anything the
cables come in contact with.  You need to be sure that each coaxial line is
carefully spaced and well insulated from everything around it including the
other coaxial line.

In that case I  would think that it'd be easier (and cheaper) to use a good
air-insulated open wire line.

Ron AC7AC