[Elecraft] Fascination of the KAT2

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Only if you have obvious r-f on the rig (tuning changes by touching the
case, etc.) and ONLY if you can't get rid of the r-f by connecting a
wire about 1/4 wave long for the band(s) where you show r-f on the rig
to the case. Insulate the far end of the wire - it will be "hot" with
r-f. That makes a 'counterpoise', that holds the case of the rig at "r-f
ground". 

Some ops use a balun to avoid 'r-f' on the case. That sometimes works.
Whether it works because of magic in the balun or because it simply acts
as a dummy load that absorbs a lot of your signal so you don't radiate
as much is open for debate... and the debate rages on and on and on, Hi!
Actually a balun can help in some situations and it will hurt in others.
The problem is that it isn't easy to tell which is which. The fewer
gadgets you put in the antenna system, the more efficient it will be.
Everything, even the most expensive balun ever made, has some loss.

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289


Hi gang,

I've been pretty pleased with the tuner also.  Can someone tell me if I
should be using a balun if I'm just throwing a wire (#26 hookup) into a
tree and running a counterpoise off of the ground lug.  If so what type.

I can run some zip-speaker wire around a fairly large toroid that I have
in the junk box, if that will do the trick.

Thanks
Tom McCulloch
WB2QDG
K2 s/n 1103