[Elecraft] Bal[un]

[Don Wilhelm]

Brian,

For portable operation at low power, you will typically not experience 
any ill effects from connecting the antenna directly to the tuner.  But 
a switchable 1:1/4:1 current balun (like the Elecraft BL2) can be used 
to effectively increase the range of the tuner - try both positions and 
see which one tunes more easily.

You might just want to have a balun in your portable kit just in case.

73,
Don W3FPR

Brian Lloyd wrote:
> OK, I am convinced - keep the tuner and the wire. So, that brings up a 
> second question: balanced vs. unbalanced.
>
> Wire antennas that do not require a counterpoise are usually loops or 
> dipoles, i.e. inherently balanced even if not resonant. Most tuners 
> offer an unbalanced output. SGC says, just connect up the antenna. 
> Seems to me that a balun would improve things and keep RF off the coax 
> and power leads to the tuner. But how well do baluns handle huge 
> mismatch?
>
> Just off the top of my head, it seems to me that the tuner at the top 
> of a pole with two legs sloped down, i.e. inverted-V, would make a 
> pretty good omni all-band antenna.
>
> More thinking aloud.
>
> Brian Lloyd
>