W1CG
Low Power Balun Kit
Completed Balun (click to photo to enlarge) Balun in watertight enclosure (not supplied)
Download the Construction Manual in PDF format (filesize is 200KB)
The NJQRP has the pleasure of working with an ever-growing base of designers from all over the country, and has recently coupled with Chas Greene, W1CG to productize his low power balun design. Not your everyday balun, the W1CG Low Power Balun has been meticulously optimized and tested to ensure top performance at QRP power levels. Chas is an excellent engineer and has described the theory, design considerations and construction detail in the companion manual that will be of great value to all who build and use the balun. Chas also authored an article concerning this project in the next issue of QRP Homebrewer, coming to subscribers in April.
"The open wire balanced transmission line is widely used on wire antennas in an attempt to reduce losses and unwanted radiation from the transmission line and as a small lightweight alternative to coax for portable use. It benefits from a balun (BALanced to UNbalanced device) to convert the unbalanced output from an antenna tuner to the balanced input of the transmission line. The operator who wants a small, lightweight balun for back packing or fix station use for low power or QRP operation doesn’t have much choice. Either he buys a large, heavy commercial balun or he searches the Internet for the design of a home brew balun, which likely has unknown performance. To help fill this void, this kit concerns a small, low power 4:1 current balun that is easy to build and has good performance from 160 through 10 meters. A 4:1 balun is a good match for feeding an Off-Center-Fed antenna and performs well feeding an open wire transmission line, so that is the type presented."
AVAILABILITY
We're sold out and currently do not have plans to kit this
project again.