A properly operating choke (current) balun will cause the currents in
the two conductors to be balanced (equal and opposite) at both ports. So
I guess you could call it a balbal if you want.

Why would anyone want a device that causes the currents at both ports to
be unbalanced?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

RB wrote:
Good replies. Thanks.

So: does the commonly available choke balun (round cylinder with coax
connectors on each end, and ferrite beads inside the cylinder) allow us to
put unbalanced feed in one end, and get balanced feed on the other?

Or, are they ununs?

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 01:29:29 -0600, "RB"
wrote:

Good replies. Thanks.

So: does the commonly available choke balun (round cylinder with coax
connectors on each end, and ferrite beads inside the cylinder) allow us to
put unbalanced feed in one end, and get balanced feed on the other?

Or, are they ununs?

I suggest you take a look at this:

http://www.w2du.com/r2ch21.pdf

73
Danny, K6MHE

email: k6mheatarrldotnet
http://www.k6mhe.com/

OK. I read that most excellent article.

I think Figure 21-4 (A) definitively answers my question about the ferrite
bead choke balun. Yes, I can put unbalanced feed in one end, and get
balanced output on the other.

Thanks again for all the good info.

RB wrote:
So: does the commonly available choke balun (round cylinder with coax
connectors on each end, and ferrite beads inside the cylinder) allow us to
put unbalanced feed in one end, and get balanced feed on the other?
Or, are they ununs?

Since they function by choking RF on the outside braid, they
can function as either baluns or ununs. If RF is choked and
not flowing on the outside braid, then differential currents
are forced to flow in the two remaining conductors be they
parallel wires or the inside wire and braid of the coax.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

A choke balun allows you to go from unbalanced to balanced. If you check
Walter Maxwells site and review Chapter 21 (IIRC) of reflections. He gives a
test setup that will aid in understanding.

"RB" wrote in message
. ..
Good replies. Thanks.

So: does the commonly available choke balun (round cylinder with coax
connectors on each end, and ferrite beads inside the cylinder) allow us to
put unbalanced feed in one end, and get balanced feed on the other?

Or, are they ununs?

RB wrote:
I've recently put up a 140' dipole fed with ladderline. My tuner is
separate from my rig, and is an unbalanced unit. So, I use a balun on the
tuner output to hook the ladderline to.

I've been told that I should have a voltage balun in this application. I
was surprised to hear this, as I expected to hear use a current balun.

Is the voltage balun the right one for this application?

Dear RB,
I was working on a "linear-loaded" dipole recently. I
got pretty confused
with many, many different opinions. I would suggest that you read
an article in
an 1995 QST about, "How to get the MOST out of your "T" type
antenna tuner"
IF you go to the web site and go to the search engine, you will find
this issue.
I wish that I would have found it sooner. It explained
the "process" very
well. I have photo-copied the article for passing around at my
local club. It is
very good.
Getting on 160m with a very small lot IS a
CHALLANGE ! I've
learned a whole bunch by searching the net. Most of it involves
trying this an'
that. BUT, we all need a place to start.


73's, Paladin

I'll try to answer that.
Voltage baluns are designed to provide equal voltages on the
outputs, such as those needed for balanced antennas. They help to keep
the balance against external influences, such as nearby metal bodies
and such.
Current balun are used with unbalanced loads, such as windom
antennas, when it's needed to qeep the currents as equal as possible.
This is done in order to minimize radiation from the line, which is
more corrent dependent than voltage dependent.
Choke baluns serve to break the path between the load and the
source so as to prevent energy to flow in a common mode fashion aleng
the line (usually from the load to the source). the name itself-the
full name, that is- " common mode choke" is self explanatory.
Alex 4Z5KS

I'll try to answer that.
Voltage baluns are designed to provide equal voltages on the
outputs, such as those needed for balanced antennas. They help to keep
the balance against external influences, such as nearby metal bodies
and such.
Current balun are used with unbalanced loads, such as windom
antennas, when it's needed to qeep the currents as equal as possible.
This is done in order to minimize radiation from the line, which is
more corrent dependent than voltage dependent.
Choke baluns serve to break the path between the load and the
source so as to prevent energy to flow in a common mode fashion aleng
the line (usually from the load to the source). the name itself-the
full name, that is- " common mode choke" is self explanatory.
Alex 4Z5KS