Hexbeam Balun

[WD6S]

I am building a multi-band hex beam using http://www.leoshoemaker.com/hexbeambyk4kio/general.html directions. The Balun for this is a bit vague to me. He uses ferrite cores or loops of coax.

I have a an external bead balun (Cal AV EB-1). It has an SO 239 on the bottom and two (polarized) wire leads on top. My concern is the coax segments that provide feeds for the different bands on the center post. The pieces range from about 4 inches to 24 inches.

If I use the balun to connect to the top 20M feed using the two wires, will I get into trouble by setting up an UN-BAL-UN situation? Will the feed coax lengths end up reflecting all the signal back?:confused:

My instinct says it should not be a problem, but I thought I'd ask youexperts before I create an elaborate dummy load.

Thanks,
Bob
WD6S

[AI4IJ]

I am building a multi-band hex beam using http://www.leoshoemaker.com/hexbeambyk4kio/general.html directions. The Balun for this is a bit vague to me. He uses ferrite cores or loops of coax.

I have a an external bead balun (Cal AV EB-1). It has an SO 239 on the bottom and two (polarized) wire leads on top. My concern is the coax segments that provide feeds for the different bands on the center post. The pieces range from about 4 inches to 24 inches.

If I use the balun to connect to the top 20M feed using the two wires, will I get into trouble by setting up an UN-BAL-UN situation? Will the feed coax lengths end up reflecting all the signal back?:confused:

My instinct says it should not be a problem, but I thought I'd ask youexperts before I create an elaborate dummy load.

Thanks,
Bob
WD6S

The Hex Beam is a balanced antenna that needs a simple choke balun. You can use ferrite beads (I used ten ferrite choke beads around my RG-8x feedpoint pigtail on my five band Hex Beam) or you can use coiled coax at the feedpoint. The goal is simply to stop feedline radiation and pattern distortion.

The balun you have should do the job. It's far more important that you make sure you feed the center conductor of the coax to all of the connection points on one side and the shield to the other, without switching between shield and center conductor along the way to the ten meter connections, than the type of choke balun you use.

73
Richard
AI4IJ

[W4RDM]

Here's a link a 1:1 current balun(rf choke) for the hexbeam

Simple Current Balun Using Amidon FB-77-1024 Ferrite Cores (http://hexbeam.blogspot.com/2009/06/hex-wire-beam-hint-simple-current-balun.html)

73,

Ron W4RDM