TH6-DX Beam Balun or not?

[N8DRC]

Hello
Just finished rebuilding a TH-6DX Beam and it is ready to go on my tower, my question is since this is my first time using a beam of this size should I go ahead and get a BN-86 Balun or just use a RF Choke? I will be running 100 watts through the beam..Thank you.

[WB2WIK]

The TH-6 always came with a BN-86 for years...and years...and years...

I've owned at least four of them, and they all came with the BN-86. I'd use one.

A coaxial current choke balun is likely not as good.

[KO6WB]

The manual for the TH6-DX suggests the BN-12 as the balun to use. It'll improve the pattern and give better performance but if you want to, you can use a choke and still be able to put the antenna on the air. The improvement from using the balun to using the choke may not be as noticable as some would think. If you didn't know any better then it's unlikely you would ever notice the change. It's just a way to obtain bluss.
Given the installation of an antenna like this is a major effort, I would do as the manufacturer suggests. Bringing the antenna back down to see if you do indeed get a change can be a real pain unless you have a tower that can be tilted.
The manual is here; http://www.wa9wsj.com/dloads/TH6-DXX.pdf
Hope this helps
73
Gary

[KC7YRA]

I ran a TH6 for several years with the coax balun. It worked great and beat the heck out of anything I had used.

I now have another beam of similar size, but it beats the TH6 easily.

New beam has a balun. Other than that, same boom length, same element length. Seems to be quite a difference.

Brad

[N8DRC]

The TH-6 always came with a BN-86 for years...and years...and years...

I've owned at least four of them, and they all came with the BN-86. I'd use one.

A coaxial current choke balun is likely not as good.

I got the beam in a trade so I didn't get the balun with it...

[N8DRC]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I will go ahead a use one with the beam..

[KA4DPO]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I will go ahead a use one with the beam..

That is the right thing to do Dan.

[WB2WIK]

Thanks for the input guys, I think I will go ahead a use one with the beam..

You should. A ferrite balun can be designed to be more broadbanded than a coaxial RF choke balun, which is quite narrow-band.

The TH-6 came with one, and they did that right.

If you run high power, there might be better high-power baluns, but they still use ferrites. However I must say with the TH-6's I've had, I never blew out a BN-86 at any power level up to legal limit.

[N8DRC]

That is the right thing to do Dan.

Thanks, I figured since the beam came with the balun for a reason..I am hoping to get it in the air by the end of August..Can't wait...

[WB2WIK]

I got the beam in a trade so I didn't get the balun with it...

Hope nothing else is missing! Did you double-check all materials?

The BN-86 normally clamps to the TH6 boom (it comes with a U-bolt for that) and I can't imagine why anyone would remove it, since it's clamped there...