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View Full Version : My Ugly Balun



JesseJamesDallas
07-28-2013, 06:28 PM
Got started this weekend on getting my Base set-up up and going.


I wanted to build a Ugly Balun to have ready to install on my pole, once my antenna gets here, so I got that all done today. One thing I wanted to do tho, was build it with the coax on the inside of the PVC pipe, instead of having it wrapped around the outside like most do...Reason? One, so it wouldn't "Look" so ugly up on top of my pole! Second, my experience with plastic pull straps, is after a while of being out in the weather, they tend to rot and break...If that's what you have to secure your coax to the PVC pipe, then after a while you would need to take it down and re-do-it.


Made a trip to the local Home Depot, and found some 4" PVC that's real thin, which makes the inside a little wider, plus no where near the weight of regular PVC...


Here's what the coax looks like all wound up inside the PVC.
http://imageshack.us/a/img542/6220/hv8w.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img41/5106/70y8.jpg


To wind it, first I sprayed a little 409 inside so the coax would slide around and make it easier to wind, then once wound, I fed a couple of 36" flat tie straps between the coax and the pipe, then pulled tight to get the coax turns all nice and tight. Then just to make sure everything stays put, I added a little Gorilla Glue on the ends.. In the second pic, you can see a hole I drilled with the coax sticking out...That was just a temporary hole to stick the end of the coax so it would stay in place while I wound the turns inside the pipe...


This is the finished Balun on a pole, just to see what it will look like once installed on the mast I will be using.
http://imageshack.us/a/img543/2074/0i95.jpg


The bracket I used is a bracket used on chain link fences...Now one thing with the Balun is the coax can not be touching anything conductive...But I can get away with using the metal bracket, because my coax is inside the pipe, and not on the outside! The screws that hold the bracket to the pipe are not near the coax. (plus just to be on the safe side, I covered the screws up with a gob of silicon inside the pipe)
http://imageshack.us/a/img855/4894/x6z9.jpg


I used 18' of CA400 coax (LMR 400 equivalent) and way it worked out, it takes about 1' of coax to make one turn. I made the pipe a little longer than needed because I wanted to have a little extra room on one end for my mounting bracket...The pipe ended up being right at 14" long...(Daughter came out while I was building it, and asked "why I was building a pipe-bomb")


Where the coax comes out of the end caps I sealed with silicon to keep water out, but I think I'm going to drill a few holes in the bottom cap, just in-case water ends up getting inside anyway.


Now all I'm waiting on Mr. Dan Coily to send my Enforcer .64 Antenna, then I can get it up in the air...May be a while tho, he said he had 4 or 5 people ahead of me, but he would get it built as soon as he could.

the caveman
07-28-2013, 07:05 PM
Neat project JJD. Keep us posted on your project.

chewing tobacco
07-30-2013, 09:31 AM
looks great I can't wait to here you talking on the base


189 chewing tobacco in done

chewing tobacco
08-06-2013, 09:34 AM
hey JJD I'm ready for you to blow my speakers out of my radio with your base lol.

JesseJamesDallas
08-07-2013, 06:04 PM
Still waiting on the antenna...

Tallman
09-10-2013, 11:16 AM
Nice job on the Balun. The wire on the inside is a really great idea!

the caveman
09-12-2013, 08:26 AM
im hoping to hear some JJD coming through the static:tea: