Milestone Technologies

a division of Milestone Technologies, Inc. "Everything for the Morse    Enthusiast!"

RBA Remote Balun Box

LDG Electronics' RBA balun was designed to allow easy interface of ladder line antennas and long wires to the current generation of automatic antenna tuners, but they can be used with any tuner that lacks an internal balun.

Most of the automatic tuners that you will find in transceivers have a pretty limited matching range.  For example, if you want to operate a dipole on another part of the band, you will be fine.  But you will not be able to "load up" your dipole on other bands.  Feed the antenna with a balanced line and it's a different story-- the antenna can be tuned for any band higher than the one it was designed for.

Balanced transmission line, also known as "ladder line" typically has a characteristic impedance of 300, 450, or 600 Ohms.  Coax, which is inherrently unbalanced (the shield is connected to ground) has an impedance of 50 Ohms.  As well as balancing the output to the transmission line, a 4:1 balun will provide a 4:1 impedance transformation.  The RBA-1 is weatherproof, so you can put it at the feedpoint of the antenna, the exit point from the building, or right at the antenna tuner-- presenting an enormous number of possibilities for tuning up that pesky random wire and avoiding stray RF in the shack.

The RBA:1 unit is available in kit form (can be built in about 15 to 30 minutes), or assembled.  The small size and easy-to-build construction will make this balun a welcome station accessory. The BA-1 Balun Box kit is supplied with an SO-239 connector.  If you would prefer a BNC connector, you'll find a conversion kit on our Oak Hills Research  Parts Page.
 

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