A Tale of Two Baluns

Baluns are an important part of most wire antenna systems, and as such, are a basic component in many stations.

Of course, this station encourages you to build your own - it is, after all, very easy, provided you have a clear wiring diagram (authors: take note) and take a reasonable pride in your work.

For an experiment some time ago, I needed a 2:1 balun, which I did not then have the confidence to make.  I opted for the American-based Balun Designs LLC who, for what must be said is the fairly high price of nearly $100, duly provided me with a slightly customised unit.

In Balun Designs' case, you certainly do get what you pay for; the high price does at least reflect the very high quality of winding and putting the whole thing together.  Mechanically, the support loops are much too heavy for my liking, and even have a tendency to slip.

Have a look at the lovely Balun Designs 2:1, which is a company, I should note, I have no relation with other than as a customer:

Neat and very well-made.  Balun Designs' 2:1.

Compare the above with a 9:1 unun I bought from a totally different seller about the same time.  It's made by a fairly high-profile UK-based seller who, to avoid any tendencies towards filing spurious libel suits, must remain unidentified.  All the more surprising, then, that on receipt, the very thin plastic enclosure had already cracked.  It wasn't down to the postman, but to the fact the enclosure was too small for the stuff shoved inside it!

Forcing a transformer into a box that's too small isn't clever, even for the relatively low price tag.

The core and wire was just too big for the box, and for some bizarre reason, super glue had been used to try and stop the post connections from slipping. No doubt the seller would claim I didn't complain, but then, why would one expect to have to complain about a box that's too small for the transformer inside it?  I put it down to experience, and recycled the core into my own, much more neatly-made unit.

And that's just the point.  Look at that 9:1.  Are you seriously saying you can't make one of those - and put it in a better quality, better-fitting box?  I say you can not only build it, but save yourself a load of money and learn about transformers at the same time.

Go make!