Search results

Protecting amateur radio equipment from transient overvoltages requires robust lightning and surge protection, which is the focus of Electronic Specialty Products. The company provides various devices, including coaxial lightning arrestors for antenna feedlines and surge protectors for AC power lines and data circuits. These devices are engineered to divert high-energy surges, such as those caused by direct or indirect lightning strikes, away from sensitive transceivers, amplifiers, and computer components, thereby preventing catastrophic damage. Key products include the _Coaxial Lightning Protector_ series, designed for various impedance levels and frequency ranges up to 3 GHz, and the _AC Line Surge Protector_ for shack power distribution. Effective deployment of these protection devices can significantly reduce the risk of equipment failure and ensure operational continuity during severe weather. For instance, a properly installed coaxial arrestor can handle peak currents of **20 kA**, while AC line protectors offer clamping voltages typically below 400V. Comparing different models reveals varying levels of insertion loss and return loss, with some coaxial units exhibiting less than 0.1 dB loss at 500 MHz, making them suitable for high-performance HF and VHF/UHF operations. Integrating these components into a comprehensive grounding system is crucial for achieving maximum protection against both common-mode and differential-mode surges.

Demonstrates the operational status and reception reports for the SK6RUD/SA6RR QRPP beacons, which transmit on 478.9 kHz, 1995 kHz, 10.131 MHz, and 40.673 MHz. These beacons utilize extremely low power, with the 630-meter beacon operating at approximately 0.1 watt ERP into an L-antenna, showcasing the potential for long-distance contacts under favorable propagation conditions. The site details the specific frequencies and antenna types employed, such as a vertical at 500 kHz and a 1/4 vertical for higher bands. The resource compiles over 10,530 reception reports from amateur radio operators worldwide, logging details such as date, time, band, RST signal report, locator, distance, and receiver setup. Notable long-distance reports include a 500 kHz reception by AA1A-Dave from 5832 km in 2008 and a 10.133 MHz reception by ZL2FT-Jason from 17680 km in 2010, illustrating the global reach of these low-power transmissions. Each log entry provides specific equipment used by the reporting station, including transceivers like the Yaesu FT817, ICOM IC-7300, and various antenna configurations such as coaxial mag loops, inverted Ls, and end-fed wires. The primary objective of the SK6RUD beacons is to challenge conventional notions of power requirements for effective two-way communication, proving that contacts over significant distances are achievable with minimal output. The site also includes a submission form for new reception reports, fostering community engagement and continuous data collection on propagation phenomena across different bands. The detailed logs offer practical insights into real-world propagation characteristics and the efficacy of QRPP operations.

A 5 element yagi beam antenna for ten meters band with full dimentsions, eznec file and coax match informations for 50 ohms feed line

In this article the author describes some new designs of ferrite loaded chokes for suppressing unwanted common mode currents at HF applied to feed lines like choke baluns, but also in the shack, applied to various coaxial, mains and data cables

A pdf file with drawings and instruction to properly assembly and solder most popular coax cable connectors

How to make an effective RF Choke. The coiled coax choke is the easiest to make but also the least effective. This article includes some general guidelines for winding coax chokes on a 10cm PVC pipe using RG-58 or RG-213 coax cable.

A multiband coax trapped dipole for 10-80 meters bands by DF1PU

This web article by VK3BLG details the construction of an experimental 70cm (432 MHz) circularly polarized patch antenna, intended for satellite communication. The resource provides dimensions, feed point specifications, and impedance matching considerations for a single patch element, with discussion extending to array configurations for circular polarization. Construction involves a copper patch element on a dielectric substrate, fed via a coaxial cable. The design is based on information derived from AO-40 satellite antenna specifications, focusing on achieving circular polarization for satellite reception. The article includes specific dimensions for the patch and feed points, along with impedance values. Validation is implied through on-air satellite reception reports, with initial signal reports of **1 S-point above noise** for AO-40 beacons using a grid reflector, improving to **3-4 S-points above noise** with a 2-turn helical feed. The author references a _NanoVNA_ for impedance measurements and discusses the relationship between slot and dipole antennas in the context of patch design. DXZone Focus: Web Article | 70cm Patch Antenna | On-Air Satellite Reception | Circular Polarization

Dealer for Alpha Delta hf antennas, switeches, Outbacker and super antennas, morse code keys, coax cable and military products, managed by W8GEG from Medina Ohio

The main function of the Ugly Balun is to help eliminate rf currents from flowing on the outside of coaxial cable using the principle of choke action.

A simple coax cable tester built based on the KG0ZZ project.

A table summarizing common coax cables features

Benelec Pty Ltd specializes in the design and manufacturing of **antennas** and RF components, covering a broad frequency range from 0.002 GHz to 8 GHz. Their product line includes Land Mobile Radio Antennas, such as HF 2-30MHz, VHF 40-180MHz, and UHF 200-520MHz models, alongside specialized Military Antennas for dismounted, UxS, C2, and EW applications. The company also produces Cellular Antennas, including 4G/5G and GPS/GNSS types, and Marine Antennas for both vessel-mounted and fixed-site installations. Additionally, Benelec offers a comprehensive range of coaxial cables, connectors like N-Type and SMA, and various radio accessories. The company's offerings extend to RF components such as duplexers, diplexers, and 50 Ohm loads, as well as DAS components like directional couplers and hybrid combiners. Benelec provides EMP and lightning protection solutions, including 1/4 Wave Stub protectors and replaceable GAS capsules. Their product catalog also features P25, DMR, and FM Analog radios, along with portable and mobile radio accessories like batteries, chargers, and cabled headsets. The company supports various sectors with robust communication solutions.

The HF horizontal loop has been around for many years now. This article includes a YouTube video and discusses the reasons for looking at this antenna, its design, and its installation. There are some on-air comparisons against three regular double bazooka (coax) dipoles and the Par SWL End-Fed antenna.

Designing and constructing portable wire antennas for HF operations, this resource explores several configurations including the _foldback dipole_ for space-constrained setups and an inductively shortened dual-band dipole for 20m and 40m. It details the calculation of inductance for shortened elements, providing a Visual Basic 6.0 program screenshot that illustrates determining coil parameters like turns and length for a **25.5 uH** inductor. The document emphasizes practical considerations such as adjusting wire lengths for optimal SWR, noting that a dual-band dipole achieved SWR below 2:1 on both 20m and 40m, with careful adjustment bringing it under 1.5:1. Further, the resource describes a half-wave antenna matched with a coaxial stub, a method often referred to as the _Fuchskreis_ in German amateur radio circles, to transform the high feedpoint impedance to 50 Ohms. This monoband solution, for a 20m application, uses a stub length of **2.98m** (0.216 lambda multiplied by coax velocity factor) and a shorted stub of approximately 48cm. The coaxial stub design is highlighted for its resilience to ground proximity, allowing it to be rolled up or laid on the ground with minimal SWR impact, making it highly suitable for portable QRP operations.

Types of coax-cable with rf attenuator calculator, line loss calculator form includes an antenna gain calculator. This coax loss calculator can help you on choosing the right cable for your antenna sysmte.

This antenna article is geared towards new Hams and antenna builders looking for a very inexpensive 6 band antenna that can be efficiently fed with 50 ohm coax without a tune

Stop common-mode current when transmitting with an end-fed antenna. Unbalanced antennas are very prone to currents on the outside of the coax.

Joe Carr's Radio Tech-Notes Installing Coaxial Connectors

KB22UT Article on how protecting ham radio station and in particular I/O Lines such as AC power, coax cable, control circuits, telephone line.

RG-174/U article on usage by AA5TB

Study of the Coaxial Dipole: Just how does this thing work.

Products and books for the radio hobbist. Antennas, Coax cables, filters,Lightning Protection, Wire & Cable, Books

Stacking principles, with homebrew coax- and power-splitters by DK7ZB

Balanced feed with coaxial line by John F. Clemens W9ERN

Cutting out the noise using a simple coax filter to improve the poor front end filtering

This useful coax tester allows you to screw the PL-259 onto the tester to get a GO/NO GO status. When the LED lights up- you have a short circuit.

There are several reasons that can cause coax line radiation, most of them are related to wrong or missing use of a balun, but none can be imputed to load mismatch.

This Magnetic Longwire Balun (MLB) makes it possible to efficiently use a coaxial lead-in cable with all forms of longwires, T-forms or other types of wire antennas, without the need for an antenna tuner.

Banana plugs, coaxial cable assemblies, patch cords, oscilloscope and DMM test lead and probe kits and accessories, IC test clips, boxes, RF connectors, XLR and 75-ohm cable assembly products.

G4URH - Coax cable types, specifications and data

This article describe the principles of baluns when referred to devices used to balance unbalanced systems, like a coax cable and a dipole antenna

Presents a construction project for a 1:1 current balun, specifically detailing the _Sorbie Balun and Bottle Choke_ design. The resource outlines the winding technique, employing 4+4 turns of mini coaxial cable on a large ferrite core, and provides insights into the physical assembly. It includes specific material recommendations, such as the type of ferrite and coaxial cable, crucial for achieving the desired impedance transformation and common-mode current suppression. The content covers the practical steps involved in building the balun, from preparing the coaxial cable to securing the windings on the ferrite toroid. It also discusses the integration of the balun into an antenna system, emphasizing its role in maintaining pattern integrity and reducing RF interference in the shack. The resource offers a clear, step-by-step approach, making the project accessible for homebrewers. Illustrations and photographs accompany the text, visually guiding the builder through each stage of construction. The article concludes with performance expectations and considerations for deployment, ensuring the constructed balun functions effectively across the intended frequency range.

PL-259, Motorola & N connectors, Coax Seal, universal adapter kit, TNC, Mini-UHF, SMA, F & BNC connectors, audio connectors,antenna mounts and antennas

Will additional coax stubs improve Band Pass Filter performance?

About Coax Traps, NC4FB examine the operation of coax traps through modeling.

A bazooka coax antenna for 40 meters band design by CA6TYS

A handy solution to have a half wave antenna for fieldwork on a 12m fishing rod.

Two tables comparing several coax cables on attenuation and power ratings

An overview of coax cable often called coaxial feeder or RF cable, used to feed antennas and deliver radio frequency power from one point to another

Operating a ham station often involves encountering radio frequency interference (RFI), RF feedback, or RF burns, which are frequently misattributed to poor equipment grounding. This resource meticulously dissects these assumptions, asserting that RF grounds on the operating desk often merely mask more significant system flaws. It identifies five primary causes for RF problems, including antenna system design flaws, proximity of the antenna to the operating position, DC power supply ground loops, equipment design defects, and poorly installed connectors or defective cables. The content emphasizes that issues like "hot cabinets" or changes in SWR when connecting a ground indicate substantial RF flowing over wiring or cabinets, a phenomenon known as common-mode current. The article provides detailed explanations of common-mode current generation, particularly from single-wire fed antennas like longwires, random wires, and OCF dipoles, which inherently present high levels of RF in the shack. It also illustrates how vertical antennas, lacking a perfect ground system, can excite feed lines with significant common-mode current. Through simulations, the author demonstrates how a dipole without a proper _balun_ can cause RF problems at the operating desk, showing current patterns and voltage distributions on feed line shields. The discussion extends to the proper application of _RF isolators_ and _ferrite beads_, clarifying their role in modifying common-mode impedance on cable shields and cautioning against their use as a band-aid for fundamental system defects. The resource advocates for correcting the actual source of RF problems, such as antenna system issues or poor connector mounting, rather than relying on internal shack grounding or isolators. It highlights that properly functioning two-conductor feed lines, like coaxial or open-wire lines, should result in minimal RF levels at the operating position, even without a desk RF ground. The author shares personal experience, noting that his stations since the late 1970s have operated without RF grounds at the desks, relying instead on proper antenna system design and feed line integrity.

A distributed capacity coaxial dipole antenna. The antenna is very broadbanded with a very flat swr on all band when setup of the antenna is done at the proper lenght and height.

This article serves as a beginner-friendly guide to constructing a simple VHF dipole antenna for 2 meters, perfect for novices in the hobby. With an emphasis on affordability and simplicity, it explains the basics without overwhelming technical details. Recommendations for coaxial cable and mounting methods are provided, offering practical solutions for effective communication. By following these instructions, novices can build a functional antenna without breaking the bank.

The resource provides coaxial cable attenuation data, listing signal loss in dB per 100 feet for various cable types across a frequency range from 1 MHz to 5.8 GHz. The initial table details attenuation for cables such as _RG-58_, _RG-8X_, and RG-213, with impedance values of 50 ohm or 75 ohm, at frequencies up to 1 GHz. For example, _RG-58_ exhibits **0.4 dB** loss at 1 MHz and **21.5 dB** loss at 1 GHz per 100 feet. A subsequent table expands on this data, including LMR series cables like _LMR-400_ and LMR-600, along with other types such as 9913F7 and RG214. This section covers frequencies from 30 MHz to 1,500 MHz, also noting the outer diameter of each cable. For instance, _LMR-400_ (0.405" diameter) shows **0.7 dB** loss at 30 MHz and 5.1 dB loss at 1,500 MHz per 100 feet. The final section focuses on VHF/UHF/Microwave amateur and ISM bands, presenting attenuation in dB per 100 feet (and meters) for frequencies including 144 MHz, 450 MHz, and 2.4 GHz. This table includes larger diameter hardline options like 1/2" LDF and 7/8" LDF, in addition to flexible coaxial cables. For example, 1/2" LDF cable demonstrates **0.85 dB** loss at 144 MHz and 6.6 dB loss at 2.4 GHz per 100 feet. DXZone Focus: Coaxial cable attenuation | LMR-400 | RG-58 | 5.8 GHz

Some notes on double-shielded coaxial cable

The article, "Using 75 Ohm CATV Coaxial Cable," details methods for employing readily available 75-ohm CATV hardline in standard 50-ohm amateur radio setups. It addresses the inherent impedance mismatch and practical considerations, such as connector compatibility, for hams seeking cost-effective, low-loss feedline solutions. The resource specifically contrasts common 50-ohm cables like RG-8, RG213, and _LMR-400_ with 75-ohm hardline, highlighting the latter's lower loss characteristics, particularly at VHF and UHF frequencies. It explores two primary approaches to manage the impedance difference: direct connection with an acceptable SWR compromise and precise impedance transformation. The direct connection method acknowledges that a perfect 1:1 SWR is not always critical, especially when using low-loss coax. For impedance transformation, the article explains the use of half-wavelength sections of coax to reflect the antenna's 50-ohm impedance back to the transmitter, noting its single-frequency effectiveness. It also briefly mentions transformer designs using toroid cores and a technique involving two 1/12 wavelength sections of feedline for broader bandwidth. The content further clarifies the concept of _velocity factor_ for calculating electrical versus physical cable lengths, providing a generic formula for precise length determination. It notes that while half-wave matching is practical for 10 meters and above, it can result in excessively long runs for lower bands like 160 meters, potentially adding **250 feet** of cable. The article also mentions achieving a usable bandwidth of 28.000 MHz up to at least **28.8 MHz** on 10 meters with specific transformation techniques.

Essentially, a choke balun is designed to 'divorce' your antenna from the feed line. if your feed line is coaxial cable then you don't want it to be part of your antenna. you want to be able to deliver all your power to the radiator itself, i.e. 'the antenna'. a choke balun does this admirably

Since 1956, E-Z-Hook has been manufacturing electronic test accessories used for test and measurement purposes throughout multiple industries. Test probes, multimeters, coax cables, adapters

Coax Cables and RF connectors dealer in Germany

A collection of calculators from everything RF for various applications VSWR, attenuator resistance valies, microstrip, coax, unit conversions and many more.