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VOR Antenna / Balun / Lead

 
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cbirdsall6(at)cox.net
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:18 pm    Post subject: VOR Antenna / Balun / Lead Reply with quote

The VOR antenna balun setup on my 1972 Cherokee has come apart (age,
corrosion). Looks like RG-58 for the lead/balun. There's enough
corrosion on the antenna lead screws and elsewhere that has me thinking
about replacing the antenna. So, I have the following questions:

Is there any practical difference between antennas with a built-in balun
and a BNC connection (i.e. RAMI AV-525), and a VOR antenna with the
balun in the antenna lead (such as the RAMI AV-12)? (Other than cost
and having to spend a short amount of time making the balun ...)

Is there a perceptible difference between RG-58 and RG-400 for the
antenna lead? There's enough slack in the current antenna lead that I
could simply cut off the bad part of the old cable and install a BNC
connector... (but I'd still have 40+ year old cable.)

I do have a short (<10ft) length of RG-400 so I could try to replace the
bad section of the existing lead, make a new balun and try to rescue the
existing antenna from the oxidation. This would add two BNC connectors
in the antenna lead run. Properly done, would the connectors provide a
significant loss of signal? Or would I be better off to spend the $$
and buy enough RG400 to make the whole run?

Radios are 2x KX170B w/additional GS receiver, single 1-in / 3-out
splitter divides between them.

Thanks,
Chuck


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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:47 am    Post subject: VOR Antenna / Balun / Lead Reply with quote

At 01:15 2014-11-11, you wrote:
--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Chuck Birdsall <cbirdsall6(at)cox.net>

The VOR antenna balun setup on my 1972 Cherokee has come apart (age, corrosion). Looks like RG-58 for the lead/balun. There's enough corrosion on the antenna lead screws and elsewhere that has me thinking about replacing the antenna. So, I have the following questions:

Is there any practical difference between antennas with a built-in balun and a BNC connection (i.e. RAMI AV-525), and a VOR antenna with the balun in the antenna lead (such as the RAMI AV-12)? (Other than cost and having to spend a short amount of time making the balun ...)

I presume that the antenna configuration being considered for replacement has bee functioning satisfactorily. It's a toss up between the two antennas for performance. Baluns are not hard to build but the antenna with the built in matching is fitted with a BNC connector. Much 'cleaner' termination of coax than ring terminals.

Is there a perceptible difference between RG-58 and RG-400 for the antenna lead? There's enough slack in the current antenna lead that I could simply cut off the bad part of the old cable and install a BNC connector... (but I'd still have 40+ year old cable.)
Not that you can tell from the pilot's seat. It would probably work just fine.

I do have a short (<10ft) length of RG-400 so I could try to replace the bad section of the existing lead, make a new balun and try to rescue the existing antenna from the oxidation. This would add two BNC connectors in the antenna lead run. Properly done, would the connectors provide a significant loss of signal? Or would I be better off to spend the $$ and buy enough RG400 to make the whole run?

If you're doing the work yourself, the $risks$ are low. Carry out the experiment and tell us what you discover. "Corrosion" on the stock 'whiskers' is cosmetic and easily cleaned off to effect connection to a new balun. You can fabricate the balun on the end of enough coax to make the run into better environments where the RG-58 is in better shape and splice in with BNC-CM/CF pair. It's a $low$, low risk experiment with good odds of working just fine.


Bob . . . [quote][b]


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cbirdsall6(at)cox.net
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:15 pm    Post subject: VOR Antenna / Balun / Lead Reply with quote

Thanks! I'll try making a baling with the RG400 I have first and report back.

Chuck

On Nov 11, 2014, at 07:46, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:
At 01:15 2014-11-11, you wrote:
--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Chuck Birdsall <cbirdsall6(at)cox.net (cbirdsall6(at)cox.net)>

The VOR antenna balun setup on my 1972 Cherokee has come apart (age, corrosion). Looks like RG-58 for the lead/balun. There's enough corrosion on the antenna lead screws and elsewhere that has me thinking about replacing the antenna. So, I have the following questions:

Is there any practical difference between antennas with a built-in balun and a BNC connection (i.e. RAMI AV-525), and a VOR antenna with the balun in the antenna lead (such as the RAMI AV-12)? (Other than cost and having to spend a short amount of time making the balun ...)

I presume that the antenna configuration being considered for replacement has bee functioning satisfactorily. It's a toss up between the two antennas for performance. Baluns are not hard to build but the antenna with the built in matching is fitted with a BNC connector. Much 'cleaner' termination of coax than ring terminals.

Is there a perceptible difference between RG-58 and RG-400 for the antenna lead? There's enough slack in the current antenna lead that I could simply cut off the bad part of the old cable and install a BNC connector... (but I'd still have 40+ year old cable.)
Not that you can tell from the pilot's seat. It would probably work just fine.

I do have a short (<10ft) length of RG-400 so I could try to replace the bad section of the existing lead, make a new balun and try to rescue the existing antenna from the oxidation. This would add two BNC connectors in the antenna lead run. Properly done, would the connectors provide a significant loss of signal? Or would I be better off to spend the $$ and buy enough RG400 to make the whole run?

If you're doing the work yourself, the $risks$ are low. Carry out the experiment and tell us what you discover. "Corrosion" on the stock 'whiskers' is cosmetic and easily cleaned off to effect connection to a new balun. You can fabricate the balun on the end of enough coax to make the run into better environments where the RG-58 is in better shape and splice in with BNC-CM/CF pair. It's a $low$, low risk experiment with good odds of working just fine.


Bob . . . [quote]
[b]


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