Home Brew Ladder Line

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 Like many radio amateurs, I prefer using 450 Ohm "ladder line" for several types of antennas, including doublets, basic dipoles, and off-center fed antennas.

In this video, Steve Ellignton (N4LQ) shows us how to homebrew a balanced feedline using 12 gauge wire and a few plastic spreaders.

The project improves the efficiency of your antenna and perhaps makes adjustments easier for your antenna "tuner."

If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Ays78mwZA.

Thanks for joining us today.

Russ (KH6JRM/AL0HA).

Here are a few comments from Steve (N4LQ):

Ladder made from 12 ga "Flexweave 545" from Wireman. 6" Spreaders made from acrylic from UPC in Lima Ohio USplastic.com 3/8" OD 1/4" ID. They will cut for you. http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item... 14" black wire ties from Lowe's Antenna 130' center fed at 50' avg. Tuner MFJ-998 No baluns or chokes needed LMR-600 coax to shack -------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE 11/15/2016 Eliminated the chokes and just grounded the tuner directly. Tuner is much happier and system is quieter. Really this is two inverted L's back to back. I have installed a relay so I can remotely reverse these feeders. Results are amazing. I'm calling this my Double L. Using EZNEC antenna modeling I found that the pattern on the lower bands, 160, 80 meters shows a lower takeoff angle and is omni directional. On 40m and up the pattern varies greatly by band and by phase of the feeders giving me great coverage.

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Steve Ellington N4LQ

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