It’s been a few days playing with listening on the new balun (unun, really in this case) setup. Since the antenna terminates behind the radio desk and indoor work bench, I don’t transmit so that part is unknown. However, the wire on the toroid core is really small…too small in my opinion to feel comfortable trying more than a couple dozen watts even if I was not being cautious about the antenna wire radiating indoors. In another post, I think I mentioned turning the touch operated light over the kitchen sink on and off while talking on 10 meters, and that was with only 10 watts.
Considering that the antenna is only around 60 feet long, it does well eavesdropping on 75/80 meters as well as 40. I haven’t tried 160M yet. 10 works with the unun, but it really needs a better antenna instead of a random longwire.
Another reason I want to get the unun and entire antenna outdoors is the serious RFI I get at times. The biggest offenders are power delivery and Quick Charge adapters running in “high gear”. Some of my Arduino projects running NeoPixels also generate a bit of noise. I’m happy that my computer and home networking devices power supplies are quiet. The only bench item causing interference is my programmable bench power supply. It is fine until I activate the output. Normally I wouldn’t be on the air while working on a non-ham project so it is not an issue.
One other annoyance is that one of the GFCI outlets out in my workshop trips when I transmit. So part of the antenna project will be to move it away from the workshop and hope for the best. It tags the corner of the shop on its way to where it ends at the rear of the detached garage. I don’t have anything important that needs power all the time on that outlet, so it is just a nuisance when I turn the light over the main bench on and nothing happens. A change of brands will likely help, too as the others in the shop are a different brand and they don’t trip from RFI.
It is nice knowing that the antenna is DC grounded, not because I plan on leaving it connected during storms, but to drain precipitation static. My philosophy for storms has not changed….disconnect!!!!!
The next step is to sweep it with the NanoVNA. I’m not expecting anything super since the length is purely random to fit the spaces, and it runs in next to the air conditioner. That will be another post another time.
