Simple Jumper Feed Line Choke
The simplest, most cost effective feed line choke is a ferrite ring installed as shown in the picture (at the antenna feed point) to stop feed line radiation or at the radio end of the coax to suppress common mode coax noise current on the coax braid.
Improves antenna pattern by preventing your dipole from becoming a tripole
Suppresses pesky coax braid radiation and RFI
Reduces coax braid common mode current up to -30 dB ( 6 "S" units) on receive
Use one choke for each antenna feed line
Add a double female barrel connector to act as an "extension" of the existing coax.
Magnetic Loop Users: use 1 JC-1-1500 at the antenna feed point to keep all of transmit power on antenna and another at radio end to remove common mode noise received on the coax braid.
Need the ring only and not the jumper, select F240-31-1 as the part #.
Testimonial
Hi Bob,
Radio: Flex-6700 running barefoot -10 to 100 Watts max.
Antenna: MFJ-1216 – 160/80 meter OCFD wire antenna with matching network.
Elevation: Over 60 feet AGL – fully extended.
Installed: Mid November 2013
I operate mainly on the digital modes running less than 50 Watts. All of the sudden after a few days operating with this antenna, I start to have RFI and my radio was acting up; such as changing bands, SWR changing values, radio failures and turning off. However, when I used my Hy-Gain 18 HT vertical on the same band none of the abnormality occurred.
I contacted MFJ and confirm that what I was noticing was a failure of their “matching network” AKA balun. They offered no solutions. Then I contacted Palomar Engineers and bought the 1:1 new toroid RF beads. I called Palomar Engineers and I happened to talked to you directly; regarding the on going issue with the MFJ antenna. I found out that the 1:1 balun was not what I needed (I was miss-informed by MFJ that it was 1:1 matching network.)
You offered to make the required balun 4:1 and the rest is history.
Here are my findings:
- No more RFI displayed on the monitors.
- Radio not acting up or turning off.
- The SWR at 160/80 meter is 1.2:1
- No antenna tuner required. (radio goes to Bypass automatically.)
- Worst SWR is on 10 meter with a 2:1 but still usable, with antenna tuner 1.5.
- One happy OCFD user!
Thanks to Palomar Engineers design and engineering for solving this issue.
73, Ernest – W4EG