KURT SPEAKS OUT - Digital PDF Version
Kurt's masterpiece contains 50 of Kurt Sterba's Kolumns from World Radio (1990 to 2006). 140 pages packed with sage advice, unusual antennas, and ham radio myths to avoid. Read, learn, and enjoy.
Included are unusual antennas: CCD, T2FD, OCF, Rattail Ver-Tee, G5RV, ZEPP, Loops and many others. Find out the real truth about antennas and STOP WASTING YOUR TIME and MONEY trying to get the lowest SWR! Download your copy and get educated by one of the experts – Krusty ole Kurt!!
Kurt N Sterba, sometimes known as “Krusty Olde Kurt” or “The Krusty One” and often as “The Masked Avenger”, is fearless in exposing antenna manufacturers who lie or use deceptive numbers to inflate the gain dB’s of their antennas. He also deflates those who use “new scientific breakthroughs” to explain the operation of their products. He pieces through the obfuscation of on-the-air antenna “experts” by explaining antennas, grounds, and feed lines in non-mathematical, simple English. His aim is to see that all understand the real basics of antennas, and are not taken in by the ever-prevalent, fine-sounding ad writers and other purveyors of false information.
Kurt wants you to know that downloading this work of art also entitles you to a free membership in KURTSKLUB, special product discounts, his oh-so-smart newsletter when he gets around to writing it, and more sage advice in his future books. You agree to keep your email box open, your mind free from commercial marketing hoop-la and let Kurt be your guide. Oh yea, spread the word, we need more members who seek true enlightenment like you!
Table of Contents
- THE CRUEL WORLD OF ANTENNAS. 5
- BROADBAND ANTENNAS. 8
- dB, dBi, dBd, ---- WHICH ONE IS RIGHT?. 12
- SMALL LOOPS REVISITED.. 15
- THE TRUTH ABOUT VERTICALS. 18
- GAIN AND FRONT-TO-BACK RATIO.. 21
- A GOOD, CHEAP. SMALL HF ANTENNA.. 24
- ALL ABOUT COAX.. 27
- THE TRUTH ABOUT LOOP ANTENNAS. 30
- 450 OHM LINE IS NOT 450 OHMS. 33
- DIPOLES AND DOUGHNUTS. 36
- THE “J” POLE.. 38
- 18 dB IS A MINOR DIFFERENCE?. 40
- TWO TYPES OF HAMS. 45
- ANTENNA TUNERS. 47
- WHICH SWR IS BETTER.. 50
- THE DOCTOR IS IN.. 52
- THE G5RV ON TWENTY METERS. 55
- KURT IS PREDJUDICED, NOT!57
- KURT REPEATS HIMSELF. 60
- IN WHICH THE MASKED AVENGER STRIKES. 63
- VERTICAL ANTENNAS AND SWR.. 66
- KURT STRIKES BACK.. 68
- THE RESONANT FEED-LINE DIPOLE.. 71
- MORE ABOUT RADIALS. 74
- KURT WRONG?. 76
- KURT’S 160 METER VERTICAL.. 78
- CLARIFICATION.. 80
- COILED CHOKE.. 83
- SHUNT FED VERTICALS. 86
- NEW ANTENNA BOOK.. 89
- LOW BAND – HORIZONTAL LOOP OR VERTICAL.. 91
- WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ZEPP?. 93
- THE T2FD ANTENNA.. 95
- USING A TUNER WITH A MOBILE INSTALLATION.. 97
- RESONANCE.. 99
- TOO COMPLICATED.. 101
- RAI vs M2103
- ANOTHER FANTASTIC ANTENNA.. 106
- RAI vs M2CONTINUED.. 108
- MATH PROBLEM... 110
- DANGER!112
- SWR CHANGE.. 114
- BALUNS – WHAT DO THEY DO?. 118
- CURRENT METER.. 120
- ANTENNA GARBAGE.. 122
- 160 METER VERTICAL.. 124
- OVER AND OVER.. 126
- THE RAT TAIL ANTENNA.. 129
- SWR.. 131
- EFFECT OF GROUND.. 133
- 1:1 or 4:1 BALUN?. 135
- Non-Resonant vs. Resonant Antennas. 137
- My Station Causes RFI – What do I do?. 139
- My Station is a VICTIM of RFI – What do I do?. 140
This version is published by Palomar Engineers, Inc.
Often it is difficult to slip beads on a cable because of a plug or connector. Split beads solve this problem. They come in two halves that fit over the cable. A plastic snap cover holds the two halves together and holds the assembly on the cable.
For RFI use, mix 31 is effective from 1-300 Mhz, mix 43 works from 20-250 Mhz, Mix 61 is for 200-2000 Mhz, and mix 77 favors .1-20 MHz. These frequencies are those of the interfering signal to be eliminated, not the operating frequencies of the equipment to be protected.
Not sure of what sizes you need or solving a RFI problem with devices using multiple size cables? Try the Ferrite Snap On Combo Pack which has sizes from 1/4″ to 3/4″ with either Mix 31 (1-300 MHz) or Mix 61 (200-2000 MHz) or Mix 75 (150 KHz – 10 MHz).
NOW WITH QUANTITY PRICING FOR CLUB , VOLUME PURCHASERS!
Bead dimensions are shown in the picture below and in the table as A, B, C
Ferrite Split Bead Dimensions
Application Notes
Application Note for using these Snap On split beads: How Many Chokes do I need?
You can very effectively increase the choking impedance of smaller cable by using a large hole ferrite bead and wrapping the cable through several times. For particularly difficult common mode current/RFI problems you may need a choking impedance as high as 5-10K ohms. Using multiple beads and multiple turns through each bead will give higher impedances up to a point. At higher frequencies, when the number of turns approaches an electrical wavelength, the choke becomes resonant due to stray capacitance and the inductance of the cable and limits the high end impedance values to less than the above table points.
Some example of ways to wrap cable are shown below.
 FSB-1/4 – 1 turn |
 FSB-1/2 1 turn |
 FSB-1/2 Open Shell |
 FSB-1/2 2 turns |
 FSB-1/2 3 turns |
 FSB-1/2 4 turns |
—–//—–
More examples of split bead use
Ethernet Cable on FSB-1/4
Ethernet Cable on FSB-1/2 – 3 turns for 9X Impedance good filter for 15-30 mhz between 2K-3K ohms choking Z
Three Effective Radio Interference Filters
 FSB-1/4 or FSB-1/2 4 turns for 14-50 Mhz 2K-3K Z |
 FSB-1/2-5 turns for 10-30 Mhz 2K-4.5K choking Z |
 FT240-43 – 14 turns for 3-14 Mhz or use two FT240-43 for 1.8-10 Mhz |
These snap-on chokes are useful for reducing RFI in public address system amplifiers, speaker wires, mic cables, mixer panels, coax cable, telephone wires, computer sound card speakers, dsl/cable connections, remote control heads for ham transceivers (Especially FT-100, FT900, IC-706, IC-7000), AC power cables, DC power cables, home theater cables, video cables, HI Fi cables, guitar amps, linear amp cables, etc.
They are also helpful in suppressing common mode noise/RFI in radio and TV receivers, audio and RF amplifiers. They can also help suppress noise generated by treadmills, exercise equipment, fish tank heaters, oil heater pumps, fluorescent lights, motors, cable modems, DSL modems, computers, and many other electrical devices. Common mode current reduction in computer cables often helps speed up computers.