Broad Band Terminated Dipoles (BBTD), Tilted Terminated Fold Dipoles (T2FD) and Balanced Termination Folded Dipole BTFD) antennas can be designed to cover a large range of frequencies between 1.8 30 MHz. Longer length antennas generally provide better low frequency efficiency but take up a larger footprint of land. One BBTD that has worked well at the AK6R antenna farm is shown below. Many other designs are available and can be found at www.HFLINK.COM as well as other internet sites. Your mileage may vary using this antenna, but as a general coverage antenna for ham and shortwave broadcast, the simplicity can’t be beat even though an individual dipole on a specific band may out perform this broad band dipole. Palomar Engineers has all the parts you need to build this antenna, so why not give it a try?
Depending on the source of the antenna design, different value baluns are specified. Our Bullet(TM) baluns in ratios of 9:1, 12:1 and 16:1 are excellent for this type of antenna as they are broadband from 1.8-61 MHz and will take up to 500 watts PEP.
50:800 ohm (16:1) Transformers
16:1 Baluns are useful between 750-850 ohm balanced loads where the impedance at the end of the feed line is 800 ohms (1/2 wavelength feed line), or high impedance feeds for rhombic, T2FD and traveling wave antennas.
16:1 Ununs are useful between coax and long wires with a load impedance near 800 ohms like a beverage antenna. Shortwave listener antennas also can benefit with the 16:1 unun and it may provide a better match than 9:1 ununs – this means quieter noise levels and stronger signals so you can hear distance stations easier.
16:1 transformers are made to order with manufacturing time of 5 or more days before shipment depending upon quantity.
Likewise Termination Resistor values vary from 500-1250 ohms and we have a good selection shown HERE: