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Reviews For: W2DU Current balun

Category: Antenna parts, accessories, incl. baluns, hardware, etc.

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Review Summary For : W2DU Current balun
Reviews: 24MSRP: @ 30
Description:
W2DU current balum: I am the original designer of the W2DU current balun, described in QST, March 1983. I made no attempt to patent the device, and anyone can build it. However, some of the companies who manufacture the W2DU balun have come up short on the quality of their product, resulting in poor, and sometimes disastrous reports concerning its service. When properly constructed it will perform as described in the QST article. Some of the problems arise from modifying the engineering and then complaining of unsatisfactory operation. I am familiar with only a few of the manufacturers, but I do know that those who use fewer beads than specified in the QST article get unsatisfactory operation, resulting in the unwarranted complaints concerning W2DU baluns in general. Poor construction in the area of connections to the UHF input connector and the leads to the antenna terminals is responsible for many of the complaints of poor operation of the balun. If you are looking to obtain a product with the highest quality of fabrication, please obtain yours from The Wireman, Press Jones, N8UG. If you are interested in how the W2DU balun came to be, view my web page at www.w2du.com, click on the category "Read Chapters from Reflections 2," and select "Some Aspects of the Balun Problem," Chapter 21 in Reflections 1 and 2, for a downloadable copy of the QST article. Also click on "Preview Chapters from Reflections 3," and then click on "Link to Reflections 3 Preview Chapter 21A." These comments written by Walter Maxwell, W2DU, the designer of the W2DU balun.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.thewireman.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00242.7
W8NIC Rating: 2020-12-10
WONDERFUL PRODUCT!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
before hooking this balun, with a kw out, xyl complains of TVI and my 3 monitors will show lines on the screen. with it hooked inline between tuner and antenna, wife very happy. no TVI and no lines on all monitors and swr stays the same FLAT MATCH! Great investment that will not break the wallet.
N4AEQ Rating: 2017-07-04
Had one for 15 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought one of these used 15 years ago, use it on a 160,40,20 meter inverted vee with 100w, gives 1:1
swr with the legs cut to proper length. Never use a tuner, I think there maybe different people making this balun because mine works perfect, will look for a address or mfg name next time I have the balun down.
N2MDV Rating: 2017-02-05
They've been good for me, thus far. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Back in the mid-1990's I bought three of these from Gill, The wireman (When he was still alive.), and these were the ones in the gray PVC tubing. Thus far, they've worked great, not only for Windom applications, but on random long wires and other various length dipoles. The only thing that bugs me is the 200W rating, but other than that, they work. And they will pass, for RX'ing, past 30MHz and below 1.8MHz to DX the MW broadcast band. Come to think of this, since they provide a DC ground to dipoles, that provides a level of anti-static build up. I guess that I bought the good ones.
W6GRD Rating: 2016-01-29
Terrible 10m. Huge SWR jump Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this to streamline the installation I had been using with a 10m Moxon and another current balun.

At 16 watts
Without any balun SWR = 1.4:1
With an MFJ-915 current balun SWR = 1.2.1

SWR jumped from 1.25 to 2.0-2.4 and higher across the band with this in place. I promptly reverted to the prior setup.

KM4AH Rating: 2015-02-22
Useless on 10 meters Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Yep. These things are a joke on 10 meters. A 1.5 to 1 SWR goes through the roof at less than 500 watts output. I would give it a zero but it is OK on lower bands. Just forget it on a multi band beam.
VA3LUK Rating: 2013-03-02
do not buy it Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Is ok for 200 W only but when you have amplifier 800 W and more do not install this balun. When I try tune my amplifier SWR jump to 10, I thought the cable is wrong but when I changed the cable everything is the same.
CHRISGM Rating: 2008-04-18
Unadila balun, not much for the money. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought two and was disappointed with both. Construction OK, but in use the antenna very noisy. Switched to DX engineering balun, and I am very happy. You get what you pay for!
KF4QK Rating: 2008-01-15
Great for the price. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
You can't beat it for the price. Mine has been up and down at three different locations, (2 in FL and 1 in PA) and there has never been a problem. Mine is an Unadilla 1:1 that has been used for a fan dipole (80M;40M;20M;15M;10M), but now is only used for 80M and 40M. I am a little concerned about the life expectancy of these baluns though. I started using mine in 1983. I just bought a new 4:1 to use for a folded 20M dipole. Don't expect these baluns to perform like one of the much higher priced baluns though. For crying out loud. You get what you pay for.
AI4WM Rating: 2007-11-04
Great balun Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don't know how one burned up unless it was of poor quality construction or built by a builder who did not pay attention to how the coax was terminated. Anyway I have been using one of these for over 2 years and have had no problems. I have several and use them all the time to keep rf out of the shack and off rigs in the field. Bought mine as kits from the Wireman. I also have several transmission line transformers that I built. Thing to remember is a W2DU is a choke. The others are current or voltage or a combination.
N3DG3 Rating: 2007-10-09
Unreliable, Burned Out Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Used one of these for an 80 meter dipole tuned across several bands, and it shorted out after a few months just tuning it with an antenna tuner on another band with 100 watts.

If it is that "fussy", will it handle the adverse weather and high power ???