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Reviews For: DX Engineering Baluns

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

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Review Summary For : DX Engineering Baluns
Reviews: 67MSRP: 29.95-79.95
Description:
High Power Transmission Line Transformers and Baluns with Patent Pending Maxi-Core™ Technology
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/antennas/part-type/baluns-ununs-and-chokes/product-line/dx-engineering-maxi-core-20-baluns-and-feedline-chokes?SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending&autoview=SKU
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00674.9
KO7I Rating: 2010-08-23
4:1 10kW Balun Excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I am using a 4:1 10kW balun to feed my 190 ft inverted L. The basic setup is 60ft vertical and 130 ft sloping downwards. The "far end of the antenna is 20 ft off the ground. At the antenna feed point 100 ft of 300 ohm ladder line is connected, one side to the antenna wire and the other side is connected to a pair of ground radials. At the feed point to the ladder line I placed the 4:1 10kW balun. I chose this balun mainly do to it being rated down to 160M, but I now realize there is a added benefit of the high power rating. The core of the balun is not saturating and it is taking 1kW from my Clipperton-L amplifier with no problems. I use the antenna for 160 - 20 meters.

One has to remember that baluns are supposed to behaive in a linear manner. However when a balun's core saturates, its' impedance goes non-linear resulting in the VSWR spiking as it is over-driven.

The performance of DX Engineering product points to sound engineering and manufacturing process controls. I highly recomend this balun for QRO operation. Don KO7i
DH4AAD Rating: 2010-07-28
DX Engineering Baluns and no others! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After having payed a lot of money for some traditional baluns usually purchased and used in Germany my disappointment grew year after year. Stop it I said and decided further on only to buy and to use DX Engineering Baluns. A very effective decision! No more problems at all in using those rugged baluns for monoband wire dipoles. DX Engineering high performance baluns will always do it very well. DX Engineering works very fine! 55 es 73 cu Ray, Hannover, GERMANY. +++
IW0HEX Rating: 2009-12-30
Balun 1:1 5 KW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After nice experience with Balun 4:1, I bought another balun 1:1 for my rotative dipole for WARC bands. All perfect, DX Engineering works fine.
N4KC Rating: 2009-07-29
Cheapskate won over Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I hate to spend money, but I've coiled up miles of coax in my time. Or tried to get by with a balun some guy put together in his basement. Save money. Buy one of these babies. Or more. I have two, both 1:1, one for a big horizontal loop and one for a ladder-line-fed dipole.

One's outside, mounted on the wall where I switch to a short run of coax into the shack. The other was outside for more than two years until I brought it inside and got it closer to the tuner/rig. Neither shows any signs of weather damage. Both seem to do exactly what I want them to do (based on the EXCELLENT tutorial on the DXE web site).

I run 400 watts CW to some pretty wide variations of impedances with both antennas, yet I have never felt either balun get even remotely warm.

I've thought of opening them up and taking a look, but the way they're put together, why bother?

Good product that I once thought was overpriced. Nope. Great investment is what they are. This cheapskate has been won over.

Don N4KC
www.n4kc.com
www.donkeith.com
www.n4kc.blogspot.com
(An open blog dedicated to rapid technological change
and its effect on society, media and amateur radio)
YO3VU Rating: 2009-07-28
Super baluns Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought 3 of 1:1 for my dipoles and one 1:4 for my X-7 replacing all my radio works, after they give up fast when I bought my ACOM 2000A. Despite the fact they fill with water each time is raining, quality and toughness surpass my expectations. I will buy again from them only. The European dealers will charge you more than twice the price.
KA3TKZ Rating: 2009-07-01
Great Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have 2 of the BAL-050-10 baluns. These products work very well in my antenna system. The antennas are 2 yagis covering 7 bands 10-40 meters. These items are convenient as I do not have to worry about hanging a coil of coax under the antennas. This makes a great appearance in the air as the clutter on the tower is minimal. I had a close lightning strike some time ago and the baluns held up for quite a while. The quality of workman ship is good as well. Thank you DX-Engineering.
KX5N Rating: 2008-11-27
DX Engineering Hits Homerun Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have used many baluns over the past 20 years. I always thought that DX Engineering baluns were a bit pricey but as my mother used to say' You get what you pay for". This is certainly the case with DX Engineering baluns. I bought the DXE-BAL050-H10-AT and I am really glad I did. I could have saved myself a lot of money had I taken that advice.

This balun is worth every penny. I use a single wire antenna for 160, 80, 60, 40 and 30 meters. The DXE-BAL050-H10-AT stands above any RadioWavz or Unidilla baluns I have ever used.

WV4R Rating: 2008-08-30
DX Engineering BALUNs... Built like a Harley Davidson! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
DX Engineering BALUNs

I first heard about DX Engineering from a long-time hammy radio bud, W1KA/Pat. On the strength of his recommendation AND my personal research I ordered my first one a couple years ago.

Of course I immediately dissected it to See IF it looked as good inside as outside. Without getting into nuts & bolts, the Materials, Design, Assembly look to be first class in every way.

I constructed a full-sized 160m loop and an 80m loop as well as a 75m dipole and my MFJ Analyzer as well as on-air contacts confirmed my choice.

So… I ordered one of each for my antenna project junk box. There was a bit of a lag between the first order and the bulk order so when the non-conductive BALUN hanger arrived I was disappointed it did not fit my first BALUN order. It fit all the bulk order BALUNS. A telephone call to the factory resulted in a new cover in the mail to retrofit my older BALUN. Great customer service, eh?

I have owned DX Engineering BALUNs for almost two years now without a burp.

For materials, design, assembly, performance, reliability, pricing the DX Engineering BALUN series earns the WV4R “FIVE STAR” rating.

73 es God bless, murf/WV4R.
KC2OYZ Rating: 2008-08-24
Worth the money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First of all, I will admit that I never used a balun before, but I have a problematic situation all around - including RF on both RX and TX - and I figured a balun would be worth a try - certainly won't hurt. I knew about DXE and the guys behind it, and I know that particulary when it comes to something like a balun, you need to have the best possible. So I put in a DXE Bal050-H05-A - built solid and rugged, and makes a huge improvement all around - enjoying the radio much more now. Good service on phone too.
KW4N Rating: 2008-05-23
Oustanding Quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Casing is about 0.0625 material...heavy duty. The edges and the box line up perfectly. The bottom cover holes line up spot on as if they were match drilled. The coax connector has four screws holding it down, not two that you typically see. The ground lug has two flat washers, lock washer and wing nut....no need to go looking. Ceramic connectors are large with wing nuts, two flat washers, and lock washer. Lead dress is neat and solder joints are shiny without burns. The housing holding the cores is mechanically strong and held with heavy tie wraps that are neatly trimmed. Overall, the assembly was done by someone with strong workmanship skills, who cares, and who knows what high quality means. My hats' off also to whoever spec'd this unit and defined the bill of material.
This balun used with 'center fed Zepp' and differential tuner.
See my review of this vendor in the Forums.
'73 DaveB KW4n