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Reviews For: LDG External 4:1 and 1:1 baluns

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

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Review Summary For : LDG External 4:1 and 1:1 baluns
Reviews: 35MSRP: 30
Description:
External 4:1 and 1:1 baluns
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ldgelectronics.com/products.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00353.5
WA4JM Rating: 2009-03-28
Baluns to complement the Z-817 Time Owned: N.A.
Just received them yesterday from AES in Orlando.

Based on all the knocks on constuction quality, I took mine apart and found no problems.

They perform as advertised and I run them at 20 watts.
K4LNX Rating: 2007-11-29
poorly assembeled Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I received the 4:1 balun as a gift.

Right out of the box:

1. One of the two (why only two? there are 4 holes) screws that attach the coax connector was not attached. The screw was loose in the packaging box and the washer and nut were loose inside the balun. I might have worried about this causing a short, except...

2. Two wires coming out of the coax connector (center and shield) were touching before they even got to the toroid. I'm not an expert on baluns, but I don't think it's supposed to be this way. I separated them myself.

3. As with the previous reviewer, the internals weren't applied to the sticky tape, I had to do that myself.

All these things were fixable (lucky the parts didn't fall out of the box). For what it is and the price they charge it probably should have been better constructed.

Their tuners look great and I really wanted to like this balun. So far it's working (not much to break, really). Maybe I'd better seal up the binding posts too.
KF4KSE Rating: 2007-11-29
Needs Improving... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased new and found the coil had seperated from the "sticky tape" inside and a wire had broken free form the center conductor. Definitely needs to be improved.
KG4RUL Rating: 2006-09-06
Hardware needs improvement! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have used a 4:1 balun outdoors after waterproofing. Unfortunately, the binding posts rusted after 6 months of exposure. These need to be made of brass or similar material to be used in this environment.

Dennis KG4RUL
NS6Y_ Rating: 2006-09-06
seems to work Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have one, using it indoors and it does improve the indoor antenna performance. It's well made and does indeed look water-resistant, if I were going to water-proof it, it looks like it would be easy to do. Neat little balun!
XE1UFO Rating: 2006-09-06
Works fine! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These baluns are a great adition to any shack where multi-band operation is desired from simple wire antennas or doublets. They are also great for portable and QRP work. (But they handle up to 200 watts.)

It is clear that some of the reviewers here never took the time to read the 4-page manual that comes with these baluns. The manual clearly states that they are 'water-resistant' as supplied, but then on page 4 it tells you how to fully water-proof these units, if that is your desire. The whole process takes about a minute. I have read the instruction manual, followed directions and guess what? I have no complaints!
N1KSN Rating: 2006-04-06
Works for me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used one of the LDG 4:1 baluns on the outside of a board replacing a basement window. This location is sheltered a bit by an overhang, but I took the trouble to use some coax seal to try and weatherproof the box. Three years and no problems.
KB0XR Rating: 2006-04-06
Works for Me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I use mine to match an indoor zip cord dipole to my SGC 2020ADSP2 via a SGC autotuner. Works fine.
OZ5ABO Rating: 2006-04-05
Works OK for me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought this 2 years ago. I use it only indoor. I have not tried to disassembled it.
I have no complaints regarding functionallity nor quality yet.
K7VO Rating: 2006-04-05
No problems here for the first year Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought my 4:1 balun to allow me to use a wire antenna with a Z-11 tuner. That means mine is indoors in the shack. Nothing is loose and it works just fine one year later. I have no complaints at all. The LDG 4:1 balun is small, compact, and does what it was designed to do.