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Reviews For: Balun Designs 4:1 balun

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

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Review Summary For : Balun Designs 4:1 balun
Reviews: 37MSRP: 54.95
Description:
2kw current balun based on Jerry Sevick's (W2FMI)proven design. Provides good matching for multiband and off center fed dipoles.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.balundesigns.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00375
VK4COG Rating: 2008-02-16
High quality....Great price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bob is a great guy to deal with and his attention to detail is second to none....a custom wound balun, to the style you like, all with lightning fast personal service. I have bought 1:1 chokes, 4:1 and 6:1 baluns from Bob and have them all in service with great results. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone wanting a quality product at a very reasonable price.
K5ZP Rating: 2007-11-24
PERFECT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just received my heavy duty 5kw, 4:1 balun for Multi band verticals. At 3.6 Mhz it is flat 1.2:1 at 190 ohms - nearly a perfect 4:1 transformer. The case is also the most durable that I have ever used. I had mine built with lugs for a ZeroFive vertical and they look like 1/4".

I accidentally ordered the wrong balun and Bob called my house, fixed the order and provided a refund. The balun arrived three days after my order. The service is remarkable.

I'll be using the balun with my TenTec 238B tuner and Henry 3KD Classic. I'll post another review when I get some time on the balun.
K2JJ Rating: 2007-11-18
Superb Quality and great service. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
You won't find a better quality balun out there. The materials are all top shelf and the workmanship is outstanding. Bob's service is super fast and any Email is answered the same way. If you need advice as to which balun you need just give Bob an Email, he's a great guy to work with. These baluns are handmade by Bob to order, not some cheap import. You won't be diappointed.
KR4JA Rating: 2007-11-01
Impressive quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one of Bob's dual core 4:1 baluns (4" diameter) rated at 4KW, installed in the optional outside NEMA box. I'm using the balun at the feedpoint of a homebrew 160M OCF Windom, 70 feet of 450 ohm ladder line (14G stranded from RadioWorks) from the antenna apex into the balun, then a coax run to the outside coax relay box mounted on a single point ground plate. I had the balun within 3 days (from eBay). Excellent quality on the outside weatherproof enclosure and the build quality of the balun. The SWR, without using the L-network Ten Tec 238 tuner, is 1.7, 1.1, and 1.4 on 160M, 80M, and 40M respectively. The tuner obviously doesn’t have much work to do, due to the characteristics of the OCF and the balun. This balun will handle anything I can throw at it I'm sure (I'm running legal limit with a Ten Tec Titan amplifier).
Overall, a great value for one of the best constructed Baluns I've ever seen!
KG5PT Rating: 2007-10-10
VERY Impressive! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bob built and shipped my 4:1 balun just a few days after I bought it on ebay - configured with my choice of connector and wire securing hardware. Naturally, within 5 minutes of having received it, I had the cover off and was admiring the innerds...

(BTW, the Carlon enclosure is a major selling point: Unlike most competing baluns that are potted in epoxy or sealed inside a few PVC pipe fittings, Bob builds this product to be opened up for inspection - and the view inside is VERY nice!)

The antenna wire eyebolts are stainless steel, secured with Nylock nuts. The windings on the beefy balun core are impeccable - Perfectly spaced, well-insulated with sleeving, and solidly soldered to the 239 connector and eyebolt lugs. The 239 connector itself is the good stuff - not a cheap import.

In short, the delivered product looked every bit as good as the one in the photos - if not better.

The only "improvement" I could suggest would be a broader product line: Not every application demands a high-power balun, so a few "downsized" versions for 100W and QRP applications would be MIGHTY welcome additions. Other than that, I can't argue with perfection!
W7YES Rating: 2007-07-09
Excellent quality, good price! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A balun is a pretty simple device and it's difficult to get real excited about a product like this... but I have to say Bob (K5DN) does a very good job and should be commended for his work. Simply put, the materials are top quality and the craftsmanship is just outstanding. You have to open the enclosure and look closely at the winding to appreciate what I mean by craftsmanship – honestly, this is something we don't see much of these days. Also, his service is a bit remarkable... something like 3 days from the time I placed my order to the time he wound the balun and shipped it – I guess that's why he's know as “rapidrobert” on eBay.
N5RDN Rating: 2007-07-07
Balun Designs 1:1 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered the 5kw/10kw 1:1 current balun with terminals for open wire feedline, and an SO-239 for coax entering the shack. Bob (K5DN) was very helpful. It arrived soon after. The quality of constuction and materials are amazing for such a low cost. Works perfectly. no RFI with 1000 watts output, and stays very cool. I am sold. Thank you Bob!! 73, Rob