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Reviews For: Balun Designs Max Choking 1:1 Isolation Balun 1 -54MHz 5kw

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

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Review Summary For : Balun Designs Max Choking 1:1 Isolation Balun 1 -54MHz 5kw
Reviews: 15MSRP: $79.95
Description:
This balun is for those of you with tough RFI, SWR and/or RF in shack problems. Building on the original 1:1 design by Dr. Jerry Sevick, this balun has two (2) stacked cores to maximize choking impedance on HF bands from 1- 54MHz. By utilizing Mil-Spec coax, the SWR, Transformation and power handling are excellent while providing a choking impedance that exceeds 10,000 ohms. Even on 80m the choking impedance is over 3,500 ohms.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.balundesigns.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00155
N9JR Rating: 2022-07-21
Works great and a great value. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have multiple Balun Designs isolation baluns. The 1115du is a killer, but I also have low band optimized balun (1116du), and the 1115u, and have the 1117 on order. My review says 0-3 months but I have had the 116du for years. No reason to expect anything will be different.

They are a solid design and work as advertised. They perform great and are a great value for the price. And in the age of solid state amplifiers I would highly recommend them.

Joe N9JR
KB6HRT Rating: 2018-07-19
Works Great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have used Balun Design Max Choke Iso Balun before but was making a 75/40m dipole and wanted the best control of my new dipole at this QTH, an I got it. its SWR is flat on 3900 an 7200 no tuner needed and the antenna has a great Signal to noise ratio for these old ears. Balun Design builds the best Baluns, I used the 1115dei Balun which I had in my stock of different baluns that I have collected over the years, tried with and with out the a balun, a balun is the was that worked best at his QTH.......73s.............kb6hrt
K6RQR Rating: 2017-05-02
Superb, the very best Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just wanted to say how excellent Bob's balun designs are. I have purchased two from him and I have been impressed with their quality and his follow up service and advice.
F5LTB Rating: 2016-11-13
Great design and efficiency Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Long story with Bob, starting when I was 9Q1TB (2003-2008), then A65BI (2009-2012) until my retirement last 2012. I have used numerous baluns for my Ham activity, even a special one for professional use in order to replace the one in a log-per antenna. Nothing more to say that Balun designs never failed because the design is top of the art, no more no less.
Bob knows about its products and give always the right advice when we faced some problems.
Actually I'm using an 4:1, 4115 model at the feed point of my 80m loop and when I suspected a bit of RFI with high power, I added an choke 1:1, 1116 model at the output of my home brew T-tuner. No more RFI at all on 80m when tested with my Dressler amp. at full power.
Same thing with my double extended zepp calculated for 10m, fed with 450-Ohms open wire, where I added an choke 1:1, 1115 model between the switch and the symmetrical tuner assigned to this antenna, and nothing has been noticed between 20m to 10m.
When you will need a balun, checked on the Balun design website, sure you'll find the right one for your application. If not, Bob will find the solution with you. Highly recommended
Philippe, F5LTB
N2WQ Rating: 2016-06-19
Lowered my RX noise floor Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I already have a very low noise floor in rural VE3, but have installed Balun Design baluns on all of my feed lines as well as to feed my wire antennas. The balun does make a difference in lowering the noise and in some instances flattens/lowers the SWR of my wire antennas.

It is great working with Bob as well. He answers thoughtfully and quickly all emails.

Highly recommended.
KW4CQ Rating: 2016-04-30
Stopped RFI problems like magic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I installed a BalunDesigns 1116d between my Palstar HF AUTO antenna tuner and coax transmission line in the shack and every trace of RFI in the house has suddenly disappeared. Previously, when running at legal power limit I had been getting interference on the house telephones, tripping of the smoke detectors, and an occasional complaint from a next door neighbor. The 1116d stopped all that. To my surprise the 1116d also improved (lowered) my SWR a bit on most bands a and broadened out the SWR curves. Your mileage may vary but I for one am a happy camper now. Thanks Bob at BalunDesigns.
K2KGF Rating: 2016-04-26
greatest gadget since the invention of the wheel Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If I wasn't a believer in magic before I am one now. On the advice of friends I bought a model 1116 and placed it at the feedline in the shack. I never thought that I had RFI issues but reasoned that a balun would do no harm. Well, my wife no longer complains that she can't get on the internet when I'm on the air and, the CO detector no longer chirps!! I'm thinking of getting another to install at the dipole feedpoint -- who knows what'll happen next. Oh, and I see a slight reduction in ambient noise on 80 and 40.
WA3HVR Rating: 2016-04-22
A Miracle Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After years of having major rfi on 80 meters QRO which set off alarm system, etc., I installed an 1116d at the shack end of the coax of my 80 meter OCF dipole. Now I can run full output from my amplifier with no rfi whatsoever. This product is absolutely a miracle to me. The current balun at the feed point of the antenna could not protect me from the rfi, so a second balun in the shack did the trick for me. Wish I got the 1116d much sooner.
AK9S Rating: 2015-10-13
Superb Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had common mode current entering the shack through the coax on 80M (1/4-wave end-fed antenna.)

Installed the 1116 at the end of my coax in the shack - it did the trick and eliminated the stray RF.

For my antenna, a long coax run acts as a counterpoise (better than nothing at all on a tiny lot), so I did not want to stop the coax from radiating by installing the choke at the antenna side.

In my particular case, I did not notice a reduction in receiver noise.

Great telephone support in determining where to install the choke and whether it would solve my problem.
KJ7CY Rating: 2013-05-07
Eliminated my RFI issue! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just recently purchased a used Ten Tec Orion and that is when the RF in the shack began to be a real problem. The radio's cpu would do strange things and sometime freeze up. I also had RF feedback into the external speaker and when adjusting my Ameritron ATR-15 tuner the needle would jump all around making it difficult to set. It was a problem no matter what antenna or band I was using and no matter what the rf power output was. I run up to 1200 watts using a Heathkit SB-221 amplifier. I contacted Bob at Balun Designs and he recomended that I insert the 1115du max choking 1:1 Isolation Balun between the antenna switch and antenna tuner. I made the purchase and it arrived within a week of ordering it. That is pretty quick since he hand builds them as orders come in and it was shipped from Texas to Oregon. The balun is very well built and is of the highest quality and is rated at 5kw. I inserted it as Bob had recomended and the RF feedback is totally gone. The radio and tuner now perform like they should with no more cpu freeze ups and the tuner's needle is as smooth as can be during the tuning process. And I no longer have RF feedback in the external speaker. This is the second balun that I have purchased from Bob. I also have a 1115t 1:1 Isolation balun being used at the end of a ladder line fed Alpha Delta DX-DD for about 3 years now. It has always worked great with no problems. I am considering buying another 1115du and inserting it at the feedpoint of my 10 meter vertical to insure that the coax does not radiate any rf along the feedline. I highly recommend the baluns from Balun Designs. Bob's advice has always been helpful when ever I have had a balun question.