I'm a fan of using the right tool for the situation, and in some cases, even in the modern era, that tool is ladder line, weather some of us like it or not.
Ladder line is superior to coax in every way but one (arguably two, but this second way has has nothing to do with the technical properties of the medium), and it just so happens that that was a thing that the military on a war time footing needed really badly. Do you need that same things? Do you even know what it is?
I'm not saying that ladder line and its cousins don't have their quirks when using them especially in the modern era, so from one point of view you are simply choosing which quirks you want to deal with...
Look, if you want to use only coax for everything forever, be my guest, I won't argue against you, and its your decision to make. Other people should follow the choice of what is best for them regardless of either of our feelings. There are any number of reasons that people choose their path, and all of them are relevant to the person in question. Knowing that this other path exists with its own advantages and disadvantages also only benefits them, even if they don't choose it.
There is one other time than the situations I mentioned above that I would encourage learning about and experimenting with ladder line, and that is learning more about how our radio systems actually function. Coax has the effect of hiding many aspects of what is happening with antenna systems and how they work, and that has had a significant negative effect on modern radio technical knowledge levels even and especially among modern Elmers, and it really shows. I'm not trying to be mean or berate anyone here, its just that a lot of fundamental knowledge that used to be much more widespread has been lost in many circles and over time it shows more and more.
The DB
Ladder line is superior to coax in every way but one (arguably two, but this second way has has nothing to do with the technical properties of the medium), and it just so happens that that was a thing that the military on a war time footing needed really badly. Do you need that same things? Do you even know what it is?
I'm not saying that ladder line and its cousins don't have their quirks when using them especially in the modern era, so from one point of view you are simply choosing which quirks you want to deal with...
Look, if you want to use only coax for everything forever, be my guest, I won't argue against you, and its your decision to make. Other people should follow the choice of what is best for them regardless of either of our feelings. There are any number of reasons that people choose their path, and all of them are relevant to the person in question. Knowing that this other path exists with its own advantages and disadvantages also only benefits them, even if they don't choose it.
There is one other time than the situations I mentioned above that I would encourage learning about and experimenting with ladder line, and that is learning more about how our radio systems actually function. Coax has the effect of hiding many aspects of what is happening with antenna systems and how they work, and that has had a significant negative effect on modern radio technical knowledge levels even and especially among modern Elmers, and it really shows. I'm not trying to be mean or berate anyone here, its just that a lot of fundamental knowledge that used to be much more widespread has been lost in many circles and over time it shows more and more.
The DB
