This article reports and analyses a user experiment measuring current in a problem antenna system two wire transmission line.
A common objective with two wire RF transmission lines is current balance, which means at any point along the transmission line, the current in one wire is exactly equal in magnitude and opposite in phase of that in the other wire.
Note that common mode current on feed lines is almost always a standing wave, and differential mode current on two wire feed lines is often a standing wave. Measurements at a single point might not give a complete picture, especially if taken near a minimum for either component.
MFJ-854
The correspondent had measured feed line currents using a MFJ-854.
Above is the MFJ-854. It is a calibrated clamp RF ammeter. The manual does not describe or even mention its application for measuring common mode current.
So, my correspondent had measured the current in each wire of a two wire transmission line, recording 1.50 and 1.51A. He formed the view that since the currents were almost equal, the line was well balanced.
I have not used one of these, I rely on my correspondents guided measurements. (I have used the instrument described at Measuring common mode current extensively.)
MFJ-835
This is the instrument that MFJ sell for showing transmission line balance. One often sees recommendations by owners on social media, it is quite popular.
If the needles cross within the vertical BalancedBarTM the balance is within 10%. If not, you know which line is unbalanced and by how much.
Note the quote uses current like it is a DC current, not an AC current with magnitude and phase.
So, in the scenario mentioned earlier, the needles would deflect to 50% and 50.3% on the 3A scale, the needles would cross right in the middle of the BalancedBarTM, excellent.
… or is it?
One more measurement with the MFJ-854
I asked the chap to not only measure the (magnitude) of the current in each wire, but to pinch the wires together and close the clamp around both and measure the current. The remeasured currents were of 1.50 and 1.51A in each of the two wires, the current in both wires bundled together was 1.2A.
What does this mean?
With a bit of high school maths using the Law of Cosines, we can resolve the three measured currents into common mode and differential mode components.
Above is the result, the current in each wire comprises a differential component of 1.38A and a common mode component of 0.6A. The common mode components in each wire are additive, so the total common mode current on the feed line is 1.2A.
Above is a phasor diagram of I1, I2 and I12, and the components Ic and Id.
Note in this diagram that whilst the magnitude of i1 and i2 are similar, they are not 180° out of phase and that gives rise to the relatively large sum I12 (the total common mode component of I1 and I2).
This is a severe imbalance, sufficient to indicate a significant problem and to prompt a physical and electrical check of the antenna and feed line conductors and insulators.
Repairs were made and the measured result was quite good.
Above are the measurements and calcs.
Above is the phasor diagram… a bit harder to read as there is very little common mode current.
By contrast with the previous case I1 and I2 are almost 180° out of phase and the sum of them, I12 has very small magnitude.
Conclusions
The MFJ-854 can be used effectively for measuring current balance.
Understanding the relative common mode and differential components hinted there was something very wrong in the antenna system.
Forget the MFJ-835 for proving balance. If the needles do not cross in the BalancedBarTM it indicates unbalanced amplitudes. If they do cross in the BalancedBarTM it indicates approximately balanced amplitude, but does not prove the phase relationship is approximately opposite and as shown in this example, is a quite erroneous result.