Hello all, before posting here I searched all the v 5/8 threads and got alot of good pointers for the build. The antenna does fine with 1.3-1.8 swr on the 1-40 band but when i turn up my wattage beyond 10 watts the swr goes through the roof, can anyone lend a possible idea as to why this is happening?

What radio are you using? Does it have a stinger board on the back (like the RCI 2995)? If it does, make sure the coax jumper inside has not come loose.

What are you testing the SWR with? Try a different radio and try a different meter. Check your coax ends and you jumpers.

The chances of the antenna being bad with the addition of more power is almost impossible. I would look for the problem elsewhere.

1.8:1 is too high and you could tune that antenna better.

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The radios i have are a rci 2990 and a galaxy 99, two meters an astatic 600 and a radio shack digital swr/power meter. I first thought my coax was bad so i ordered some rg 213 threw that up today and same deal, so i began playing with the length and tuning ring and I'm about ready to junk this antenna swr is off the chart. I don't know what to do I'm loseing patience here and just want to get this sorted out. I used the process of elimination and the coax is fine, radios good checked with a dummy load, antenna length has been adjusted up/down all according to the manual and still swrs are not falling into where they should be.

990nj, I had about the same problem with my maco and got so fed up I took it down and put up a Imax 2000
with a ground plane kit works great and out talks the maco thats my 2 cents

990nj -

Check the SO-239 connector on the antenna, and the connection between the gamma match and the antenna. Probably a poor connection at the PL259/SO-239 interface. Maybe corrosion.

- 399

Yep, when looking at the SO-239, inspect the connection to the gamma match also. Sometimes corrosion builds up on aluminum, there's a little gap because the connection loosed up, corrosion gets in there, and then you have a lousy connection. check all the places where the gamma match is attached to the rest of the antennas for corrosion. Check all the joints in the aluminum in the rest of the tubing to make sure that the joints are getting good connection and not being fould from corrosion.

No gamma match on the V58/5000.

Sell me the antenn. I'll get it going and it will make a good back up.

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The BEST money you will EVER spend on a radio system is on the ANTENNA and FEEDLINE!
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All of the material published advertising this antenna call it a gamma match. However after looking at this pic I found, (as well as the schematic) this looks like a form of beta match to me. Anyway, the suggestions still apply. Make sure all the connections on the match netowrk are good with no corrosion.

Also notice in this picture that the ring goes clockwise from the bottom up. Sometimes they go counter-clockwise depending on what side of the connector bracket they drill that little hole. The instructions may show one way, but reality may be different (because of the drilled hole).

It DOES NOT MATTER which direction the ring goes. What DOES matter is where the wire jumper is placed! The jumper should be closer to the connector bracket and NOT on the half closest to the main element! This is the biggest mistake people make when building this antenna! The faulty manual is partially to blame!

__________________
The BEST money you will EVER spend on a radio system is on the ANTENNA and FEEDLINE!
http://www.cbjunk.com/