A guy at work is having a hell of a time with his radio. He has a Fire-stick antenna, a new RG8X coax and there hooked to a Cobra29 Classic.

He tells me he just can't get out very far. He sais you have to be next to him to hear him. Anyway, he said his SWR's were very high and he couldn't adjust his antenna any more to fix the problem. I told him to add a ground strap to the bottom of his antenna and run it to a good ground like the frame or something. Another guy told him to COIL HIS EXTRA COAX UP! He coiled the extra coax and now his SWR's are 1.1 across all channels! He still says he's not getting out very far so I don't think he really fixed anything.

WHY DID THIS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN READINGS!!!

Are these correct readings or what?

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General Lee W/ 626 Astatic Mic. (My first 10 meter)
Wilson 2000 Antenna on a T-800 Kenworth

The readings are correct in as much as the radio is now seeing a near perfect 50 ohm impedance, but RF is probably not being delivered to the antenna.

For example, a certain length of coax not connected to anything can show a flat SWR. A dummy load also shows a flat SWR. Neither of these radiate very much. Your buddy basically made a dummy load.

The problem is almost certainly a grounding problem. All the curled up coax is doing is fooling his radio (and keeping him from damaging it). Otherwise his radio is pretty useless.

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"IT'S A SEARS ROADTALKER WORLD"

It is most likely a grounding issue, as in he probably has the insulating washer for the antenna on the wrong side of the antenna mount thus grounding out the antenna.

The insulating shoulder washer should be on the top side between the antenna and the mounting bracket.

Thanks guys! I'll check the washer out myself and tell him what you all said. I had a feeling it was something like this. I learn more every time I post here. You all are the best!!!

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General Lee W/ 626 Astatic Mic. (My first 10 meter)
Wilson 2000 Antenna on a T-800 Kenworth

Its been a long time since I messed with an antenna. But I think that I remember that by trimming the length of the RG8X a little at a time you will get a match that will work for you. If you are using an SWR meter, put it at the antenna end and check there. I don't understand that by coiling the coax it made a difference in SWR, unless something else is in the picture.
Larry

I don't know about changing the length of the cable making a difference.
What does anyone else say to that one?

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General Lee W/ 626 Astatic Mic. (My first 10 meter)
Wilson 2000 Antenna on a T-800 Kenworth

You do NOT have to trim coax lenght to adjust SWR. I suspect the reason coiling the coax cable up made a differance is that the coax was acting as part of the antenna, most likely due to a poor ground, and had RF flowing on the shield. Coiling the cable up created inductance that choked off the RF preventing it from flowing down the cable and affecting the SWR readings on the meter. This is known as common mode currents.Check out all the grounds at each end of the cable and the radio itself.

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Light travels faster than the speed of sound, this is why some people tend to appear bright, until they decide to speak.

Thank you for your input QRN. I haven't herd from you before. You must be one of the big dogs around here with all those stars!

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General Lee W/ 626 Astatic Mic. (My first 10 meter)
Wilson 2000 Antenna on a T-800 Kenworth

Don't mention beer around him when he's seeing stars.

I have always heard that rolling up excess coax neatly causes an "RF" choke on the signal. I have always zig-zagged excess coax rather than winding it.
Good Luck. Check my post on "No Ground Antennas"