CB Radio Base Antenna Question

[CB RADIO FREQ]

Hello everyone I have a hygain clr-2 base antenna from the '70s and it is mounted on the side of a tree. Would the tree cause signal reflection and high swr. It is also mounted on a metal pole and has a homemade ground plane system on it. Would the ground plane be too large with the metal pole and radials together. I can not get my swr lower than 2.5 on all channels without using a tuner. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[W5LZ]

Can a tree affect SWR? Yes, it can. How much it affects SWR depends on several things, but basically it can mean some changes. So, it's best if that antenna is further away from that tree, or above it. There could still be some changes but probably not as much and it shouldn't cause as much change as you are seeing.
One other problem area is the ground plane system (radials) you've made for it. Are they the right length? Having no experience with one of those antennas I can tell you what that length is supposed to be.
And then there's the 'coil' that's a part of the antenna's impedance matching circuit. If it's one of the original ones it can certainly be defective in 30 - 40 years time. I don't know of an easy way of checking it without tearing the thing apart. Maybe someone else does?
Good luck.
- 'Doc

 

[CB RADIO FREQ]

Thank you W5LZ i will try to move the antenna further away from the tree and yes the radials are the right length and the matching coil is also good. The antenna works great with a tuner but my goal is to have it work without one. thanks again.

 

[psycho]

Thank you W5LZ i will try to move the antenna further away from the tree and yes the radials are the right length and the matching coil is also good. The antenna works great with a tuner but my goal is to have it work without one. thanks again.

All an antenna tuner does is save the transmitter by putting a 50 ohm load on it. The antenna performance is still the same with or without a tuner.

 

[W5LZ]

Yes, it does make the transmitter see 50 ohms. And then it transforms that 50 ohms into whatever the inpedance of the antenna system is. That's the whole purpose of a tuner. By changing the antenna system's impedance to one closer to 50 ohms it allows that transmitter to 'work' into a load that it's happy with, meaning less power is lost than if that tuner wasn't used. It's certainly better to make the antenna system's impedance 50 ohms, but if that isn't possible for some reason then a tuner certainly is an option. It doesn't 'cure' the problem, but it makes the symptoms more bearable (just like aspirin).
- 'Doc

 

[Mudfoot]

Let's call it a coupler.

 

[VA3ES]

The classic Hygain CLR-2 is an excellent antenna. Use it.
Raise it as far above the tree as you can with an extended mast. Move it as far from branches and tree trunks as you can.

Great antenna. Good luck.

 

[High Voltage Mobile NJ]

Hello everyone I have a hygain clr-2 base antenna from the '70s and it is mounted on the side of a tree. Would the tree cause signal reflection and high swr. It is also mounted on a metal pole and has a homemade ground plane system on it. Would the ground plane be too large with the metal pole and radials together. I can not get my swr lower than 2.5 on all channels without using a tuner. Any help would be appreciated.

make sure more than 60% of the antenna is over the tree line of close to that percentage . sometimes the so-239 needs to be cleaned or taken apart to make a better connection . nice antenna by the way .