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Little Wilson Magmount ?

Switch Kit

Switch Kit

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2005
3,595
135
63
I was having a problem with a Lil Wil that I couldn't get to match ,I took the base apart and saw that it has a cap from ground to positive on the coax right before it goes into the coil, IM wondering if this might be the same thing like a K40 , in other words if I was to change the cap that the antenna might match out again ? or is the cap for static or something and has nothing to do with the match of the antenna ? I hated to tear the bottom covers off but this damned thing would not match ! 36 inch stinger and all , changed the damned 259 and best I could get was about a 2.5 on 2 different cars. Go figure ? then I saw this cap and was wondering if that might be the problem before I attempted to change it ?
 

I don't know but it would be cheap enough to replace the cap and see.The lil wil on my wife's car works great with 1.2 SWR across the band.The Firestik on my truck does seem to get out better than the lil wil probably because it's top loaded and has a different angle of radiation but I think the lil wil is pretty good for a small antenna.
 
what's really going on with that cap , the is the bottom side of the little Willy
im001986uy3.jpg
 
SK, I got the lil will on my wifes ranger down to 1.3 to 1 across the band. had to take about 1/2" off. Seems to talk real good for what it is. Are you sure they gave you the right length whip for it? Maybe yours is to short?

Ronnie :D
 
been down that road CD , just wondering what the cap is for ? IM guessing it's one of two things , Static or SWR ?
 
According to the Wilson website-"some antennas use a capacitor to match the coax to the antenna which is a cheap way to make the SWR look good" Wilson eliminates this by determining the precise point to attach the center conductor to the coil.Maybe you got an old antenna when they still used the cap or maybe the Lil Wil is not built the same as the 1000 or 5000.
 
The little Wil has not been around for that long and IM very surprised that the antenna guru's around here haven't chimed in on this one ? Good idea CD , a call or a email to Barjan might help on my question ?
 
were did ya mount antennA?
ya said ya tried 2 vehicles did ya try changing mounting locations?
when doing the swrs did ya have just the radio,swr mter,antenna inline?
were your doors,hood,trunk lid all shut?
 
It's all good , I got to learn something that I had never heard about these antenna's ,yes the cap is for SWR , I took it off and the match went in the red , I'll try a new one but this one does not show short or does it look burnt in anyway , so if that is the case ? I will be back to square 1 again , and now IM thinking it just doesn't like the cars I tried the antenna on. I will change the cap all the same to a new one and see , but up to this point , I doubt it. So IM also guessing that to much over 300 watts as they are rated at , those caps will go bye bye , but at least you would be able to take the mount apart and replace it if need be. Unless there's more to it then that and plus you could easily up grade the coax on these as well. Antenna's have never been a favorite part of this hobby for me , I sure like to have a good one that matches out and performs well , but knowing how and why they work has never interested me that much , radios and amplifers are more my speed , but hey , without the antenna and feed line nothing would really matter in the end , dummy loads are one thing antenna's are another. I keep saying to myself all the same , the lil wil is only a 30.00 antenna , how much can I truly expect at that price ? but ! 102 inch SS whip or a 96 inch fiber glass are only 10.00 and they might just be the best car antennas in the world. Go figure ........I God forgive me here , I forgot to mention the mighty I10 Ks , but they will cost you.
 
Switch Kit,
It looks like that capacitor is used to get a good impedance match to the antenna, changes whatever the actual input impedance is to something closer to 50 ohms. The same thing can be done with a coil. It's just impedance matching. If a capacitor is used then the antenna has to be a bit long. If a coil is used the antenna has to be a bit short. A quick'n'dirty way of thinking about it is that coils make an antenna seem longer, capacitors make it seem shorter.
With the capacitor, does the antenna seem like it's 'happier' higher in the band, or lower? If it seem 'happier' higher in the band, that's like the antenna being too short, and a slightly smaller capacitor would 'bring' it lower in the band. If it's 'happier' lower in the band then it's like the antenna is too long, and the capacitor needs to be slightly larger to 'bring' the antenna higher in the band.
If running close to, or over the antenna's power linits, then using a capacitor with a higher voltage rating will help (as in doubling the voltage rating, or tripling it. Actually, using the highest voltage rated capacitor that will fit will do the most good. It doesn't hurt to have a higher voltage rating, it very definitely does hurt if it isn't high enough! -IF- it will fit, that's the 'biggy'.
Confused yet? It isn't too bad if you remember that it's all a 'game' of 'opposites'. The hard part is just keeping the things that are opposite of other things in the right order. I think I'd better quit, I'm starting to confuse myself.
Good luck.
- 'Doc
 
thanks for taking the time here Doc , the cap is good and this antenna is factor with is 36 inch stinger , 2.5 is the best it gets on both cars that I tested this antenna on ,this is the second stinger I've used and after cutting up the first one and only getting worse readings I think IM pretty much done for now. I see in this antenna where the cap works on SWR as you said , kind of like the old K40s did . thanks for the reply
 
FREAK'IN UPDATE !! UNFREAK'IN BELIEVEABLE !! OK , I got a new stinger today for this antenna , it's now matching out perfectly !! WHY !!!!! Same 36 inch piece of steel ! This just ain't right guys !! I think somebody in the neighborhood is messing with me !! but no , I stuck the other 36 inch back in and got the same bad match , Come on already !! 20 years in the hobby and i ain't never ever seen anything like this ......is there such a thing as bad steel ? Go figure . IM freak'in losing it here. Whatever the case may be ? I hope I never see another Lil Wil as long as I live. :?
 

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