Silverload took a dump.. Which antenna now?

[SuperDave]

Well my Wilson Silverload took a dump. Not sure what happened, but my meter was showing some funny stuff when keying down so I traced it down to the antenna. Put the multimeter on the antenna base then to the "grounding wire" on the antenna and I get a buzzer goes off. I thought my coax and melted together or a screw went through it by mistake, but all of my coax checks out fine and I inspected the cover of the coax just for extra precaution. The antenna had excellent SWRs until now. I couldnt get anything over a 1.1 on channels 1-40.


So I need a new antenna. Im sorry, but Im not putting a Mr. Coily, 10k or something of that nature on my truck. With that being said I need a top load antenna and something that is tuneable so I can insure my SWRs are low.

Any recommendations? Would an oldschool whip be my best bet? I'd like to order something ASAP since I don't have a backup antenna to put on.

Thanks.

 

[undertaker]

Wilson 1000 or a 102 inch whip...

 

[binrat]

whip...

 

[SuperDave]

Wilson 1000 or a 102 inch whip...

Im running a TS500..

And it goes on a 2500 and not a car if that matters for any reason.

 

[Brake Weight]

Try a 102" out to see. I wanted mine springless and swr was flat across the 40 with a 102" w/out a spring. Only one vendor has a true 108".

Why the spare tires on a big 'ol truck. I got 33s on a Yoder.

 

[SuperDave]

Try a 102" out to see. I wanted mine springless and swr was flat across the 40 with a 102" w/out a spring. Only one vendor has a true 108".

Why the spare tires on a big 'ol truck. I got 33s on a Yoder.

I may have to do a spring with a whip. It will hit a few things Im pretty sure of that. I guess If I went with a spring Id have to trim the whip down? I need to go read that Whip thread..

The only other antenna I've looked at is the K40 4.5' tall antenna they sell.


It had 35s and went to those tires and wheels because that truck was supposed to by my drag racing truck, but my plans changed and am having to delay that goal for a few more years. It was supposed to be lowered back to factory height in the front and 2" in the rear then was supposed to get another turbo hanging under the current 64mm...

 

[binrat]

I'm running a whip on my Sierra and it rocks. I was given it by a local. He shortened it so I had to and some length then cut it back to where I wanted it, no spring. I used a bottom section of an old Wilson trucker antenna. I got it tuned to 38 at flat match, it goes up to 28.560 at 1.8:1 swr.

 

[Brake Weight]

It had 35s and went to those tires and wheels because that truck was supposed to by my drag racing truck, but my plans changed and am having to delay that goal for a few more years. It was supposed to be lowered back to factory height in the front and 2" in the rear then was supposed to get another turbo hanging under the current 64mm...

I just whack everything with mine. Drivethrus are the best since it's on the drivers rear corner. I act like I don't know what the problem is. Sounds like a stick against a picket fence.

know the feeling about modifications. I've got a VW Jetta waiting on a BT, everything to make a BT go big, 50mm drop, clutch, sway bars, wider wheels, much more...$5-6K of stuff for a gasser. Should almost double the HP/TQ. $3k for the motor, the rest to make it stay on all four. I'm just waiting on my checks to fall right.

 

[SuperDave]

I just whack everything with mine. Drivethrus are the best since it's on the drivers rear corner. I act like I don't know what the problem is. Sounds like a stick against a picket fence.

know the feeling about modifications. I've got a VW Jetta waiting on a BT, everything to make a BT go big, 50mm drop, clutch, sway bars, wider wheels, much more...$5-6K of stuff for a gasser. Should almost double the HP/TQ. $3k for the motor, the rest to make it stay on all four. I'm just waiting on my checks to fall right.

I knew this thread was gonna go this way when I posted that.. haha

Factory front springs and I was supposed to lower the rear to match.... but as I said, didnt happen so I put it back the way it was.

Back to the topic.. Sorry fellas.

I the Tuning a 102" whip thread the was a guy who was having SWR issues because of the cab of the truck, now it looks like if I go that route I'll be in the same boat.. thoughts on this or experiences?

 

[The DB]

Back to the topic.. Sorry fellas.

I the Tuning a 102" whip thread the was a guy who was having SWR issues because of the cab of the truck, now it looks like if I go that route I'll be in the same boat.. thoughts on this or experiences?

102" is short for the CB band, it is a closer match to the 10 meter ham band. Get a riser or a strong potbelly spring to bring it closer to the CB band where you want it. Yes, they do make springs that will hold a 102" virtually straight up even at highway speeds.

With the spring/riser you should get about 1.5:1 SWR, that is because this antenna is not a 50 ohm antenna, it is actually less. That being said 1.5:1 isn't a bad SWR reading at all.

Optimal mounting location would be up on top of the roof. If not there along the bed railing at least half way back between the cab and tailgate or further back would be a descent spot. You will hit fewer things if it is mounted on the left side of the bed. I've also seen setups with a pole behind the cab to raise the antenna up to cab roof height. Mounting it down in the bed is as bad of a place as you can possibly mount it so avoid that spot. Mounting advice works on any antenna you choose to use.

There are things you can do to to improve the antenna setup. RF bonding would help no matter which antenna you have. If your worried about that 1.5:1 SWR, an unun (unbalanced to unbalanced impedance transformer) would give you a better SWR with this antenna, although no one receiving your signal will notice the difference.

If you are referring to the thread I think you are referring to the issue was not his antenna which was already at 1.5:1 SWR.


The DB

 

[binrat]

I have mine mounted just behind the cab at the first stack pocket hole on the pass side with no real problems.

 

[Brake Weight]

Mine is way back here behind a fiberglass shell:

This is an older pic with a Firestik. I briefly pulled the camper off a month ago and mounted the antenna directly behind the cab. The FS was tunable and then I got the whip. It wasn't. Assuming it was the cab causing problems, I mounted it on the corner and it works. Almost a 1.3 across the 40. So I put the shell back on.

If you've got a bedrail toolbox, mount it on the back of that. Or space it down the bedrail 3' or so and it should work. For the local price of a 102", you can order a 108" and there shouldn't be a need to tune it.

 

[W5LZ]

And just to cover another base, no one seems to have thought of putting that 102" whip on the hood. It would be better than directly behind the cab, it would be further away from the cab. It would be 'almost' centered on a truck, sort of, less 'directionality' which just isn't going to be that 'much' to start with. (And, no, I wouldn't put one there either, but it's still a possibility, right?)
No matter who makes it or what antenna it is, all mobile HF antennas are compromises, no getting around that. The most you can do is make the 'best' of what you have.
Have fun.
- 'Doc

 

[The Jerk]

I may have to do a spring with a whip. It will hit a few things Im pretty sure of that. I guess If I went with a spring Id have to trim the whip down? I need to go read that Whip thread..

The 102 is very durable, and it does not need the spring...use a short spacer for the spring and you can tune it via the spacer. I used a piece of 3/8"x24 all-thread and a pair of the long nuts used on most antenna mounts. Simply cut the spacer until its where you want it.

I would not want a 102 with a spring as they lay flat at highway speeds and cause unnecessary movement when going slow.

 

[SuperDave]

102" is short for the CB band, it is a closer match to the 10 meter ham band. Get a riser or a strong potbelly spring to bring it closer to the CB band where you want it. Yes, they do make springs that will hold a 102" virtually straight up even at highway speeds.

With the spring/riser you should get about 1.5:1 SWR, that is because this antenna is not a 50 ohm antenna, it is actually less. That being said 1.5:1 isn't a bad SWR reading at all.

Optimal mounting location would be up on top of the roof. If not there along the bed railing at least half way back between the cab and tailgate or further back would be a descent spot. You will hit fewer things if it is mounted on the left side of the bed. I've also seen setups with a pole behind the cab to raise the antenna up to cab roof height. Mounting it down in the bed is as bad of a place as you can possibly mount it so avoid that spot. Mounting advice works on any antenna you choose to use.

There are things you can do to to improve the antenna setup. RF bonding would help no matter which antenna you have. If your worried about that 1.5:1 SWR, an unun (unbalanced to unbalanced impedance transformer) would give you a better SWR with this antenna, although no one receiving your signal will notice the difference.

If you are referring to the thread I think you are referring to the issue was not his antenna which was already at 1.5:1 SWR.


The DB

Thanks DB. I bonded my truck when I first installed my setup a few years back, so Im set there. I also saw where the whip antenna is 40ohm.

When the Silverload was working correctly I tuned that antenna down to where the SWRs couldn't hardly be any better. Really made me feel good.

I guess the only thing Im worried about is running the whip and my TS500, because that 1.5 SWR wont be the same when I turn that amp on... correct? Theoretically it should get higher.. So yeah, that's my only concern.

I have mine mounted just behind the cab at the first stack pocket hole on the pass side with no real problems.

That's almost exactly where my mount is right now.