AS for the coax..I checked tip to tip of each end and was good. Also checked shield to shield and was good. Then checked tip to shield and was open at both ends so that was all good.
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Bearcat 980 w/ AD-203
- Thread starter Spidermonkey
- Start date
Robb - You mean take the antenna out between the truck box and cab and see performance? I guess I could but would need to ground it on something.
just did a quick calculation. Looks like roughly 1" around the antenna is in the reactive near field area. this may be my issue having it between box and cab for the first 2 feet of length
I missed that little tidbit where the antenna was mounted metal walls, Oh well! whats a little reflection among friends? LOL
Shadetree Mechanic
Delaware Base Station 808
The plan was to put a foam / plastic tube between them and keep any contact from occurring. However I'm guessing the metal panels are just reflecting the signal right back onto the antenna. Been thinking about new mount options.
It is a bad deal to place the antenna between two metal grounds. Any radiated rf will "Ground out" and mess with your SWR.
Did you use a external meter or the meter in the radio. If you used the swr meter in the radio they are sometimes not correct.
I tried both. The meter on the bearcat said it was a 9.0 the analog swr meter showed colser to 6 ish..regardless they are brutal numbers.
Nothing you have done with respect to checking the SWR's matters at all. Yes, you have established that all the connections are good and from what you say the coax has no shorts and all body metal mounting positions are shiny bright metal connections. BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS BECAUSE THE ANTENNA IS MOUNTED IN A METAL TUNNEL. You can't overcome this issue without moving the antenna to a clear unobstructed area. If you can't do that then other means such as an antenna tuner would allow the radio to at least see a proper load but won't change much about the way the antenna actually works.
This reminds of an old joke about the man I found looking around on the ground under a street light late at night. I asked him what he was looking for he said he lost his wallet since it clearly was not under the street light I asked if he was sure he lost it out here and He said no! I lost it back there in the alley but it's to dark back there to see?
The moral is if you don't move the antenna to a place it can it can produce a good match your radio will never be able to find that good match under the street light? LOL
Oh and in the future do your best to give the vital information about any issue no matter how insignificant it may seem also a picture would also be worth the proverbial 1000 words.
I, in turn, will ask many more questions to try drawing this info out rather than assume for instance in this case that the antenna was mounted in a traditional manner "MY BAD" for not doing that from the beginning.
This reminds of an old joke about the man I found looking around on the ground under a street light late at night. I asked him what he was looking for he said he lost his wallet since it clearly was not under the street light I asked if he was sure he lost it out here and He said no! I lost it back there in the alley but it's to dark back there to see?
The moral is if you don't move the antenna to a place it can it can produce a good match your radio will never be able to find that good match under the street light? LOL
Oh and in the future do your best to give the vital information about any issue no matter how insignificant it may seem also a picture would also be worth the proverbial 1000 words.
I, in turn, will ask many more questions to try drawing this info out rather than assume for instance in this case that the antenna was mounted in a traditional manner "MY BAD" for not doing that from the beginning.
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Totally my fault for not stating that earlier instead if many posts later.
I'm going to be heading into town tomorrow and plan to pick up a ball mount and mount it yo the top of my fiberglass cover. It will be a bit higher then a want it but will be my best option. I'll make sure I run a good ground wire from the mount down to the frame.
I'm going to be heading into town tomorrow and plan to pick up a ball mount and mount it yo the top of my fiberglass cover. It will be a bit higher then a want it but will be my best option. I'll make sure I run a good ground wire from the mount down to the frame.