I think I cooked my antenna

[M0GVZ]

If it's new, make sure no water penetrated into the feed point connector.

Also make sure that the weatherproofing you put on the PL259 didn't block the small drain hole that there is on the antenna's connector. When you're using self amalgamating tape or that coax-seal stuff it is all too easy to cover it up.

 

[fourstringburn]

amalgamating

That's a big word for us "Yanks"...

 

[222DBFL]

Great point M0GVZ. Am curious to see what the issue was or is. Time will tell. As far as weather proofing goes, some have trouble doing it correctly. Drop loops, service loops, and good weather proofing all will help keep water out of connections. That and checking over all your coax for any possible knicks or cuts. This could also cause vswr issues like what is happening with 357's antenna. Hope you get it get resolved man!!

 

[357]

I'm gonna replace the coax and see if that makes a difference.
Hopefully its just that.
I cant afford to ship the antenna back.


this is a reference picture, not my antenna but it shows the round piece that the so239 is attached to that wiggles on my antenna. (brand new)

 

[222DBFL]

Is that a ground wire or something? Or my eyes deceiving me?? My brother-in-law has one he hasn't put up yet. I don't remember seeing that on his antenna, but then again I didn't really look at it like that. Check that you're coax is good by placing a dummy load at the end and putting some power to it. The VSWR should be good. 1:1 or very near it. And impedance as well. If you use an antenna analyzer, make sure R=50 or at least within spec of 50ohm coax. X should equal zero or agin, very close to it, and VSWR should be 1.0 or very close to that. As long as you know the dummy load is good and that your VSWR meter can take a bit of power, if possible put a bit of a carrier on AM. Like more than a few watts. 10 or more watts. Just to make sure the coax isn't hiding something. A sliver of wire arcing over when power is applied.
There also Might be a way to check that antenna as well. I don't know how it's put together, but you should be able to check part of it. Or am I way off base. Like I said I am not familiar with the antenna. I do know to keep the weather proof under that lip though and not to go around the actual mounting post as well. This will create issues as there is a drop hole like M0GVZ stated. Not saying you did, just bringing it up is all. Heat shrink makes for good weather proofing. The good stuff with the glue in it and heat it slowly and mushroom it out as you push it up to get it seal to the bottom of the antenna. Then start your electrical tape. If possible use 2" then 1/2" 3m tape. Again, not that you don't know all this, but it never hurts to jar the memory!! I hope you find the issue or if not, that Solarcon at least makes it right!!!

 

[357]

Is that a ground wire or something?

that picture I found on the net looks like a pine needle.
I'm talking that round disk that is pressed into the aluminum housing.
It has a drain hole in it, unfortunately this picture has some green debris.

 

[357]

coax OTW

 

[357]

well my coax should be here tomorrow, but today I picked up a Robyn MT-703 meter and check my swr.
1.1:1.....I've had 3 or 4 of these robyns/sentry meters and they are probably one of the best "CB" meters out there.

I think my dosy 4002 is lying to me.

Kinda getting confused right about now.
I mickey moused a 50ohm dummyload and the robyn says 1.3:1

 

[357]

Got that new car smell

 

[357]

ok I got the new coax on and used the mfj259 to tune the swr.(right at the base, 3ft rg58 patch.)
The imax would tune flat on 28.300+ but adjusting the rings down wouldn't help tune it on 27.400, it would only go to 1.3 at 50 ohms, not 1.0.
So it seems the imax is really the best at 28.380.
I get about 1.2 on the dosy now at 27.385, 1.1 on 27.805 so I guess its good as it gets with this antenna.

ps no groundplanes....oh ya and the mfj would show a higher swr if I touched the box or the mast....anyone know what thats all about?
I had to dangle it by the patchcord to get a lower reading, also this mfj has wallwart only if that means anything.

 

[222DBFL]

Let Marconi explain the use of the proper coax length to tune the antenna. You might need to use an electrically tuned 1/2 wave length coax jumper or a multiple of one. And also take into account the jumper between your SWR meter and the radio as well as the one from the SWR meter to antenna. But like
I said, I'll let Marconi elaborate more as he is way more well versed in this area than I am!!!

 

[222DBFL]

Okay. I see where you used a 3ft coax jumper to tune antenna. Try to connect your MFJ analyzer directly to the feedpoint, and tune the antenna that way. Or use a coax jumper that is 12" or shorter. 3ft is most likely too long of a jumper. 'Also have you grounded your antenna mast? When you touch the mast you become part of the system. Try connecting directly to the so239 at the antenna with your MFJ meter and step back a couple feet. Or far enough as to not be able to touch the mast or antenna and try tuning again. Those antennas should come pretty well tuned from the factory and little adjustment should be needed if any depending on where you want the antenna to be resonant at. But IMO, i would ditch the 3ft coax jumper and connect directly to the antenna feedpoint itself. And also make sure you have your antenna mast and all your equipment grounded and you might need to add some snap on ferrite chokes or or an isolating balun at the feedpoint as well. Or make a balun with some coax. But first try a direct connect to the antenna feedpoint and try re-tuning the antenna if possible. And make sure to get the mast and your radio equipment all grounded and tied together to form a single point ground system. And a surge arrestor as well. Don't want to see your station get ruined by a close lightning strike or a build up of static electricity. I think that the coax jumper you used is what had the negative effect on the tuning of the antenna. But that is JMO. Hopefully Marconi will post up his thoughts as well. I have a feeling he will say the same as I have. Ditch the 3ft coax jumper and tune the antenna at the SO239 directly. Or use a 12" or shorter coax jumper for tuning. Hope this helps and good luck getting it tuned correctly!!!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Ideally you would tune the antenna with the analyzer directly connected to the feedpoint with a cable less than a foot long. The only problem i see with this is in the antenna design itself. This antenna has basically no ground. The analyzer case tries to become the groundplane and any time you touch it you will throw the readings off. After you think you have it right and connect the feedline to the shack you may find that things have changed a bit. nothing you can do in this case. It is simply due to the design of the antenna. For this reason I like antennas that have a groundplane or antennas like yagis that have a "mirror image" ie. the missing half.I tune my antennas with an electrical half wavelength of coax. I have several lengths made up for the different ham bands. On 6m I use three half wavelengths due to the short length involved on that band.This allows me to step back from the antenna to get a better reading and it allows an accurate reading due to the half wavelength repeating the feedpoint impedance.

 

[XXX]

I have ran power through the original Antron 99 and the later Solarcon A99 and never burnt one up. I have also ran my A99 on 6, 11, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 meter bands with a tuner efficient not 100% but mad contacts and have a few friends that ran them on 40 Meters and another close friend ran his on 80 Meters with a Tuner and power and realized when he was done that he never switched to his wire and was on that Antron 99 and made contacts LOL!! We were just laughing about it the other day again.

I will tell you I wouldn't trust any remake or copycat antennas and why wouldn't a person spend the extra few dollars for an original proven antenna than a cheap one and for reason stated above POOF!!! I know money can be tight but sometimes the wait is a better option than buying cheap to get on the wait quick. Ill also tell you to becareful with the Imax 2000 they are longer resulting in spaghetti flimsy and the fray and break I have one here that di it and have several friends that had the same happen.

Best option I would say if is Solarcon A99 or or if your after just 11 Meter use or just 10 and 11 Meter use then one of my Good friend Tom Charles antennas like his Maco V58 its all up to you but I will say some of the Sirio antennas are worth the money aswell as they also work well. Just always be VERY careful with these cheap antennas you see on Ebay and other websites.

 

[XXX]

I AGREE WITH TONYA225 ... I TALK ALL OVER THE U.S. ON MY SOLARCON A99.... NO COMPLAINTS AT ALL .. I HAVE THE GROUND PLANE KIT BUT I AM NOT SURE IT IS NEEDED ???