penetrator 500

[AudioShockwav]

I feel for you, it's going to take a few times up and down.
I really don't like that aluminium sheet metal matching that they replaced the rods with.
It's soft, the one my brother bought, it got bent in shipping and we had to bend it back into shape.
We had to extend to the vertical , it was up in the ten meter band when we built it to there measurements.
Here is a simple test.
What is swr on you highest channel?
What is the swr on you lowest channel?

If it is lower on channel 40 than it is on channel 1, making the vertical part of the antenna longer should make that number go down.
Check it and post your results.

This antenna is not like the old 500 that was simple to put up, the matching rods on the bottom were solid and supported better and gave consistent results.
You could just measure out the lengths and be very close.

73
Jeff

 

[whiteastro]

I'm jumping back in late but yes testing it only 4-4.5' of the ground is a no no. I custom built a tip over mast mount to make easier changes to the antenna and only tested it when it was raised to it's operating height. PS. I can see from your pictures you will have the rain shorting problem also because your top plastic insulator is too short on the top and water will puddle up and cause shorting but go away after the water drains away. Check my pictures for a possible solution or turn the top insulator over. It's all a pain in the back side unless you don't use the radio while it's Raining and that was unacceptable for me. It will all be worth it when it is finished. Good luck