I decided to swap my at5555 for my 2950dx in the mobile with my sirio p5000.I decided i would check my antenna match using the built in 2950 swr meter "i know not accurate" but figured would give me a idea. on channel 19 i had 3 bars channel 40 4 bars channel 1 3 bars.I decided to get my outboard pdc2 and head to a open parking lot.I started tuning it using the pdc2 and got the swr on that meter to 1.3 channel 1 1.1 on channel 19 and channel 40 1.1 frequency 555 1.3....then i checked my 2950dx swr bars and flat from 1 19 and to 40 a little below channel 1 i get 1 light bar and frequency 555 i get 1 light bar.So leave the parking lot all is well i pull up in front of my house and for shits and giggle throw it to fm once again and run a test with the 2950 built in swr meter and on frequency 555 its giving me 5 bars but below that im getting 1 to 2 bars throughout channel "269650" 1 im getting 2 bars in the drive way 19 im getting 1 bar 40 2 bars and 275550 im getting 5 damn bars.Now i understand it depends on the area your in but isnt that a significant jump?In my house on the antron my swr on the 2950 meter stays flat no lights and my outboard meter read 1.1 to 1.4 max all through 1 to channel 275550....I ordered a new meter on ebay for 25 bucks new old stock "so it says" similar to a rad shack meter different brand name its a field and swr meter and a new jumper 3 foot.I know it may seem like ocd to most but i dont wanna burn up my radio and i also want make sure my equipment is performing properly
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Radio swap high swr?
- Thread starter 123kid
- Start date
No two antennas will 'act' the same, have the same characteristics. So comparing your SWR readings of your mobile antenna and that Antron isn't going to mean much at all. Going only by your reported readings your mobile antenna seems to be more 'touchy' than might seem normal, maybe. I wonder what else besides 'location' changed, if anything? The location can certainly make some differences in SWR, but I have no idea if the differences you are seeing are caused only by location changes (depends on the locations). Another consideration is that 'built-in' SWR meters are just not as 'reliable' as they could be, I don't think I'd place any particular significance in that meter, it's 'bars' are just not very specific. Exactly what do each one of those bars correspond to in 'numbers' anyway? And what does your PDC-2 meter say when in your drive way?
- 'Doc
- 'Doc
My Sirio Performer PL5000 is SWR sensitive to Different conditions like the SWR will go up even being in close proximity to a metal light pole or anything but an open field for that matter. I even checked while driving down the road using my CRE-8900. It has a SWR display function when I key down. Just driving down the road will raise the SWR slightly because if being bent slightly by the wind. I checked it driving over a bridge,it shot up to a 1:5:1. Bojangles drive through metal awning,1:9:1. I love my 5000 though but no more drive throughs at Dairy Queen(antenna scraps).
location should not make any noticeable difference as far as SWR goes except when the antenna is near an object like a metal pole, fence or building. If parked in a field or parked in a driveway it should be the same if there are no large metal objects near either location.
Now having said that make sure all the door are shut and the hood or trunk closed when checking SWR. Also make sure you are not parked near another vehicle. Ask me how I know that. :headbang OK I'll tell you. I originally set my 80m mobile antenna up for 3790 KHz, It is VERY narrow banded and can only operate across about 35 KHz and I wanted it parked in the DX window. I spent all day fussing and fuming until I got it exactly where I wanted it.That evening I went for a little drive to try it out. The SWR was sky high in the DX window. I returned home and backed into the yard where I was parked earlier and in frustration decided to check one more time before going in the house. The SWR was perfect on 3790 KHz. Then it struck me. I was only a few feet away from the wife's car. I pulled ahead and the SWR went up. Back up and it went down. I kicked myself all the way into the house and spent most of the following day retuning the antenna away from the wife's car and anything else in the yard. It was so touchy that even opening a door changed the SWR. Granted this was on 80m but the principle holds for any band.
Now having said that make sure all the door are shut and the hood or trunk closed when checking SWR. Also make sure you are not parked near another vehicle. Ask me how I know that. :headbang OK I'll tell you. I originally set my 80m mobile antenna up for 3790 KHz, It is VERY narrow banded and can only operate across about 35 KHz and I wanted it parked in the DX window. I spent all day fussing and fuming until I got it exactly where I wanted it.That evening I went for a little drive to try it out. The SWR was sky high in the DX window. I returned home and backed into the yard where I was parked earlier and in frustration decided to check one more time before going in the house. The SWR was perfect on 3790 KHz. Then it struck me. I was only a few feet away from the wife's car. I pulled ahead and the SWR went up. Back up and it went down. I kicked myself all the way into the house and spent most of the following day retuning the antenna away from the wife's car and anything else in the yard. It was so touchy that even opening a door changed the SWR. Granted this was on 80m but the principle holds for any band.
thanks
Well i was under a tree had 2 cars in front of me.i drove down the road to a parking lot and i had no bars to one bar so im sure it must have been the tree.im gonna pdc2 test it in my driveway just to see its actual reading.got a new meter coming and coax.the pdc2 i have has been dropped and the coax is cheap radshack jumper.
Well i was under a tree had 2 cars in front of me.i drove down the road to a parking lot and i had no bars to one bar so im sure it must have been the tree.im gonna pdc2 test it in my driveway just to see its actual reading.got a new meter coming and coax.the pdc2 i have has been dropped and the coax is cheap radshack jumper.
I still use my RadShack 2ft. Jumper I bought in the Eighties. Suits my purposes unless someone can prove it isn't worth a flip
2950dx
The meter in the radio is stupid.i decided to give it another go.pulled into a large parking lot channel 19 1.0 40 1.1 and 1 1.3....so i check the built in light bars to compare to the pdc2 readings and 0 bars all the way.So now i drive out and key as im driving watching the light bars fluctuate at one point at a intersection peaking.now i go to another parking ot on channel 275550 i had 0 bars prior with a swr of 1.3 at the first parking lot.npw its showing 2 green bars rehook up the pdc2 and it shows 1.3 as it did before.so the inboard meter is screwed up.i was near power lines well about 500 feet or more when i tuned but in a seperatearking lot other side of town swr remained the same.
The meter in the radio is stupid.i decided to give it another go.pulled into a large parking lot channel 19 1.0 40 1.1 and 1 1.3....so i check the built in light bars to compare to the pdc2 readings and 0 bars all the way.So now i drive out and key as im driving watching the light bars fluctuate at one point at a intersection peaking.now i go to another parking ot on channel 275550 i had 0 bars prior with a swr of 1.3 at the first parking lot.npw its showing 2 green bars rehook up the pdc2 and it shows 1.3 as it did before.so the inboard meter is screwed up.i was near power lines well about 500 feet or more when i tuned but in a seperatearking lot other side of town swr remained the same.
fm
i test in fm full power whats the point in testing in am when u have to adjust mic gain and also low power your not getting a tru reading.You want the reading to reflect your output to let you know what the reading is under operating conditions.
i test in fm full power whats the point in testing in am when u have to adjust mic gain and also low power your not getting a tru reading.You want the reading to reflect your output to let you know what the reading is under operating conditions.
I keep my mic gain at zero to set a base line for my tests. I do check it at full power with modulation. All said,I'm getting consistent SWR readings.
true
yup yup as long as its working.fm im sure you can leave the mic gain up as it doesnt modulate via voice its a steady carrier.fm in my radio also is max power so its a steady signal but having a 1.0 at 19 is great good match.Altho being in a mobile the 2950dx has its issues i dont get engine noise but i notice in different areas my power output is odd.I had the same issue in my base with this radio if i went below channel 1 in ssb the lights wouldnt peak the top and fluctuate as rapid as if i was on a higher channel.It does it now when im up above 40 in the vehicle.Very strange but my swr up there is a 1.3 well between a 1.2.
yup yup as long as its working.fm im sure you can leave the mic gain up as it doesnt modulate via voice its a steady carrier.fm in my radio also is max power so its a steady signal but having a 1.0 at 19 is great good match.Altho being in a mobile the 2950dx has its issues i dont get engine noise but i notice in different areas my power output is odd.I had the same issue in my base with this radio if i went below channel 1 in ssb the lights wouldnt peak the top and fluctuate as rapid as if i was on a higher channel.It does it now when im up above 40 in the vehicle.Very strange but my swr up there is a 1.3 well between a 1.2.
fluctuations
i noticed lite fluctuation on my pdc2 like going from 1.3 to 1.2 while sitting still taking reading no mic modulation it just moved in reference and i was confused by that but wondering if thats normal.Didnt happen all the time tho like maybe once or twice.
i noticed lite fluctuation on my pdc2 like going from 1.3 to 1.2 while sitting still taking reading no mic modulation it just moved in reference and i was confused by that but wondering if thats normal.Didnt happen all the time tho like maybe once or twice.
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