About two weeks ago I checked the SWR on my radio and was pegging out. I later cleaned the double threaded bolt that connects the Wilson Gum Drop Stud to the spring. Checked the SWR again and everything appeared to be working fine again.
I checked it again yesterday and noticed the SWR would peg out then go back to normal again. So today I checked things out with my multimeter. I unscrewed the whip and spring and checked the CB end of the coax and the top, threaded part (where the spring / antenna attaches to the mount), of the gum drop mount for continuity. I didn't get any continuity with it. I then stuck the probe to the inside , bottom of the mount and got continuity then. After that I would get intermittent continuity, with the probe, with the rest of it. I also checked the coax without the mount and it was fine.
I took the gum drop off and soldered the inside bottom part of the mount with an 180 watt soldering iron. Put it back together and everything is appearing to work fine. Now I plan to replace the gum drop mount by the end of the week and just wanted to see if this would work for the time being.
This Wilson Gum Drop mount is a few years old and I don't know how long it's been doing this but if any body else has one you may want to check it out. As for me I think I'm going back to using the old ball mount. A bit of a PIA to mount sometimes but I never had any issues with them. Maybe I still have one laying around somewhere.
I checked it again yesterday and noticed the SWR would peg out then go back to normal again. So today I checked things out with my multimeter. I unscrewed the whip and spring and checked the CB end of the coax and the top, threaded part (where the spring / antenna attaches to the mount), of the gum drop mount for continuity. I didn't get any continuity with it. I then stuck the probe to the inside , bottom of the mount and got continuity then. After that I would get intermittent continuity, with the probe, with the rest of it. I also checked the coax without the mount and it was fine.
I took the gum drop off and soldered the inside bottom part of the mount with an 180 watt soldering iron. Put it back together and everything is appearing to work fine. Now I plan to replace the gum drop mount by the end of the week and just wanted to see if this would work for the time being.
This Wilson Gum Drop mount is a few years old and I don't know how long it's been doing this but if any body else has one you may want to check it out. As for me I think I'm going back to using the old ball mount. A bit of a PIA to mount sometimes but I never had any issues with them. Maybe I still have one laying around somewhere.
