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Antenna Mounting Question

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steve108

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Apr 8, 2014
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Yes I have an external meter for checking the swr. I have another radio with a built in swr meter that I have been thinking about hooking up just to see what it says. I am also building a dummy load so I can measure power output to confirm the radio's power meter.
 

Project25_MASTR

Millennial Graying OBT Guy
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Jun 16, 2013
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Location
Texas
Steve, have you like into actual hood channel mount brackets?

When I was younger my parents had a class C on a 96 E10 chassis. My dad used one of those no ground plane glass mount antennas on the passenger side slider in the over head bunk. It was worthless. Fast forward to last year, my dad sees how I mounted my low band antenna on my trailblazer and my CV antenna on my xj...hood channel mounts.

I have NMO versions (low stress, the mount is literally .16 ga sheet metal) but companies like Firestik do make versions for the 3/8x24 stud mount.
 

Oldme

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Jun 25, 2014
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Location
Hull, Ga,
Steve, I think trying your other radio many also be a good
idea. With the problems you seem to be having with the power
on some channels, checking the antenna system with another
radio would be good idea.
 

steve108

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Apr 8, 2014
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I will give the other radio a try. Come to think of it I also have a magnet mount antenna I could try on the roof and see what the radio in question does. I called the manufacturer (Midland) and the tech said he had not heard of that problem but he thought it could be that the detector is less sensitive to the lower frequencies and not to worry about it. He said if the radio stops working send it in and they will look at it.

I have seen hood channel mounts, what would the advantage be? Is it that I could locate the antenna further from the windshield frame?
 

Oldme

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Location
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OK I was understanding something different.
I thought the radio was NOT putting out the same power/watts
on the lower channels.

A "detector" is an older term for an electronic component in a radio receiver
that recovers information contained in a modulated radio wave.
From what you are indicating with your radio, that could mean that it is not as
sensitive on the lower channels or maybe you have less interference in
you area on the lower channels. Every channel is different.

The hood channel mount / fender mount is what I use on the
E450 based Motor Home.
 

steve108

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Apr 8, 2014
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Ok, I have had some time to try a few more things.

I built a 50 ohm dummy load that can also be used to measure power. I measured 3.3 to 3.5 watts dead key depending on the channel, swinging to 8 watts or so with audio. So that seems reasonable.

SWR of 1.0 in to the dummy so I guess my meter is accurate, at least at a perfect match.

I tried playing with ground straps on the antenna mount and coax end but did not see any changes. I did notice that even with the electrical ground for the radio disconnected it all still works. Must be getting ground through the chassis or coax.

I also added a spring between my stud mount and the antenna. With this I measure a 1.8 SWR on 19 and 2.4 on the ends of the band.

With my other radio, powered through the lighter socket, I see a 1.4 SWR according to both the internal meter and my external meter. Also tested the internal meter with my dummy and read 1.00. Power is lower out of this radio, about 2.5W deadkey. Any thoughts on why this radio produces a lower SWR? Power output shouldn't effect SWR, correct? Should the radio chassis not be grounded?

Made a few contacts around town up to about 2 or 2.5 miles, which may be good enough.
 

Oldme

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Jun 25, 2014
Messages
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Location
Hull, Ga,
Different radio built with components that all have a
manufacturers tolerance.
No two components are exactly the same, even the same brand
as nothing is perfect.

There could also be a problem in the first radio that keeps it
making that same match. Perhaps one of the techs that
works on them will chime in as what component may be suspect.

When you add the spring you are physically clanging the length of the
antenna and you do need to re adjust it.

Glad you are getting there.
 

steve108

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Apr 8, 2014
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Yeah, I adjusted it for the spring. The spring is about 3" long, but I only had to move the tip of the antenna down 1/8" or so, I guess because the spring is a coil?
 

Oldme

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Jun 25, 2014
Messages
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Location
Hull, Ga,
Inside the spring is a conductive wire/braid.
So the 3" of spring, lengthened the antenna 3".
The same would happen if you added a 3" section
of the same antenna to the base.
 

steve108

Member
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Apr 8, 2014
Messages
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Interesting. How come I can get a symmetrical dip in SWR at the middle of the band both with and without the 3" spring even though I do not have to move the adjustable tip of the antenna even close to 3"?
 

steve108

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
29
If you go back and look at the very first picture... the thin black brace I have going from my angle iron down to the factory antenna bracket... could that be introducing some kind of ground loop and causing a problem?

I am still trying to narrow this down with no luck.
 
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