High SWR

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bird704

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I have a 102 whipper base antenna with 2 radials. I get 1.2 and when I added a kl 203-p amp it goes to 2.5 I tried everything with the radials.
 

prcguy

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Antenna SWR has nothing to do with an amplifier. Are you measuring SWR at the output of the amplifier or at the output of the radio? If its at the radio you will be measuring the input circuitry of the amplifier when its on or the the path through circuit boards and relays in the amp when its off and that can show higher than the antenna. If you are measuring SWR at the output of the amplifier and its different when the amp is on or off are you recalibrating the SWR meter with the amp on?

I have a 102 whipper base antenna with 2 radials. I get 1.2 and when I added a kl 203-p amp it goes to 2.5 I tried everything with the radials.
 

bird704

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I am checking when the amp is on and its higher than when its off. Jumpers are good as far as I can tell. Maybe 102 whippers arent compatible with amps? Just frustrated. The research I did states to add different length jumpers and I just dont think thats the answer.
 

prcguy

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Its nothing to do with the antenna. Is the SWR meter built into the radio or is it separate? If its separate are you calibrating the SWR meter at high power when the amp is on?

I am checking when the amp is on and its higher than when its off. Jumpers are good as far as I can tell. Maybe 102 whippers arent compatible with amps? Just frustrated. The research I did states to add different length jumpers and I just dont think thats the answer.
 

bird704

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Im just doing the regular way Id do it without the amp hooked up. Is there a different way to do it when an amp is hooked up? Its a cheapo workman swr meter. Also the one on radio is high too when I check.
 

prcguy

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If you have the Workman SWR meter between the amp and antenna and you calibrate the SWR meter with the amp turned on and putting out big power then its probably accurate. If you do it any other way it won't be accurate.

Some amplifiers can put out excessive harmonics and that can show up as a slightly higher SWR than just the stock radio because the harmonics will be a bad match at the antenna and will get reflected, but the amplifier would have to be pretty lousy to have enough harmonics to change SWR.

Im just doing the regular way Id do it without the amp hooked up. Is there a different way to do it when an amp is hooked up? Its a cheapo workman swr meter. Also the one on radio is high too when I check.
 
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