Hustler IC-100SB magnet mount w/spring SWR issues

[K4EET]

OK, how much was the box of "CB stuff"???

MFJ-249D, SWR ANALYZER, .530-230 MHz, W/O METER

MFJ-249D is like MFJ-259D, but less analog meters. Reads SWR, true impedance magnitude and frequency on LCD module. Has nicd/nimh charging circuit, can use MFJ-259D accessories.

mfjenterprises.com

 

[FPR1981]

$150. Widow of a local CBer, who hated CB's.

 

[K4EET]

Well here are two documents that you should print and keep with your MFJ-249 Antenna Analyzer.

 

[K4EET]

Now off the top of my head, I am not familiar with the specific MFJ-249 Antenna Analyzer. I am more familiar with RigExpert models. Let me read the the MFJ-249B.pdf document and get familiar with its operation. Meanwhile, could you check the SWR over the cargo area of your wife's Pilot? Maybe @merlin will see these posts too. First we will need to get the unit powered up and do a few sanity checks with it. I'll be back...

 

[FPR1981]

I will get on it! Thank you for your help.

 

[K4EET]

Things got a little busy around here this evening and I didn't get as much done as I wanted to as fast as I wanted to. I have taken the MFJ-249B Manual and read through the first part of it. I highlighted key items. Please take a read up through Page 5 of 14. Let me know if that sounds like Greek to you or if you think you will be able to carefully follow instructions and not damage this sensitive instrument. The "WARNING" on Page 2 is super important:

WARNING: Failure to follow the operating instructions may cause false readings or even damage this unit.

Up through Page 4 of 14 will be familiarizing yourself with the unit's options and getting it powered up. I don't know if you have the MFJ-1315 Power Supply which is probably a wall wart (Page 3 of 14).

Before you insert any batteries into the unit, you need to determine how Jumper 5 (J5) is set (see Pages 3 and 4 of 5) for Alkaline or NiCd battery installation. Which battery type do you want to use? Probably not NiCd batteries...

So as you see, you need to read the instructions and do exactly as it says. You may even find old corroded batteries installed that will have to be carefully removed and the contacts carefully cleaned.

Sooooooo... Let the fun begin! Cheers! Dave

P.S. Where is @merlin?

 

[K4EET]

<snip> Before you insert any batteries into the unit, you need to determine how Jumper 5 (J5) is set (see Pages 3 and 4 of 5) for Alkaline or NiCd battery installation. Which battery type do you want to use? Probably not NiCd batteries... <snip>

Since I couldn't edit my Post #26, the referenced pages for Jumper 5 (J5) should be Pages 3 and 4 of 14. My boo-boo...

 

[FPR1981]

Things got a little busy around here this evening and I didn't get as much done as I wanted to as fast as I wanted to. I have taken the MFJ-249B Manual and read through the first part of it. I highlighted key items. Please take a read up through Page 5 of 14. Let me know if that sounds like Greek to you or if you think you will be able to carefully follow instructions and not damage this sensitive instrument. The "WARNING" on Page 2 is super important:

WARNING: Failure to follow the operating instructions may cause false readings or even damage this unit.

Up through Page 4 of 14 will be familiarizing yourself with the unit's options and getting it powered up. I don't know if you have the MFJ-1315 Power Supply which is probably a wall wart (Page 3 of 14).

Before you insert any batteries into the unit, you need to determine how Jumper 5 (J5) is set (see Pages 3 and 4 of 5) for Alkaline or NiCd battery installation. Which battery type do you want to use? Probably not NiCd batteries...

So as you see, you need to read the instructions and do exactly as it says. You may even find old corroded batteries installed that will have to be carefully removed and the contacts carefully cleaned.

Sooooooo... Let the fun begin! Cheers! Dave

P.S. Where is @merlin?

You, sir, have provided me much in the way of valuable information. Thank you!!

And on an unrelated note, I told my wife I bought this antenna because it was low profile and that the white blended in with her vehicle, and she is sure that it being called "Hustler" was the real reason. Can you believe that? 😁😁😁😁😁😅😅😅😅

 

[K4EET]

You, sir, have provided me much in the way of valuable information. Thank you!!

You are certainly welcome. I am interested in knowing if the batteries were removed (hopefully) so there will be no corrosion. Also, what position Jumper 5 (J5) is in and what type of batteries you plan to use. Finally, do you have the MFJ-1315 Power Supply?

And on an unrelated note, I told my wife I bought this antenna because it was low profile and that the white blended in with her vehicle, and she is sure that it being called "Hustler" was the real reason. Can you believe that? 😁😁😁😁😁😅😅😅😅

Your wife has a sense of humor towards radios. That is a good thing!

 

[FPR1981]

You are certainly welcome. I am interested in knowing if the batteries were removed (hopefully) so there will be no corrosion. Also, what position Jumper 5 (J5) is in and what type of batteries you plan to use. Finally, do you have the MFJ-1315 Power Supply?

Your wife has a sense of humor towards radios. That is a good thing!

I will be inspecting it after I get done in the gym tonight.

 

[iMONITOR]

Last night I installed a white Hustler IC-100SB magnet mount 11-meter antenna with the spring on my wife's nice Honda Pilot.

Red Flag Alert! You're probably not getting a good 'RF' ground. Friends don't let friends use magnet mounts!

 

[FPR1981]

Red Flag Alert! You're probably not getting a good 'RF' ground. Friends don't let friends use magnet mounts!

Unfortunately my wife will not allow me to use any other kind of antenna on it. But i have had nothing but good luck with the Tram 300 and 3500 magnet mounts

 

[iMONITOR]

Unfortunately my wife will not allow me to use any other kind of antenna on it. But i have had nothing but good luck with the Tram 300 and 3500 magnet mounts

At least run a good ground wire from the radio's metal chassie/back plate to a solid metal ground point on the vehicle's chassis/body metal. It's most likely causing your SWR issues.

 

[FPR1981]

Looks like this unit has never been used. No batteries at all.

Also, this model is just the 249, and not the 249B. My paper manual in the box makes no reference to jumpers.

I'm going to load it with AA batteries tomorrow

 

[K4EET]

@FPR1981, OK, I did not know that you had the original paperwork. I could not find the PDF for your model. The "B" version was as far back as I could find. Just follow the directions for the first time powering it up. Maybe you are right. It may have never been used. Wow!

 

[FPR1981]

@FPR1981, OK, I did not know that you had the original paperwork. I could not find the PDF for your model. The "B" version was as far back as I could find. Just follow the directions for the first time powering it up. Maybe you are right. It may have never been used. Wow!

I didn't know I had it either. It was buried in the bottom of the box, under the bubble wrap.

Excited to play with this thing tomorrow!

 

[FiveFilter]

All of my magnet-mount antennas yield excellent SWR values, ranging from 1.1 to 1.3 to 1. The base magnets provide excellent RF grounding, and all it takes to yield great results is to trim them to resonance, like should be done with any antenna. Any general claim that the magnet mount is an inherently poor performer is without merit.

I do always make sure all my radio chassis are grounded, either via the metal base they are screwed on or with a wire to a nearby vehicle ground.

 

[iMONITOR]

All of my magnet-mount antennas yield excellent SWR values, ranging from 1.1 to 1.3 to 1. The base magnets provide excellent RF grounding, and all it takes to yield great results is to trim them to resonance, like should be done with any antenna. Any general claim that the magnet mount is an inherently poor performer is without merit.

I do always make sure all my radio chassis are grounded, either via the metal base they are screwed on or with a wire to a nearby vehicle ground.

That should be fine, but so many people just toss the radio on the front seat with no ground of any kind. Some might think they're still getting a ground through the negative 12V power wire but I don't think that is always the case.

 

[slowmover]

That should be fine, but so many people just toss the radio on the front seat with no ground of any kind. Some might think they're still getting a ground through the negative 12V power wire but I don't think that is always the case.

Helps to distinguish between:

DC Ground

RF Bond

As they aren’t the same thing, though both can be called “ground”.

.

 

[FiveFilter]

Yeah, grounding the radio's chassis to a vehicle ground helps bleed off any common mode currents that might be traveling on the coax. Not grounding the radio's chassis is inviting problems.