Question on Replacing Cable for K400 Mount

[DannyBoy2k]

I've just been using my SDS100 around the house, but decided I'd like to have an antenna on the car for some mobile capability. I have a friend with a few K400 mounts that he highly recommended, so I thought I'd get one, but there seems to be a complete shortage of them right now. He had a K400C that he replaced the cable with the Diamond C213SNMO (essentially making the mount a K400SNMO) that he sold me. However, I had a question about the installation of the cable.

At the moment, the center pin doesn't stick up very far. There is currently a star washer between the underside of the mount hole and the cable/NMO pin. I wasn't sure if that was only used for a through-hole application or if it should also be used with the K400 mount. Without the washer, the center pin would certainly be higher, but I didn't know how much higher the center pin on NMO typically is. In the photos on the Diamond website for the K400SNMO, the center pin seems taller.

I called the Diamond technical support number on their website, but had to leave a name/number for a callback. If anyone has thoughts while I'm waiting for that, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[DannyBoy2k]

While waiting for responses from Diamond and here, I went ahead a gave it a go without the star washer. Certainly looks more like the pictures of the K400SNMO I see online and I don't see how the washer was helping make any more contact than it has now. It's bare metal to bare metal contact with and without the washer.

Opinions still welcome.

~Dan

 

[kc8jwt]

Looking at your pic and what is on the website, looks your picture and their picture is coming from two different angles and it's hard to tell if the one you have is correct or needs to be replaced.

 

[mmckenna]

The height of the center contact on the NMO may or may not impact function of the antenna. Depends on the way the antenna itself is designed and how far down it sticks. Best option is to test it and see if it's making contact. Try the mount connected to your scanner and without the antenna attached. Tune to a distant NOAA weather transmitter and try attaching the antenna and see if coverage improves.

If it does, you should be OK.

If it does NOT, then try disassembling the mount and remove the star washer.
I've never used one of those mounts, but I've done a ton of permanent installs and I have never once used a star washer under the NMO mount.