SWR higher on SSB

[Davidbt]

Like others have said it is an insufficient ground. I have a question.? Did you put the foil sticker on the magnet? If you did good. If not and you don’t have it for whatever reason you can cut a piece of aluminum foil and put it between the magnet and rubber boot. Don’t ask me how I know!!!
Didn’t read the entire thread so if this was covered already my apologies

I did not. The roof of my truck has flat ribs that are higher than the truck. The magnet has to sit on two of the higher ribs. I don't believe the antenna package had a foil sticker.

 

[Davidbt]

I went back out and checked, the radio does show swr high with antenna connected.

 

[Backwoods40]

It's on the radio while checking swr's with the external meter. Backwoods40 had a similar issue with his qt80. I'll have to go back out to the truck, but I'm sure it also did it after I re connected the antenna.

Not sure where you're grounded, but I had the best ground on one of the seat bolts, where the seat attaches to the floor of the cab.
I never did figure out why it shows higher swr on the radio, but at full power, max swr was 1.7:1 while barefoot was 1.1:1

I ran it without any issue until I moved the radio into the office and threw up a base antenna.
Just be sure to tune it as flat as you can at 4w and it should be fine.

 

[prcguy]

Not sure where you're grounded, but I had the best ground on one of the seat bolts, where the seat attaches to the floor of the cab.
I never did figure out why it shows higher swr on the radio, but at full power, max swr was 1.7:1 while barefoot was 1.1:1

I ran it without any issue until I moved the radio into the office and threw up a base antenna.
Just be sure to tune it as flat as you can at 4w and it should be fine.

Is there an amplifier used in this setup? Were you using the SWR meter built into the radio when checking SWR?

 

[Davidbt]

Not sure where you're grounded, but I had the best ground on one of the seat bolts, where the seat attaches to the floor of the cab.
I never did figure out why it shows higher swr on the radio, but at full power, max swr was 1.7:1 while barefoot was 1.1:1

I ran it without any issue until I moved the radio into the office and threw up a base antenna.
Just be sure to tune it as flat as you can at 4w and it should be fine.

Thanks for chiming in @Backwoods40, appreciate it. The did the ground to the battery. I'm also not sure why the radio came with a fuse on the ground wire? I might have to find a way to ground it at the seat myself. At least the power is through the firewall, which would be very hard for me right now. Also, I was wanting to be careful since these newer trucks can be funky with new electrical.

 

[Davidbt]

Is there an amplifier used in this setup? Were you using the SWR meter built into the radio when checking SWR?

No amplifier. I don't think you can use the internal swr to adjust the antenna on the qt80, as far as I know.

 

[Davidbt]

Not sure where you're grounded, but I had the best ground on one of the seat bolts, where the seat attaches to the floor of the cab.
I never did figure out why it shows higher swr on the radio, but at full power, max swr was 1.7:1 while barefoot was 1.1:1

I ran it without any issue until I moved the radio into the office and threw up a base antenna.
Just be sure to tune it as flat as you can at 4w and it should be fine.

That's the thing, the way it is, I can't tune it. I'm going to turn the swr protection off in the menu tomorrow and see if that makes a difference with the external meter. I can always turn the protection back on.

 

[prcguy]

No amplifier. I don't think you can use the internal swr to adjust the antenna on the qt80, as far as I know.

You mentioned full power was 1.7:1 and barefoot was 1.1:1, sounded like there was an amp.

 

[Davidbt]

You mentioned full power was 1.7:1 and barefoot was 1.1:1, sounded like there was an amp.

That's @Backwoods40. I haven't been able to come up with a reading yet. I may have to rethink the ground wire go to the battery. Also, why did the factory put a fuse on the ground wire 🤷‍♂️

 

[707ways2Sunday]

I did not. The roof of my truck has flat ribs that are higher than the truck. The magnet has to sit on two of the higher ribs. I don't believe the antenna package had a foil sticker.

I was actually responding to the OP. I’m running the same radio (Anytone) and antenna as he is. And I don’t remember seeing the foil either. Tuning my performer 5K wasn’t going well without it.