SWR ON ICOM 2730

[OddlyRad]

Hey all, I’ve got the icom 2730 with the mars mod, connected to a thru hole NMO Pulse Larsen mount, I sanded down the paint on underside of ceiling of truck. Have a comet 2x4srnmo antenna. I’m getting a 1.65 swr. I know it’s nothing to worry about, trying to pin point how to get a lower number. Any help would be appreciated!

Also I did run the power wire to the positive side of battery, and negative to a negative ground of the chassis

 

[merlin]

That is more than acceptable, what you would gain getting it to 1.1 you would never notice.

 

[rf_patriot200]

Hey all, I’ve got the icom 2730 with the mars mod, connected to a thru hole NMO Pulse Larsen mount, I sanded down the paint on underside of ceiling of truck. Have a comet 2x4srnmo antenna. I’m getting a 1.65 swr. I know it’s nothing to worry about, trying to pin point how to get a lower number. Any help would be appreciated!

Also I did run the power wire to the positive side of battery, and negative to a negative ground of the chassis

Good job ! Great antenna for it too.

 

[mmckenna]

I’m getting a 1.65 swr. I know it’s nothing to worry about, trying to pin point how to get a lower number. Any help would be appreciated!

Yes, I know that antenna is supposed to cover lots of spectrum, but it's going to do that with higher SWR outside the ham bands. The radio should be fine at 1.65:1. You'll get lower SWR if you use an antenna that is intended for the GMRS band. You'll get better performance out of a radio that's designed for GMRS, also, not a modded amateur radio.

 

[cavmedic]

I know it’s nothing to worry about, trying to pin point how to get a lower number. Any help would be appreciated!

Typically you check your forward and reflected power at the lowest frequency, then check it at the highest frequency and that determines if you need to go shorter or longer length on your radiator. The other option these days and I admit that I'm spoiled in this department would be to graph the SWR on an antennal analyzer. Then you can see a visual display and make adjustments without ever sending RF.

 

[KF0NYL]

1.65 SWR is nothing to worry about.

I get the following SWR readings for GMRS with my Comet 2x4SR: 1.2 at 462 MHz and 1.8 at 467 MHz. I don't have any issues reaching the local repeater (21.5 miles away) with a 20 watt radio.

SWR is also good for 2m and 70cm.