102" whip on quad-mag mount issues

[gravelten4]

I just got my quad-mag and hooked up my new 102" whip and I am having a little bit of an SWR issue. When it runs through my external meter it runs 1.4-1.6 across the board(with amp on or off). When I remove the meter and check it on my internal meter (Galaxy 949) its 3.0 on mid channels and 2.3 on channel 1. However when I turn the heater on its 1.4 across the board. This internal meter has always been within .2 or so of my external meter. The mag mount is new and came with coax. Im assuming the lock washer is supposed to stay even if you are using a mag mount...correct? Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Antenna is mounted on roof of a nissan pickup in the same spot that my Wilson 1000 was with an swr of 1.4. Thanks!!!

[gravelten4]

OOPS...I meant to say the SWR is 2.2/2.3 on Higher channels and 3.0 on 1. The reverse of my initial post. Does that mean I should have the spacer? Thanks again.

[jegs]

The Galaxy internal SWR meters are crap. I have a 929 and it is never correct. ALWAYS trust an external meter over a built in one. Just make sure it's a good brand of meter and not truck stop junk.

[jegs]

OOPS...I meant to say the SWR is 2.2/2.3 on Higher channels and 3.0 on 1. The reverse of my initial post. Does that mean I should have the spacer? Thanks again.

If the SWR is worse on channel 1 you need to make the antenna longer. 108 inches is actually the correct length for an 11 meter 1/4 wave antenna. They make them 102 because they assume you will be using a 6 inch spring. Someone makes a 108 inch whip but I can't remember who. Someone else will chime in I'm sure.

[Texas Mobil 219]

I run a 102 with no spring. Swrs are flat. Sound to me you need a ground wire. Dont always trust the mags to make a good ground. Try running an external groun wire and see if that helps.

219 in Texas.

[Ricky]

run an external ground to the mag mount, to the frame. see if that helps.check the nylon spacer for cracks inbetween the antenna and quad mount base.

[White Lightning]

I run a 102 with a spring and ballmount and have it grounded to the frame and my swr's are flat

[North Texas Mudduck]

I just got my quad-mag and hooked up my new 102" whip and I am having a little bit of an SWR issue. When it runs through my external meter it runs 1.4-1.6 across the board(with amp on or off). When I remove the meter and check it on my internal meter (Galaxy 949) its 3.0 on mid channels and 2.3 on channel 1. However when I turn the heater on its 1.4 across the board. This internal meter has always been within .2 or so of my external meter. The mag mount is new and came with coax. Im assuming the lock washer is supposed to stay even if you are using a mag mount...correct? Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Antenna is mounted on roof of a nissan pickup in the same spot that my Wilson 1000 was with an swr of 1.4. Thanks!!!

how some pictures to see what we looking at
it couild be mounted on top of a dryer sitting outside

[gravelten4]

Thanks for the tips. I will tackle it again at first light!! Its beer time now. As for pics, I dont think I can post pics until I have more posts. Its a valid question in regards to being mounted on a dryer. I have seen worse up here in the sticks of Maine!:) In fact while my buddy was waiting for his base antenna to arrive I climbed up on his roof and mounted an over sized metal pizza sheet to a t.v antenna mast with a lil wil on it. I took a heavy duty shelf bracket and screwed it to the bottom of the pizza pan and then used muffler clamps to secure the L bracket to the mast pipe. 1.5 SWR and reached out about 10 miles. Thanks again. I am going to try the ground and also order a spring.

[The Bull]

Once you get a spring they SWR should match and be at 1.1 across, i put mine on my quad mag last night looked great as well as those SWR's did 1.1

['Doc]

Can't say about the meter in the radio being accurate or not. They tend not to be accurate in all cases from reports. As far as when the amplifier is 'on', the meter in the radio isn't measuring the antenna's SWR. It's measuring the input SWR to the amplifier. When the amplifier is 'off', but still in line, the radio's meter is measuring the 'by-passing circuit of the amplifier, not the antenna's SWR (actually a combination of the antenna and by-passing line's SWR). The only way that radio's SWR meter is going to read only the antenna's SWR is by removing the amplifier from the line. Sorry 'bout that...
- 'Doc

[sideways]

I believe the answer to your 108" question w/o a spring is MFJ.

[jegs]

I believe the answer to your 108" question w/o a spring is MFJ.

Yep. That's it. Thank you sir.

[BIGHOG]

Yeah, I put my 108" whip on today. It is from MFJ, the swr's are 1.2 across the board. It's not flat because I know I have a bit of a reflect issue. But I'm happy with the results!

[gravelten4]

Doc,

Thats good to know. I had never given it a second thought with the heat in-line measuring the swr. The spring is on its way.

On a different note...I couldn't believe how strong those quads are! I almost broke my finger when I put it on the first time. I wasn't expecting such a "snap" down on the roof and had my finger in an awkward postion under one of the cross sections and bent it (my finger!) in pretty good shape. Wow!!

['Doc]

gravelten4,
Yeah, ain't they thought? And they are just not the most powerful magnets around. Those little noeb... neubem... whatever the @#$$ the names of them are, the itty bitty things in an old CD or floppy drive, will raise a 'blood blister' if you're not careful. I think two or three of those things the size of a hockey puck could lift a '48 Hudson off the ground! Probably cost about as much as that old Hudson too. Guess that's why they don't make them that big.
- 'Doc

[Springer]

run an external ground to the mag mount, to the frame. see if that helps.check the nylon spacer for cracks inbetween the antenna and quad mount base.

Here's a question that runs along this string. I have a 102 w/spring and have been told my problem might be the ground. Would a 10 gauge wire be heavy enough for the extra ground?

Thanks
Springer

['Doc]

I'm afraid most people have no idea what an RF ground is. It's certainly not the same thing as an electrical ground. It isn't exactly the most simply explained thing, but go here and read about RF grounds;

[Please login or register to view this link]

There's just about everything you'd ever need to know about mobile antennas here. It explains things very well.
- 'Doc