10k came tuned!! I'm happy

[wrong way]

got my 17" shaft single coil today. LOVE IT! When I got it I just sunk the whip all the way down and put it up and swr flat 1 thru 40 and then some. looks great (like that maters) which is a plus, very light but tomarrow I am gonna drill two more holes in the roof into my 1/16" inch thick steel flex plate because I dont think it is flexing to the roof for enough ground for running the amp. I glued wood to the under side of the plate to cover the big hole in the headliner. cut a hole in the wood where the mount is (stud mount) and all that is holding the plate up against the roof is the mount. You fellas think I'm on the right track does this sound like I am learning anything from this forum? Maybe I'll run a ground strap from body to frame If that dont clear things up. but nice antenna I am very happy so far. thanks. Wrong Way

[wrong way]

forgot to add SWR 2.2:1 with amp on grounding upgrade should help right? Below 1.5:1 amp on and I'm happy

[Cain64]

with an amp on you should try to keep the SWR's below 1.5 or 1.3 with the 10K should be very easy, my buddy "The Bull" recieved his today, looks great and is very light, how big is your amp? Wattage? if with the amp off you are at 1.3 then you should be ok but i would really try to get it down. GROUND GROUND GROUND!!!

[coondog]

another happy 10-Ker :D

yea you want to do like Cain said and hopefully your running your amps ground down to your frame.

its a 10-k world :D

['Doc]

I have to disagree with your 'already tuned' antenna idea. Not saying it isn't as you described, but it's more luck than anything else. You just can't 'pre-tune' and antenna unless you do it in the exact same circumstances as it'll be mounted, same car, same surroundings, etc. What's the likelihood of that? It's also why 'they' give you some tuning adjustment, right? Wish I was that lucky!
About the difference in SWR with/without the amplifier. The simplest explanation is that the ouptu impedance of the amplifier is not the same as the radio's. A little difference isn't a biggy, but 2:1 is. I seriously doubt if "grounding" is the answer. Big difference between electrical grounding and RF grounding. If your mount is making good electrical contact with the vehicle's metal body, that's about as good as it gets. A 'star' washer, where appropriate, never hurts, might think about that. 'Strapping' or 'bonding' all the body panels also is a good idea. Doubt if that's going to make any difference with that difference in SWR, but certainly will overall. Oh well, it it were easy, where would the 'challenge' be?
- 'Doc

[jessejamesdallas]

forgot to add SWR 2.2:1 with amp on grounding upgrade should help right? Below 1.5:1 amp on and I'm happy

Grounding should help, but if your SWR is reading 2.2 with the amp on, I would check channels 1 and 40, with the amp on, and see if channel 40 is Higher, than channel 1...if so, then your going to need to trim a little off the bottom of the stinger, to get down to below 1.5.

I have herd guys say that they did not have to trim any off their stingers before, but usually some will need to be cut off...

just take your time doing it though...It's real hard to stick those little pieces of stinger back on, once they have been cut off.

[Soldierboy]

What's the best way to put the pieces back on the stinger?

[SPANKY]

Just holler at J.J. Dallas and have him send you a tube of Stinger Glue!

[jessejamesdallas]

Just holler at J.J. Dallas and have him send you a tube of Stinger Glue!

Sorry...I just mailed out my last tube...I have placed a order however with the 3M company to send me some more, but I got a email from them this morning saying the stuff is "Back-Ordered"...

But, if your in a hurry, try using strips of Duct Tape...

[SARGE]

not trying to hi-jack the thread, but i have set my swr's with just radio @ 4w dk and have gotten them set at 1.1 or better across the board, but with amp on they jump to 2.0 or 2.5 and vehicles are well grounded!

['Doc]

Playing with radio stuff is never just 'plug-n-play' unless you throw lots of money at it. Not too many people are going to be willing to do that (including me). So, it amounts to knowing what you are doing, and why you do it that way. One of the best tools of the trade is an antenna analyzer. It can tell you things that a simple SWR meter never will. But then you're back to that 'money' thingy, they are NOT cheap by any means, and just aren't all that good of an investment unless you really do a lot of antenna stuff. You also have to know what they are telling you, so get ready for that part if you should get one.
The simple fact of the matter is that if SWR changes when using an amplifier then there's just two places where there can be a problem. Either the antenna isn't really 'right', or the amplifier isn't really 'right'. It can be a 'toss-up' as to where the problem is. One other fact you have to remember is that there are NO standards for CB amplifiers. They are by design, a 'close enough' type thingy, since you can't really, or easily, tune one's output (a 'no-tune' thingy). That means that if there's an objectionable change in SWR when using an amplifier, then typically, it's the amplifier's fault. Which assumes that the antenna is right to start with. Sounds like running in circles, right? And it is, which is why having the proper tools to do something is nice. Otherwise, it's just guess work.
This isn't a specific answer to this specific problem, but it ought'a tell you something, give you a hint on what to do about it.
- 'Doc

[wrong way]

well 10k didnt come tuned my 2 month old dosy test center is fried watts are good but it shows good swr band A thru F so I took it to a shop and got'r tuned down to 1.1:1 1 thru 40 had to cut bout 3 inches off good thing I wasnt running my amp ANYONE KNOW IF i CAN GET THE SWR PART OF THAT METER CALIBRATED?? THANKS Wrong Way

[jessejamesdallas]

well 10k didnt come tuned my 2 month old dosy test center is fried watts are good but it shows good swr band A thru F so I took it to a shop and got'r tuned down to 1.1:1 1 thru 40 had to cut bout 3 inches off good thing I wasnt running my amp ANYONE KNOW IF i CAN GET THE SWR PART OF THAT METER CALIBRATED?? THANKS Wrong Way

You can probably get the whole thing fixed for free if you contact Dosy and tell them whats going on...Heck, you may only be out whatever the postage is...

Right after I bought my Palstar Meter, I noticed that the right hand side needle was sticking, and sometimes not moving at all, so I sent it back to Palstar , and they replaced the meter at No charge...(this was about 6 months after I bought it)

[wrong way]

well 10k didnt come tuned my 2 month old dosy test center is fried watts are good but it shows good swr band A thru F so I took it to a shop and got'r tuned down to 1.1:1 1 thru 40 had to cut bout 3 inches off good thing I wasnt running my amp ANYONE KNOW IF i CAN GET THE SWR PART OF THAT METER CALIBRATED?? THANKS Wrong Way

You can probably get the whole thing fixed for free if you contact Dosy and tell them whats going on...Heck, you may only be out whatever the postage is...

Right after I bought my Palstar Meter, I noticed that the right hand side needle was sticking, and sometimes not moving at all, so I sent it back to Palstar , and they replaced the meter at No charge...(this was about 6 months after I bought it)

thanks JJD Ill get ahoul of the shop I bought it from and see what he has to say but Great suggestion on the 10k I love it I'm blowin smoke and lovin the antenna swr great recieve great and already got 2 strangers complamenting the antenna and asking ? about it great antenna glad i went with 10k

[WillyJ]

Yet another happy person with a 10k. Must be something to it huh. 10k ALL THE WAY.

[Alien Abductor]

It didnt come tuned, you got lucky lol. Your swr will go up a bit with the amps on but shouldnt be about 1.5 with em on