Base antenna Problems

[Bill Doyle]

Hi
I think I made the mistake of buying a Tram 1499.
no ground plane antenna. It picks up a signal good, but it don't send more then static.
on my base radio. I mounted it outside on the top of my garage, about 40' up.
I used 100' of Rg8u. [suggested by the manufacturer]
I got a pretty good antenna match 1.5.
I have a old Pearce-Simpson Jaguar 40B. It shows 3 watts
dead key on meter but no swing at all when I try to modulate. I got static on the
receiving radio but no voice. Maybe bad finals ??
I tried an old Midland 77-838 mobile unit, good match , 2 watts dead key,no swing
I got out about 2 miles with that with good sound on receiving radio.
I ordered a small RM KL203P 100/200w Linear Amplifier at the same time I ordered the Tram but it hasn't come in yet. I hope that will help. I seen people on you tube using a mobile 102" whip as a base antenna. I'm thinking that might work for me. I have a metal roof on the garage and I could use the metal roof for a ground plane for the 102" whip.
But I don't know how I could adjust the swr on the steel whip.
I want to put up an IMAX or A99 on the garage
but I didn't know if they would work without their ground plan kit.
And I think my neighbors will give me a hard time if I have to use
a bigger antenna with the ground plane kit. But I guess if I am going to get back into the cb world. My neighbors are going to have to get use to looking a big antenna.
mounted on the roof of my garage.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks !! 73's

 

[M0GVZ]

You adjust the SWR on the 102" whip by cutting it which if you are using the metal garage roof as a ground plane you'll need to do as it'll be very good but being a 1/4 wave antenna it will be quite broad in its tuning anyway. Downside is that for local contacts height beats power every single time and on the garage roof it'll be quite low so your idea of an Imax 2000 but put on a long pole would be the way to go.

The Imax 2000 and Antron A99 do work without their groundplane kit. In fact its been suggested that the kit is effectively just a wallet emptier doing little for performance. Plenty of antenna modelling of the Imax 2000 with and without the kit has been done by Marconi on this forum.

 

[w9cll]

I ordered a small RM KL203P 100/200w Linear Amplifier

Adding an amp never over comes having a bad antenna system. When you get the amp set it aside till you resolve your antenna problems. The Imax or A99 will work much better than what you have now.

 

[LeapFrog]

Hi

I have a old Pearce-Simpson Jaguar 40B. It shows 3 watts
dead key on meter but no swing at all when I try to modulate. I got static on the
receiving radio but no voice. Maybe bad finals ??

3 watts says the final section is fine, check the mic wiring.. Could be a bad cap or many other things..

I would get an iMax2000!

 

[543_Dallas]

Adding an amp never over comes having a bad antenna system. When you get the amp set it aside till you resolve your antenna problems. The Imax or A99 will work much better than what you have now.

Sure it does. I can hear my friend down the street while he's testing a radio on a dummy load. I can hear him better if he's working on an amplifier.....I couldn't resist.

 

[hotrod]

the a99 and imax dont require the gpk. thats why thier sold seperately.though i been told they do help decouple the coax. id get the a99 much sturdier anntenna imho

 

[Bill Doyle]

Thanks Guys,
I ordered a A99 without the ground plane from e-bay today.
I think the old base is shot. When I key the mike the needle
don't move at all now. I have been looking for a 40 channel
side band radio anyway. 73 to all. and thanks again !!

 

[222DBFL]

I would make yourself a choke at the feedpoint. Or add some snap on ferrite chokes. Also a Low Pass Filter would be another good investment as well as good coax, and a surge arrester. Make sure you ground the mast well. This will all help keep you from bleeding into the neighbors electronics. Just some food for thought. As for the Low Pass Filter. RF Limited makes a good one, as well as Drake, Bencher, and a few more companies. Stay away from the the MFJ ones. I myself have an RF Limited one that was about $40 new. Handles plenty of power for most needs, and works well. I loaned it to a local pal that lives in an apartment and was bleeding into his neighbors things. Installed the Low Pass Filter, and no more issues!! So they do work. Using good coax as well helps as well as having a good choke at the feedpoint of the antenna. Grounding the coax braid at both the antenna end and the entry way to your radio room is another good thing to do if possible. Not necessary, but won't hurt if done correctly.
Read up on radio comms tower grounding. It's worth it to ground it right. And also to use good coax. JMHO's.
Hope all goes well with the install. Be safe. And good day.

 

[Grogan]

First The meter you are using. Is it peak reading? If not it will not read "swing" just rms watts. second the antenna is a small antenna but for a base set-up you will do better with a Imax 2000 if you put one up buy some die electric grease where the sections are put together. the auto parts sells small packs for spark plugs. the coax and Rm italy should help...l.do you have at least a 25 amp power supply. Talk to some locals maby someone will help you test the radio on a good or better meter good luck. 1/2 the hobby is expirmenting and you are well on the way.

 

[Grogan]

oh and the ground plane kit. Just brings in noise. MY Opinion only!!!!

 

[Bill Doyle]

Thanks guys.
I didn't know that some meters did not read swing.
& die electric grease on the a99 joints.I bought a cheap
meter to check my antenna match. That's why I can't get the swing reading.
I picked up a Realistic Navaho trc459 am/ssb with a D104 power mike.
From a local cb shop at a good price with my old cb in trade.
I know the trc459 isn't a power house of a radio but it has ssb
and I like the fact that is has the channel scan feature and with
the D104 and maybe the RM 203 amp. and the new a99 outside
on a 30' mast. and a 18' length of RG8 coax
I hope I can wake somebody up in cb land.
I live in a bit of a bad spot in White Creek NY.
I'll let you guys know when I have everything up an running. 73s

 

[Bill Doyle]

Thanks guys.
I didn't know that some meters did not read swing.
& die electric grease on the a99 joints.I bought a cheap
meter to check my antenna match. That's why I can't get the swing reading.
I picked up a Realistic Navaho trc459 am/ssb with a D104 power mike.
From a local cb shop at a good price with my old cb in trade.
I know the trc459 isn't a power house of a radio but it has ssb
and I like the fact that is has the channel scan feature and with
the D104 and maybe the RM 203 amp. and the new a99 outside
on a 30' mast. and a 18' length of RG8 coax
I hope I can wake somebody up in cb land.
I live in a bit of a bad spot in White Creek NY.
I'll let you guys know when I have everything up an running. 73s

 

[Bill Doyle]

View attachment 20366 View attachment 20367 Antenna Update :
Antenna is up and running.
I used 2 lengths of 10' chain link fence " Top Rails " and
a 5' length chain link Terminal Post. I had a couple of 16'
long 4x4 laying around . I cut 1 length in half and buried
it in concrete about 5' above ground and about 2" apart and bolted the Terminal post between them.
Then I slid the 2 assembled 10' lengths of Top Rail and the antenna into the Terminal Post.
Using the Terminal Post as a hinge. Went up easy.
Unfortunately the wind here is too strong, I don't recommend using the Top Rail fence in high wind, They only have about 3" holding them together. I had to bolt the other 16' piece of 4x4 to the base and use it as a support. My daughter isn't to happy about the way it looks but it's not going to bend or fall down.
I ended up with a antenna match of about a .05 and about a
27' mast with the17' A99 seating on top of it. I added the old
Tram 1499 for a scanner antenna but it didn't work.
I made contact with a Trucker on a mountain about 10 mi.
away and another guy that said He was about 6mi away.
The TRC459 radio with a d109 power mike & the RM Italy
KL23P seams to be doing ok. Thanks for the help !! 73's
I'll try to add Pic's
Nothing fancy, but it seems to work.
I'm Tired, I think I'll go take a nap !!

 

[Bill Doyle]

View attachment 20359 View attachment 20369 View attachment 20366 View attachment 20367 Antenna Update :
Antenna is up and running.
I used 2 lengths of 10' chain link fence " Top Rails " and
a 5' length chain link Terminal Post. I had a couple of 16'
long 4x4 laying around . I cut 1 length in half and buried
it in concrete about 5' above ground and about 2" apart and bolted the Terminal post between them.
Then I slid the 2 assembled 10' lengths of Top Rail and the antenna into the Terminal Post.
Using the Terminal Post as a hinge. Went up easy.
Unfortunately the wind here is too strong, I don't recommend using the Top Rail fence in high wind, They only have about 3" holding them together. I had to bolt the other 16' piece of 4x4 to the base and use it as a support. My daughter isn't to happy about the way it looks but it's not going to bend or fall down.
I ended up with a antenna match of about a .05 and about a
27' mast with the17' A99 seating on top of it. I added the old
Tram 1499 for a scanner antenna but it didn't work.
I made contact with a Trucker on a mountain about 10 mi.
away and another guy that said He was about 6mi away.
The TRC459 radio with a d109 power mike & the RM Italy
KL23P seams to be doing ok. Thanks for the help !! 73's
I'll try to add Pic's
Nothing fancy, but it seems to work.
I'm Tired, I think I'll go take a nap !!

 

[Bill Doyle]

Hi again !
I was just looking over my last post. I realized a made a couple of mistakes.
1st. of all I had a swr reading of 1.5 not a .5 and my power mike is a D-104 not a D-109.
But I'm sure you guys picked up on that anyway. 73 to all !!