Help understanding my antenna analyzer

[Tokin]

Ok, same analyzer i have. Your user manual will show you how to operate your R, X chart and a lot more.
Hook your antenna up to to the analyzer.
Press 3/fq range
Set center frequency to 27205 and a sweep range of 17500kHz
Press OK
Arrow up to R, X chart, press ok
Press ok to start.
Resonance frequency is shown at the bottom of the chart.
SWR chart will show you where your lowest swr is.
X/cancel will take you to home screen
To check other channels/frequencies press 3/fq range and change the frequency.
My best advice is to get more familiar with the analyzer itself then work with the antenna. Thats what i did and im pretty green to the technical side of antennas. I had do the crawl, walk, trip and fall game hahaha. Still havent learned to run yet but i know a lot more now than i did. Google can help answer some questions also.

The user manual is easy to follow. Dont be afraid to play with all the different functions
Im on a dummy load so pay no attention to the readings.

 

[144inBama]

100% antenna, Wilson 1000 mag mount. That was the best reading though.

 

[Magard]

Some pictures

 

[Magard]

Now my readings have changed. Even worse. Can’t tune that far out. Picture of analyzer is best frequency

 

[Tokin]

Now my readings have changed. Even worse. Can’t tune that far out. Picture of analyzer is best frequency

Read my post. Follow the directions. Your center frequency is set to 28070 something.
Set your center frequency to 27205 then take your readings.

 

[Magard]

Driving down the road

 

[Tokin]

Ok, 27210 is close enough. What does your all readings look like now?

 

[Magard]

More driving

 

[Tokin]

Your center frequency is off. Needs to be 27205 or very close to it.
Its going to be hard to say what direction to go first because we really dont know what the other guy did or didnt do. If you're on the road my suggestion is to find a cb shop who is known for setting up big trucks. Mesa cb I75 Wildwood Florida would be my choice if i were close.
I would start from scratch and start bonding and make sure it was done well. That analyzer will be your friend thru the process but you first have to learn how to set it up properly.

 

[Slowmover]

OK... I'm totally lost here... I was always told your SWRs should be as low as possible... Now I'm seeing that the numbers I'm getting are not optimal... Someone please explain why in "I'm just a dumb guy from Alabama" terminology... PLEASE.

“Readin’ around”, is kinda my cure for that feeling.
Antennas are big boy stuff.

Resonance and Standing Wave Ratio are sorta like girls. The first is the lingerie model. The second Is the girl next door. Ones easier to meet (test) than the other.

SWR isn’t a bad way to tune, it’s simply limited (“keep your clothes on till the lights are off, honey”). Below 2.0 is okay, near 1.5 and leave it alone.

An antenna is designed to resonate. But more goes into measurements to make it do so with accuracy.

The Big Truck Problem is that

1). The mounts are inefficient.
2). The antennas are a compromise.
3). The location of the mount is a problem

4). Then, we may have low-quality coax AND coax routing problems.
5). Power to the radio may be lowered-voltage.
6). Devices built-into the truck may be a problem AND devices you’ve added.

Then each system component has to be verified operationally-correct.

The antenna SYSTEM is that on which to focus first. That each component is GTG.

As the vehicle itself is one-half of the antenna, this system is the one most difficult for a big truck operator.

FWIW, I get as far as I can go . . . then I pay attention to something else.

Am I chasing my tail? No, I’m running in circles, but then I stop AND REVERSE DIRECTION!!

Genius, huh?

(Patience. Patience & Application).

.

 

[Tallman]

Yes, I did say I won't run anything higher than a 1.3 on my antenna systems. Are you trying to say I shouldn't bother tuning my antenna systems for max efficiency because "most hams" don't? Or that you're the first person to recognize that antennas can momentarily change in tune when they move or when it rains or snows on them? Most hams are appliance operators (I'm also a ham, I've met and talked to them) who rely on tuners or will run excessively high SWR because some book or manual told them it's perfectly fine. The OP is asking about the tune on a monoband (11 Meters) antenna system, not a multiband hambone antenna.

I'll be nice here, but don't always count on it. There is a point in which further tuning is a waste of time and perhaps even counter productive.
Just because the swr is low does not the antenna is resonant or more efficient.
The only reason to worry about SWR is for protection of the transmitter section of your radio.
What I do dislike is somebody is dispensing B.S. as a gospel fact.
If you do not want to run an antenna that is over 1.3 fine good for you.
But don't tell people 1.3 Vswr is too high.

 

[Tallman]

With the antenna system maybe it's not all fault of the Galaxy 66. I'd definitely address the antenna system first before even transmitting with that radio. First step I'd take is finding a reputable shot!

If they bought the radio with the super wack tune up, it could very well be the radio.
Those super tune ups are only making ghost watts. It is tvi or radio interference.
Those ghost watts will still stress your finals and no cb radio will ever hear them.
They also will screw with your Vswr.

 

[Magard]

Tall man. I hear you on the tune up but on the analyzer I should see impedance somewhere around 50 right. I’m around 30

 

[144inBama]

“Readin’ around”, is kinda my cure for that feeling.
Antennas are big boy stuff.

Resonance and Standing Wave Ratio are sorta like girls. The first is the lingerie model. The second Is the girl next door. Ones easier to meet (test) than the other.

SWR isn’t a bad way to tune, it’s simply limited (“keep your clothes on till the lights are off, honey”). Below 2.0 is okay, near 1.5 and leave it alone.

An antenna is designed to resonate. But more goes into measurements to make it do so with accuracy.

The Big Truck Problem is that

1). The mounts are inefficient.
2). The antennas are a compromise.
3). The location of the mount is a problem

4). Then, we may have low-quality coax AND coax routing problems.
5). Power to the radio may be lowered-voltage.
6). Devices built-into the truck may be a problem AND devices you’ve added.

Then each system component has to be verified operationally-correct.

The antenna SYSTEM is that on which to focus first. That each component is GTG.

As the vehicle itself is one-half of the antenna, this system is the one most difficult for a big truck operator.

FWIW, I get as far as I can go . . . then I pay attention to something else.

Am I chasing my tail? No, I’m running in circles, but then I stop AND REVERSE DIRECTION!!

Genius, huh?

(Patience. Patience & Application).

.

OK... That I can understand.. LOL
Thanks SM

 

[Tallman]

Tallman. I hear you on the tune up but on the analyzer I should see impedance somewhere around 50 right. I’m around 30

Not necessarily. A 102 will usually show around 25 to 35 Ohms impedance. The Vswr will look good and long range will be easy. The 50 Ohm is a free space figure.
To be Honest the only 50 Ohm antenna I have ever seen was my old co-phased 102's on my old Dodge Carryall. The thing to worry about is just the Vswr. As long that is low you are in good shape. Don't too much about all the other readings. They are not of much use to you unless you are going into design and research.
some interesting reading about resonance and where the XL and XC come from in your analyzer.
https://www.electronics-notes.com/a...gation/antenna-theory/resonance-bandwidth.php