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Larsen NMO-27-C testamonials?

I got brave and instead of using the lip mount I punched "the hole" on the trunk lid. Ran the 17' rg8x that came with the laird nmo but was about 1 & 1/2 foot shy so made me a jumper to add some. Now this laird CB-27 I had previously mounted on a durango roof I can't get to tune anyhere near a comfortable level. 2.5 on 40, 3.0 on 20 and about 3.2 on 1, those readings are with the whip on the edge of the top set screw. I'm thinking my whip is a little short measuring just shy of 48".
 
The Lasen coil and stinger combination I mention earlier, up the thread, would be perfect in this sition. Especially, since the hole is popped and the NMO is mounted. Even the Larsen NMO-27 has marginal performance. The base and stinger I mention, would give more gain, and possibly, a smidgen more bandwidth.

Before doing that, maybe try a longer stinger and start tuning all over again.
 
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The Lasen coil and stinger combination I mention earlier, up the thread, would be perfect in this sition. Especially, since the hole is popped and the NMO is mounted. Even the Larsen NMO-27 has marginal performance. The base and stinger I mention, would give more gain, and possibly, a smidgen more bandwidth.

Before doing that, maybe try a longer stinger and start tuning all over again.

I don't remember the combo you mentioned but I'll read up the thread and find it. I've got another whip ordered, it's supposed to be 49" so I guess I chopped some of the last time I installed it and didn't remember. I'm hoping that'll do it because I can't really shell out another 70 bucks for an antenna but we'll see.
 
Well got the new whip in today so without a lot of time I slapped in on and checked swr, unfortunately through the the roof swr.... The whip is about an inch longer but before I start chopping on it I'm going to experiment with the old one a little. I'm scratching my head on this one fellas, never had one so stubborn
 
U have access to an antenna analyzer?
Nope, that's something I don't have and here in the part of podunk Texas I'm at I don't think anyone around here has one either. I'm using a handheld radio with an so239 adapter and small workman swr/power meter to set swr. I've checked the meter on the bench with the mfj meter into a dummy load and reads right on. That's the best I've got. It would be nice to know where the antenna is resonant.
 
South Plains Communications
does Motorola installs + sales/service on public service vehicles. (Almost a sideline, Involved in a great deal more; see site).

SW 335 Loop just west of IH27.

My experience with “non-retail” is to show up and talk to someone. One “sells one’s self” via appearance & articulate ability in subject.

Cash in hand and no receipt desired. ($150 one-hour flat rate minimum?Sometimes never gets that far. If you have that wad of twenties, that’s luck against needing it).

Spiritually, don’t resent spending it if necessary. It’s no longer just about you, but what you could do for others.


These guys not the only ones in town. Cruise by and maybe one can walk into a service bay without the secretary/salesman gauntlet at the big shops.

You just need advice

Try them all. First thing in the morning.

Folks in the business can have best idea on Who, What & Where.

Whom do the mega-churches use? Whom do you know at Potter County Sheriffs Department? Well Service. Etc.

(Sedan/Pickup/SUV with a Larsen. Hmmm, never seen one of those.)

A nice radio install sells itself. (Sells you). Wash the road dust off old Betty, empty out the Fritos bags & snoose cans, then take your weekly bath & oil your boots.

You already have it half in the bag.

Here’s hoping they or someone like them hook you up, read numbers, provide magic dust recipe, and tell you to scat.

Armadillo is a lot of things but it ain’t podunk. It’s the middle of a geographically HUGE factory floor. Enormous money represented by Ag alone. Oil/Gas production, storage & pipeline. Rail. Wind Power. Electric Transmission. The ratio of “service vehicles” on the South Plains against private cars is enormous. You just don’t see it any more.

.
 
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Ok fellas, tried the new stinger. I think I have an antenna issue. So after an evening of troubleshooting I think I've narrowed it to the antenna. I checked continuity on coax both center and shield from one end to the other, checked for shorts with the antenna off, checked that the trunk has enough grounding to the rest of the vehicle body and all the numbers look fine except the standing wave. If I'm correct the antenna base has some capacitance and explains the antenna reading a dead short but even then everything else checks out fine so the only thing left is the antenna base itself. I'm open for thoughts and suggestions.

I'll add that I even used my mfj-870 for testing instead of the little astatic meter I was previously using
 
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I couldn't help myself so I tore apart the coil and this is the magic that was trapped inside. I don't know what could possibly go bad in here but I also can't see what's in the middle where one part of the wire goes either.
 

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I need better understanding on this if you fellas would chime in. I went through and double/triple checked all my work this evening and I found part of the problem. The jumper between the radio and meter.... I had been using a 1.5' jumper all along with terrible results. Being the only thing left to do differently I then tried a 3 foot jumper not really expecting any change and I was able to get down to about a 2 on 40 with about 2.2 on 1 and thats all she would do with stinger all the way to the tip. 1st, why would that jumper (that checks out fine with multimeter) cause the readings after the meter to show high swr? Now the whip although should be shorter according to the manufacturer, needs to be longer going off the readings I get. None of it makes sense to me so maybe somebody can help me see and interpret this correctly. I'm no antenna pro by any means, so I could use the schooling. Never been this stumped...
 
Did u ever figure out what happened to your antenna?

I added a laird spring a new whip the tuned again.
I was only able to achieve about a 1.4 on 27.185 with the new whip as far out as it would go.. Being it's only for AM use I had to settle. To get any lower I'd need a longer whip then trim from there because in this specific install it wouldn't behave well. It's already extremely narrow banded from the start so the odds were against me.

Funny thing is it did ok when roof mounted on a Durango....

I hadn't responded because there seemed to not be much of a discussion or interest but there you go, gents.
 

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