I finally got around to moving my antenna up. I moved it from 16 feet to 40 feet to the feed point. I noticed a 1 S unit increase in my rx and tx, so it was worth the effort and time to me. Also I have a 1:5 swr on channel 1 and 40 but it raises up to 1:8 on channel 15 and then slowly goes back down. Is that exceptable, I usally try to get it below 1:5. Forgot to mention I am using a maco 5/8 antenna.
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Moved my antenna up yesterday!
- Thread starter nat19
- Start date
Sounds like you did all right by moving it up. But it also sounds like the SWR is off - which means that you will need to re-adjust it. (That is what friends are for - lol!) It isn't unreasonable to have it be 1.1 on channel 1 and 40 and 1.4 on channel 20. Seems like yours is a little bit off to me...
Great question.. Mine is around the same.. Someone with the same antenna as me. Mine was higher but I found that putting the ring 6 1/4 like the manual says as a starting point works well. It also tightned fully can slide off and be throwing your swr off.. Mine jumped to 3, and I found that the poles slide downwards into the antenna.. Had to use vice grips to make sure they were tight because the screwdriver was tight as it could go but still managed to work its way back down..Also make sure your at the correct length for the frequency your on.. I am new and just re-sharing what ive been through with this cheaply made antenna... Its preforming well, but in all opinion the one i have the aluminum could have been better
PS: Mine will be going up higher soon as I can get the guy wire and extra tripod to hold that sucker up higher
When I said it raises up to 1:8 on channel 15 and goes back down I mean that as I get closer to channel 1 and 40 it goes back to 1:5. How would I adjust it? I always just shortend or lenghend the antenna depending if it was higher on channel 1 or 40. In this case it is the same on channel 1 and 40 but higher in the middle. How to I adjust my antenna for that.
two main things here the tap point and the length!the length not so important i had one of these lengthened to 21ft and change and got the tap point to bring me down to 1-1.1 on all cb channels this took away from the broadbandness but likely increased gain slightly your best bet is to set your antenna for what channel you want a flat match on and adjust your tap point till you find flat line.
The only channels I talk on are channel 4 AM and 37,38, and 39lsb I have about a 1:5 on all of these channels so I guess I am ok. I just wish it was under 1:5 on all 40 channels though.
Below is an image of a typical bandwidth curve for a CB band antenna guys---unless you live in Robb's world of corn'fusion.
The BW described as reasonable, by both nat19 and then Robb, suggesting a curve that is the very opposite of what should be expected or reasonable, higher in the middle and lower at the ends---is not good.
Nat19's antenna will work maybe, but its not "expectable" as he put the question. In order for a V58 to show a bandwidth curve like nat19 describes, the antenna must have considerable mismatch at the feed point---if the SWR curve is really as he describes. It's likely that his resonant center frequency is either well above or below the CB band and not where he expects it.
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If you read Nat's first post, he has already pointed out that the SWR is PRESENTLY high in the middle of the band (SWR= '1.8') and LOW at the ends of the bands (SWR= '1.4'). Lowering the SWR may mimic the same pattern - which I admit is an odd pattern to begin with. Looks like it isn't resonant where it was designed to be. Something is wrong; did he assemble it correctly? I agree that one would expect it to the the reverse of what he is seeing.
I explained it without an insult - too!
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Yeah, I'm no expert but you are describing a double hump of sorts. A 1.1 on 1 and 40 but a 1.4 on 20? BTW, 19 is the center of the CB band, not 20.
I had the antenna assembled for about a year and a half at 16 feet to the feed point. Yesterday I raised it up to 40 feet. I just took the antenna down put it on the new mast and raised it up i didn't change anything that I know of. I am stumped too
Perhaps he should check the SWR above and below the CB 40 channel band if his radio will go there. Find out where the true curve is, and then go longer/shorter on the vertical based on where the high/low is until it moves into the right place.
Sadly my radio is just a straight 40 channel radio. I am going to take the antenna down this weekend if time permits, and double check to make sure its together right.
Try checking the construction carefully using the manual and then re-tune. Try to get the BW better with a good tune. With the numbers you showed us your BW looks to be close to .50 mhz wide and I would figure a well constructed and tuned V58 should show 1.5 mhz wide or better @ <2.0:1 SWR.
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And by the way, 1:5 and 1:8 are not accurate ways to write your SWR readings. That would be the same as saying 5:1 and 8:1, which wouldn't be good.
If you mean "one point five to 1", it's 1.5:1. The colon followed by the number 1 should be at the very end (as in 1.8:1) to avoid confusion.
If you mean "one point five to 1", it's 1.5:1. The colon followed by the number 1 should be at the very end (as in 1.8:1) to avoid confusion.