• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
  • Click here to find out how to win free radios from Retevis!

Patriot Pat-12 High SWR


I had one as a first base antenna. It blew the final out of my radio the swr was so high the first time I transmitted into it.

Lowest I could get the SWR was 1.7 on either end of the regular 40 and about a 1.5 on 20

I called pro comm about it and they sent me another one but neither worked that great. I ended up giving them both away and no one was ever able to get a real low SWR on them.

Whats is your SWR showing on 1 and 40?
 
Hose clamp SWR

Well since my swr were going down by turning the tuning rings up the more I went up the lower the swr but I ran out of thread to go any further I was at the end of my adjustment so I put a wide hose clamp (Qulity hose clamp all stainless) several inches above the tuning rings to see what would happen as if I could have had more adjustment going up and it heped the swr did come down a little more.
 
it seems to me that your antenna is reading a little too short .wonder
if ya screwed a fiberglass 102 or a ss102 then tuned your rings if that
would help. allthough your antenna will be longer
 
1. Always start with the best antenna system possible.
Money spent here is well spent. Review your area.
Need mast or tower to clear trees then do so. Next
what would you like to do? Serious dx, then look at
beams. Can't hurt to have both omni and beam. Start
by getting one first then the other.
2. With a good radio and good antenna you prolly won't
need an amp. However
3. Running an amp through crappy antenna will be the
demise of your radio and amp.
4. Get your money back on that antenna if you can. Save
up and put it into #1 above.

Hope this helps out. Ask if you have any questions before
#3 above happens. Plenty of help on the forum.
 
Well since my swr were going down by turning the tuning rings up the more I went up the lower the swr but I ran out of thread to go any further I was at the end of my adjustment so I put a wide hose clamp (Qulity hose clamp all stainless) several inches above the tuning rings to see what would happen as if I could have had more adjustment going up and it heped the swr did come down a little more.

Hammer, I FINALLY FOUND A SOLUTION!

In trying to tune mine, I also moved the tuning rings up as far as they would go. I then tried attaching a steel hose clamp above them. Still no luck.

Then I remembered this: According to the Firestik website, If the SWR on channel 40 is greater than that on channel 1, your antenna is considered to be "LONG" and reduction of physical height and/or conductor length will correct this situation. So I trimmed it.

First, I took 1" off the top (with a hacksaw). SWR's went DOWN.
Took off 1/2" more. SWR's improved again.
Took off 1/2" more. A total of 2". BANG!

SWR on CH 1 is 1.2!
SWR on CH 20 is 1.1!
SWR on CH 40 is 1.2!

They used to be in the 2.8 range.

Skip is going crazy and I'm hearing people from North Carolina to New Jersey.
Got a radio check from a trucker passing through town. He was only about 5 miles away but said my 1977 Royce Model 619 with stock mic I sounded great.

My antenna sits where it originally did. On a 15' mast at the corner of my house. I have a tall, steeply-pitched roof and the antenna doesn't come close to clearing it.

Hope that helps!
 
SAD NEWS

My miracle fix (trimming 2" off top the top of my PAT-12) has had the last laugh.

This morning I finished up my installation by taping the coax to the mast and attaching the mast to the eave bracket. (Yesterday I just had it leaned against the eave since there was no wind and had the coax just hanging loose).

Yep, you guessed it, my SWR's went UP! From 1.1 to 2.3! Don't know if the cause is the bracket or the coax taped to the mast and don't care. I've had it! I don't want my coax flapping in the wind and being a trip hazard. And I darn sure have to secure the mast to the house.

Took it down. Hacksawed it in half. Put my radio back in its box and in the closet.

Sorry I got everyone's hopes up.

This is the Riverman. Down Texas way. Signing off.
We gone.
 
Well, shoot, decided not to give up just yet.

Here's what I finally settled on:

Homemade Firestik Dipole

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4006-firestik-dipole-1.jpg


Simple to make. Just one piece of angle iron and two 4' Firestiks with stud mounts and a 90 degree adapter.

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4008-firestik-dipole-3.jpg


Though it's not clear in the photo, the antenna connected to the coax is isolated from the bracket by a nylon washer while the other antenna connects directly to it as illustrated in this article: http://www.hamuniverse.com/cbstrongtie.html

Tuning it with the Firestik tunable tips was a snap. First SWR readings:
CH 1 - 2.0
CH 20 - 1.8
CH 40- 2.2

Final readings with each tip extended 1/2":
CH 1 - 1.3
CH 20 - 1.1
CH 40 - 1.2

Didn't hear any locals but LOTS of skip. Chatted with some guy in Philidelphia with my measly 3 watts.

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4007-firestik-dipole-2.jpg


I am done experimenting until I move somewhere where I can put up my Moonraker on a tower.

Riverman, standing by.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
Well, shoot, decided not to give up just yet.

Here's what I finally settled on:

Homemade Firestik Dipole

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4006-firestik-dipole-1.jpg


Simple to make. Just one piece of angle iron and two 4' Firestiks with stud mounts and a 90 degree adapter.

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4008-firestik-dipole-3.jpg


Tuning it with the Firestik tunable tips was a snap. First SWR readings:
CH 1 - 2.0
CH 20 - 1.8
CH 40- 2.2

Final readings with each tip extended 1/2":
CH 1 - 1.3
CH 20 - 1.1
CH 40 - 1.2

Didn't hear any locals but LOTS of skip. Chatted with some guy in Philidelphia with my measly 3 watts.

riverman71-albums-homemade-antenna-2-picture4007-firestik-dipole-2.jpg


I am done experimenting until I move somewhere where I can put up my Moonraker on a tower.

Riverman, standing by.

running a flatside dipole your results are typical. for locals you,d need a verticle. unless they run flatside aswell. good job!!!
 
Thanks.

It's pretty darn stealthy which is what I wanted. And works great!

I have it pointed northeast/southwest and folks on the eastern seaboard sound like they are in the same room as me.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ kopcicle:
    If you know you know. Anyone have Sam's current #? He hasn't been on since Oct 1st. Someone let him know I'm looking.
  • dxBot:
    535A has left the room.
  • @ AmericanEagle575:
    Just wanted to say Good Morning to all my Fellow WDX members out there!!!!!