Tuning 102" Whip?

[Groundhog KSS-2012]

Groundhog, just a note relayed to me by DB a member on this forum.

If you look between the cab and the bed of your PUTruck, you might see that there is no apparent connection between these two parts of the PU Truck cab and bed.

You might see the frame rails and the exhaust, but those parts may not be making a good ground connection between these two parts.

A continuity check may be helpful here, but I never checked this out either. I don't have a truck anymore, but DB has suggested, to be sure, ground the cab and the bed well (metal to metal) together on both sides.

If you check this out, please let us know.

Marconi

I will and, thanks so much. All info appreciated.
Btw, my whip was purchased in 1967 by my Dad and there is no set screw adjustment on it. Just a straight whip with the threads on the bottom and the place for the wrench. It's one of the old originals I suppose. But, I'm guessing. Maybe the originals had the set screw adjustment.

 

[Recon]

I will and, thanks so much. All info appreciated.
Btw, my whip was purchased in 1967 by my Dad and there is no set screw adjustment on it. Just a straight whip with the threads on the bottom and the place for the wrench. It's one of the old originals I suppose. But, I'm guessing. Maybe the originals had the set screw adjustment.

I think the set-screw came later. The ferrel can be heated to melt the solder to remove the whip, but in my opinion, that is the very last experiment to do. I had a stainless whip, spring and ball mount installed on the left rear quarter panel of a '62 Chevy Nova way back in 1970 and I did not have a SWR issue.

 

[Recon]

I think the set-screw came later. The ferrel can be heated to melt the solder to remove the whip, but in my opinion, that is the very last experiment to do. I had a stainless whip, spring and ball mount installed on the left rear quarter panel of a '62 Chevy Nova way back in 1970 and I did not have a SWR issue.

Oops! '65 Chevy Nova.

 

[Groundhog KSS-2012]

I have never adjusted for impedance as I've never owned a analyzer. But, I have had some very good talking radio/antenna setups without that so, I hope/guess, I done something right.

 

[Robert Cook Sr]

Oops! '65 Chevy Nova.

leave spring off and use a stainless steel spacer and ground bed to cab & frame

 

[secret squirrel]

If I missed the info on high power, then I apologize. I am willing to conclude, that if you are not running high power, if you are using good quality coax and have the mount installed correctly, and the SWR is obviously below 2.0, the 102-inch whip and spring will outperform the previous antenna. If you are running the high power, then I understand the need to get the SWR as low as possible, but if you are using a standard bare foot talk box the I propose that you use the big whip, if you got the SWR below 2.0 and check out the results for yourself. Analyze your result and not the computer. This advice was passed on to me years ago and I try to keep it in mind with the 102-inch whip and spring.