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wilson 500 on a moving van?

T

terry619

Guest
I rented a gmc moving van for a trip and when I installed my radio in it the SWR ranges from 1.5 ch. 1 to near the "red zone" ch 40. Is this caused by the reflection from the van?

thanks,
Terry
 

Could be the antenna is electrically too long. It is a shortened 1/4 wave antenna and Wilson does make several stingers of different lengths for other similar designed antennas in their line. This could account for the narrow bandwidth. You could also have a stinger for maybe the 5000 model, but not sure on that one. Have you used this setup before where it worked fine?

Try going down below channel 1 and check the SWR. If it goes down below 1.5 and then up again as you go lower, then the element is just a bit too long if you wish to work in the CB band.
 
1000 and 5000 stingers are the same leighnth (how ever you spell it) 62 inches 1.5 to to the red could be worse . Moving van for a trip ? you might try moving the antenna to another location on the truck and then check the SWR and or use the set screws and bring the stinger up and down for the best match. if your not running power and it's only for a trip ? a 2.5 match will work very well for you (believe it or not) yes ! the lower the better SWR of course is your aim , if you can't change things as they are for now , just check from channel one up until you reach about 2.5 and use those freqs for the time being , you wont hurt a damned thing and the radio will transmit and receive just fine. But my all means try a different location and or moving the stinger up and down to see if you can't even things out on both 1 and 40 to the best that you can. Good luck to you. Those are great antennas to begin with.
 
You are right SK, the 1000 & 5000 use the 62", but the 500 which Terry has is only 54". If he somehow had the 62" in his base then maybe he would be seeing a very low center frequency well below 11 meters. All he has to do is measure his stinger if he does not have a radio that will go above and below the CB band.

I have heard guys talk about getting them mixed up before. I think the dealers get the stingers shipped seperately from the bases and then they have to see to it they get the right stinger to match up with the antenna. You are right again however, the red zone may be an issue that probably has nothing to do with mixed up stingers, if that is so.

No way to know unless Terry can figure it out.
 
Marconi said:
Could be the antenna is electrically too long. It is a shortened 1/4 wave antenna and Wilson does make several stingers of different lengths for other similar designed antennas in their line. This could account for the narrow bandwidth. You could also have a stinger for maybe the 5000 model, but not sure on that one. Have you used this setup before where it worked fine?

Try going down below channel 1 and check the SWR. If it goes down below 1.5 and then up again as you go lower, then the element is just a bit too long if you wish to work in the CB band.
Click to expand...

your telling this man to go below 40...how do you know his radio does this and is that good advice ,seeing though CB is 40 channels only? :p
naughty naughty :p

and you can't get a HOW TO of info out of your post..besides beling low on 1 and high on 40
I rented a gmc moving van for a trip and when I installed my radio in it the SWR ranges from 1.5 ch. 1 to near the "red zone" ch 40. Is this caused by the reflection from the van?

I mean right there sounds like the stinger isn't set right
reflection from the van..wouldn't the SWR just be high on all 40..I would think so! what radios is it...did you use its meter or do you have a meter you put in line?
I had 2 that i had to pull the stinger out and spray parts cleaner in the hole because of it just sitting to long..which for some reason slamed the needle on channel 40 till i cleaned it..

prob by now your done moving and packed it all up..so one might not never know

damm 8am in the morning and already this forum is lagging...I guess thats what you get with hosting over 9,000 sites on one server :p
 
your telling this man to go below 40...how do you know his radio does this and is that good advice ,seeing though CB is 40 channels only? :p
naughty naughty :p

This is what ia m talking about!!!

Just chill my friend!!
No Harm Intended.. :D
 
undertaker said:
your telling this man to go below 40...how do you know his radio does this and is that good advice ,seeing though CB is 40 channels only? :p
naughty naughty :p

This is what ia m talking about!!!

Just chill my friend!!
No Harm Intended.. :D
Click to expand...

ya,ya that was the joke..and I am a chillin my friend,
I just haven't heard CB cops used in a long while...lol
no biggie....
Peace
 
I think my stinger is too long. I have another antenna and I was able to get a lot lower SWRs. Thanks guys!

Van is a rental -- I used to have the radio in a truck with a 102 whip -- no problems!

Thanks again --
Terry
 
Terry, too bad you couldn't find the problem for sure. Always good to have an extra antenna laying around. Before you junk the Wilson you should see if it will work on another vehicle.

Since you state the following:
terry619 said:
... Is this caused by the reflection from the van?

thanks,
Terry
Click to expand...

can you describe what you mean when you talk about reflection from the van possibly causing the problem?
 

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