runnerboy97

I finally got around to tuning my new antenna, i was gettin a little below 2 on the SWR meter. i know its a taste high, but the best i could get. I have a 3ft firestick with spring on the front bumper.
heres the mount, best pic i have so far.

shazaam

You have the same set up as me. The problem is that its not ground properly on the metal. Remove the plastic between the spring and the bumper. So that it is metal contacting metal and that should fix your problem.

runnerboy97

what kinda of SWR are you getting? i might try removing the washer to see if that helps

shazaam

It was just reading hot, like 30+ .. if that makes sense. The needle just went all the way to the right no matter how much I tuned the antenna.

Then bumperis off right now, and while I was taking it off, the idea occured to me. So when I put it back on I'm going to try and remove the plastic washer and that should hopefully make the difference.

runnerboy97

i hope you mean around 3 not 30.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Carefull guy's, that washer is needed.
Been there done that.



The washer insulates the shaft as seen in the pic above.
That is what the coax wire is for.
One wire is ground which should be grounded by drilling a hole into your ARB or TJM bumper.

The other wire from the coax is on the ring that goes around the shaft of the antenna, and it must not come into contact with ground.
You can see also that the nut at the very bottom does not contact any ground of the frame or bumper as it is threaded on the shaft, and what keeps it from gounding is the bottom washer.

If any part of that shaft grounds, your SWR goes out the window.
I have a 1.1 or less match on all 40 channels.

Note also in the pic that it says the washers are for insulating.
In other words, they keep the shaft from grounding.

runnerboy97

my stud mount only came with one nylon washer. Thats how firestick packaged it. Cory, does it make a difference if i have the kind of coax that jsut threads onto the end of the stud as opposed to the ring type end that you have?

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I am not familiar with that type of coax you have.
I have heard of them, but I prefer old school methods when it comes to hooking up the antenna.
I like the two separate wires instead of that "Fire Ring" or whatever they call it.

One time I had the ground wire from the coax in the engine bay under a bolt next to the battery.
My SWR was terrible.

I ended up going to a local CB shop that carries the nice quick disconnect I have, and he told me the ground wire must be done within a few inches where it exits the sheath.
You can see mine here.

shazaam

So what do we do if we have the wire that is screwed into the base of the spring. Its an all in one design. Only thing I can think of is to cut it and seperate out the black ground wire and attach that to the bumper. But then everyone tellls me not to cut the coax.

runnerboy97

the coax is this one
and the stud mount is this
i can live with the SWR just below 2, i was happy when i hooked up the meter and thats where it sat. everyone knows the bumper isnt the best place for an antenna.