4' Firestik tuning question
#1
4' Firestik tuning question
I have a wooden boat and have mounted to a thin piece of galvanized metal a 4' NGP Firestik antenna. I have the 18' of cable connected and everything is nice and tight and I use an Astatic SWR meter for testing the SWR.
My antenna has the tuneable tip and each time I make adjustments I always return the tip cover as is required. I have the SWR meter and my 75-822 Midland handheld CB radio all hooked up in-line correctly. I test in my boat out in the open water with nothing around. I can get an acceptable SWR reading of 1.5:1 on channel 1 but then channel 40 has an SWR of over 3:1. I make the necessary adjustments and then of course the SWR on channel 1 goes up subsequent to the SWR on channel 40 going down.
So here's the results I get. On channel 1 the best I can get is 2.5:1 and I channel 40 it is the same thing (at least I have been able to get the SWR identical on both these channels ). On channel 20 my SWR is 2:1 and on channel 16 it is roughly 1.7:1 or so. I use my CB on channels 10 through 20 most often, with channel 16 the main channel.
So my question, is running my CB with these SWR readings satisfactory. I know with an SWR of 3:1 there is definitely something wrong but where I have it below 3:1 on channels 1&40 and have 2:1 or better on my useable channels shouldn't that be okay with no adverse affects to my radio?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to try and elliminate any questions that might arise as to my set up and testing method.
My antenna has the tuneable tip and each time I make adjustments I always return the tip cover as is required. I have the SWR meter and my 75-822 Midland handheld CB radio all hooked up in-line correctly. I test in my boat out in the open water with nothing around. I can get an acceptable SWR reading of 1.5:1 on channel 1 but then channel 40 has an SWR of over 3:1. I make the necessary adjustments and then of course the SWR on channel 1 goes up subsequent to the SWR on channel 40 going down.
So here's the results I get. On channel 1 the best I can get is 2.5:1 and I channel 40 it is the same thing (at least I have been able to get the SWR identical on both these channels ). On channel 20 my SWR is 2:1 and on channel 16 it is roughly 1.7:1 or so. I use my CB on channels 10 through 20 most often, with channel 16 the main channel.
So my question, is running my CB with these SWR readings satisfactory. I know with an SWR of 3:1 there is definitely something wrong but where I have it below 3:1 on channels 1&40 and have 2:1 or better on my useable channels shouldn't that be okay with no adverse affects to my radio?
Sorry for the long post but I wanted to try and elliminate any questions that might arise as to my set up and testing method.
#2
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Sounds like your lacking a sufficient ground plane. A thin strip of metal does not make a good ground plane.
Make sure not to coil the excess cable this too can cause high SWR's.
An SWR below 2 is quite acceptable, having it be 2 or below at the high and low end would be best.
I would do what Gnarly said "Tune it for the channel that you use most often." and you should be fine.
Make sure not to coil the excess cable this too can cause high SWR's.
An SWR below 2 is quite acceptable, having it be 2 or below at the high and low end would be best.
I would do what Gnarly said "Tune it for the channel that you use most often." and you should be fine.
Last edited by AkitaDog; 05-26-2010 at 09:09 PM.
#3
Thanks guys. AkitaDog, as far as a ground plane I am fine, I have a Firestik No-ground-plane antenna that is made for vehicles without the sufficient metal to create a good ground plane, the coaxial cable creates the ground plane for me.
I'm sure I can get my SWR lower on my usable channels but that will mean hitting an SWR on the higher channels that are 3:1 or so, but I guess that's okay as long as I am not operating on those channels with the higher SWR?
Thanks again!!
I'm sure I can get my SWR lower on my usable channels but that will mean hitting an SWR on the higher channels that are 3:1 or so, but I guess that's okay as long as I am not operating on those channels with the higher SWR?
Thanks again!!
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