Swr 3.0 no matter

HUMMMMM

Try a 50 ohm load AT the antenna .... If the meter reads almost 1:1 you problem is AT the antenna if NOT then let us know what you get

 

Info on the type of mount you are using???? Is the antenna grounded out???? All antenna mounts have a plastic washer on them that keeps the antenna from grounding out. It is mounted on top of the bracket and insulates the antenna from the bracket.

If your antenna is not insulated from the mounting bracket then it is grounding or shorting out which will cause excessive SWR.


Also when you say behind the cab, do you mean directly behind the cab with nothing being above the cab??? If so then that may also be an issue. With the antenna mast being so close to metal and not sticking above the metal then you may also run into high SWR issues. If this is the case, the only fix is to move the antenna either up on top of the cab area or back away from the cab area so that the mast is not so close to the cab. I know, I know, this would put the antenna in danger of being broken or knocked off when working around trees etc but it is the only option.

I highly suggest getting a steel whip style antenna and getting it above the cab.

You might also look into a spring to install at the base of the antenna but be aware that you will need to trim some of the antenna to get it to tune properly because the spring actually adds length to the antenna.

 

HUMMM ....

I'm married to a EASTERN Kentucky Hillbilly who has her general class license

To test everything from the antenna back you want to put a 50 ohm load
from hot to ground ACROSS the antenna measure with a ohm meter to see if at the radio connector end of the coax you can see that 50 ohm load and then with your SWR meter again at the connector end see if you have a low swr .....

If you do then something is amiss with your antenna if it is high still your coax is bad ....

A SHORT test is short the antenna end and measure at the radio connector end of the coax for that short ....

COAX is nothing but a way to move your power from the radio to the antenna .....

 

See this picture? Make sure that plastic washer is on the top side of the bracket.

 

Sounds like the insulator is missing

 

use a mag mount and be done with it, and that will take care of the breaking worry. Stick it as high as you can.

 

"COAX is nothing but a way to move your power from the radio to the antenna"
I beg to differ. Coax when cut to a phase angle of 180 degree multiples is nothing more than a way to move your power from radio to antenna. Coax when cut to any other length does the same as above, but also acts as an impedance transformer.
Look at a 90 degree q section for impedance matching multiple elements.