Is it possible to have (too much) antenna?

It must have been one of them feel good meters

 

Yup, I'm gratified that some users out there already know this. And I think it's shameful that the kind of "tech" that Turbo mentions spoils the image of the rest of us. I've got a Bird that I keep send in for calibration when it's due, and I make sure the couple of lightweight meters I use in the field are calibrated to that. But I actually take power readings by calculating voltages that I measure on the scope and plug them into the right formula. That's a nice way to double check the accuracy of the meters.
And when my customer, I show them why they should ask to see the *average* power on peoples' wattmeters. At 100% modulation, which I can measure and set on the scope, the *average* power doesn't change from no modulation to 100%.

So folks, if your tech is tuning all your AM radios with just a meter, and a peak meter at that, figure out some way to beat a hasty retreat. If your tech is changing the shape of the coils near the back of the radio -- the ones that don't have a slug inside them -- he's fooling the radio and fouling the airwaves.
Ask yourself: Did you go into the shop to get an actual problem fixed, or cuz someone told you that your radio could be made to scream and talk across the galaxy?

Find a shop that has the right gear to do it, well, *right*. Also, ask to see their service bench; look to see if they have a scope.

Those techs are around.

-- Handlebar --

 

I think he added the "whack-pack" mod...

 

OK..the best thing you can do is just go spend just under $20 and get you a SWR meter...this goes inline between the antenna and the radio's antenna input...there are good instructions for tuning the radio to the antenna..less than 2.0 SWR on channel 1 and 40 is desired for the radio to transmit and receive properly...so in simple terms Yes you can have either way too much antenna or not enough antenna...having mosfets installed in the radio is helpful as well but do this prior to testing the tuning on your radio...

 

Old school doesn't always mean best experienced. I had an old school CB tech from the 70's tell me I needed to chop the stinger on my Wilson to get the SWR down because his hand held antenna analyzer said so. Well I let him do it for me (thinking this guy's been doing this 35 + years) and guess what....the SWR went thru the roof. Thankfully I had a replacement whip on hand. I think the old man's brain cells were half fried.

Of course the same man also told me if your radio is putting out anything over 35 watts swing, a heat sink coil is required or she'll run hot. His words not mine. Do they make one that size for a 19?

Chances are the 40 watts you're seeing, if not on a feel good meter, are "dirty" watts.

 

Maybe not a scam atrist but everyone likes to feel they got something even if it's streched a bit ......

Tuning up a radio is at best iffy ... most CB radios will do 4 watts the limit but to many thats not good enough ... they want 8 or even 80 out of a $39 radio

The fact is Nick may be a very good tech he may even hold a GROL but you can't get 8 or more watts out of most 2sc1969 class finals bolted to the back of most cb sets ..... The HEAT has got to go someplace ......

Anyone running a small 40 watt class 2 meter radio will tell you they get very hot .... the 60-80 watt ones even hoter and they were MADE to run that much .... They also have a good size heatsink on the back a CB does NOT.

It is heat that limits what you will get and SMOKE is what makes your radio work.

SMOKE Yes smoke if you don't beleve me when you see a puff of smoke and your radio goes dead see it was the smoke that made it work ...

 

I'm no tech by any means but have never heard of anyone getting 40 watts out of a Cobra 19. Just not possible....smoke and mirrors. If it were true why would I spend hundreds of dollars on Galaxy/Connex radios. They wouldn't be able to keep those things on the shelf if they were doing those numbers.That guy would be so busy and making money hand over fist and not working out of a hotel room in Jersey. Like Bruce said that radio would smoke really quick...8 watts is about the best it will do. I would be weary of letting someone that told me a 19 was doing 40 watts work on my equipment I don't care if he invented the radio. Doesn't sound like an honest guy to me...just my opinion.

 

I'm going to my radio tech today and just for a goof I'm going to tell him about this post topic and see how hard he laughs at me. Not doubting all the opinions here but this guy is the true radio nerd (no offense) to radio nerds nothing wrong with that. But he's good and really thorough (lentinicomm.com) big time ham store. Thought I would give him a plug on here.