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solarradio351
03-05-2014, 03:31 AM
WHY CAN'T THE SWR METER/ MATCHER GO AFTER THE RADIO so no big power Fry's it ? It is tuning everything from radio to antenna no matter what order there in. Am I right on that ?? Why not ?... thanks ...351... :-)

222DBFL
03-05-2014, 04:54 AM
Actually you want the antenna feed into the swr meter to be closest. By that I mean, the connection that goes to the radio port should be the last component in the chain, so in order starting from the antenna port which the antenna feed line goes to. Next should come the output or ant port of an amp or radio, then from the amps radio port to the radio. This puts the meter at the last point of power and the closest point to the antenna (the feed line or coax). This should give the correct reading. This has always been the order I have followed. And I have been around some guys running 10kw mobile systems. This is the way they run their setup's. You really need the proper watt meter for the proper application. Those small swr/watt meters with the matcher are junk IMO and don't work worth a shit. I have one that is basically a door stop or for use as spare parts. It never read very accurately even new and the matcher was useless. Tune your antenna to the lowest swr around the channels that you most often frequent. If this means having to have 2 whips for a mobile then so be it. Most antenna matchers aren't made to take many watts either so you have to be careful about which one to purchase as well if you are running any amps or high power. This is all just my opinion and I may be way off, but as a cell site tech, I will say that the power should be measured at the last point of its output. Swr readings should be taken as close to the antenna as possible, measurement would be taken directly at the antenna port itself if possible. Again JMO. God bless.

solarradio351
03-05-2014, 06:40 AM
Sounds like no way around total replacement ! I don't need to have a power out reading , the matcher was just a lazy way of swr'ing all 3 antennas . With the new antenna coming I could do away with ant switch till I get a box been built, I have a old 200w oskerblock swr meter Dad gave me that works well , If i set swr ch36 or there abouts what will happen when I head way up or down channel wise, won't it need re swr at certain points ? Remember this Grant is a fully open export model... have not used a SWR meter for 25+ years so forgot all the rules even the basic's of some of the things I've done 100 times before .. long time ago but... could be old timers creeping in what do you think 222 ?....
Answer is spend note $$ go hard or go home, as they say... cheers mate... 351... :-))

222DBFL
03-05-2014, 06:45 AM
You want to get good swr across the whole band if possible. Get readings from 20, then 1 and 40. I try to get them about as even as possible across.

BOOTY MONSTER
03-12-2014, 11:52 AM
a swr meter in front of a amp won't see the antenna's input ... it will see the amps input .

halfwatt959
03-15-2014, 06:52 AM
I would like to have a good ant. matcher if anyone knows of a good brand. I had a land-matic. It never realy worked right then one day shorted out or something don't know what happened but it was bad. SWRs went stupid. I haven't seen one that would handle over 100w and over powering maybe what happened to my old one.

solarradio351
03-15-2014, 11:23 AM
There are some matchers on eBay that handle big power but they also like big money for them, the galaxy ain't worth S#*t if you have in line help... 351..