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Thread: Predator 10k tuning

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    Predator 10k tuning

    I just put a Predator 10k dual coil on my new T680. My SWR's are high 3.1 on 1 and 4.0 on 40. The stinger is uncut. I've been lucky with antennas and never had to trim 1. Looking for some advice before I cut away. Thx.Name:  20220301_214516.jpg
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    Last edited by Groundpounder; 03-01-2022 at 11:01 PM.

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    I would move that earth strap onto the bolt diagonally above and to the right.
    Undo the bolt. scrape the paint off the body work then attach the strap.
    Should be a much better earth connection. As it looks like that black is plastic.

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  3. #3
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    Good eye! Yeah that ground isn't doing much as it's only contact is the nut holding it on.

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

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    Thx for the advice I got it down to 2.0 across the board. The ground strap is between 2 nuts. I double nutted hoping for a better ground. It's a nut, strap and another nut.

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    Still be a better ground as described in earlier post...glad ya got it within operational range

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

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    Just a "FYI"...all Predator 10K antenna's usually need to have the stinger trimmed "some"...Since you can get different lengths of lower shafts and different coil configurations on the 10K's, instead of having 5 or 6 different lengths of stingers to go out with each different configuration, Kale just sells the antennas all with the same length stinger and leaves it up to the buyer to trim the stingers to tune...

    This works out best too for the buyer, since everyone mounts these antennas in different locations, which affects how the antenna will tune...

    Just don't get carried away clipping chunks of stinger off at a time...Make a small cut first if you think the stinger is too long, then re-check SWR with the new length...If you still believe your too long, then cut off a bit more, and re-check.

    Best to re-check the SWR with the stinger bottomed out in the top part of the antenna each time, this way if you cut too much off, you have room to move the stinger back up...

    Depending on mounting location, Predator 10K (or any antenna for as that go's) may not always tune 1.1...lot's of reasons why, but generally it always comes back to not mounting the antenna in the optimal place to start with...(like the middle of the roof...)





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    Quote Originally Posted by 26TM205 View Post
    I would move that earth strap onto the bolt diagonally above and to the right.
    Undo the bolt. scrape the paint off the body work then attach the strap.
    Should be a much better earth connection. As it looks like that black is plastic.
    Sure nuff looks plastic. Alternate: Ohms check the bolt onto which the strap is currently attached. Check it against an adjacent body bolt head. The robustness of the bolt already suggests its attached to stout metal substructure, meaning a more direct body frame ground. Put a aluminum crush washer between plastic and strap then nut.

    Just to satisfy my curiosity, from those of whom are truckers or else have a best guess?
    1. Why don't truckers adopt magnet mount antennas; otherthan, "they are for 4-wheelers".
    2. What is the low-ball % estimate of the number of truckers talking on 1,000W radio rigs.
    3. What is a best guesstimate of average radius reached; under normal atmospheric conditions.
    Last edited by Alabama Buckeye; 03-11-2022 at 10:21 PM. Reason: direct body frame ground
    All answers are opinions and may, or may not be technically correct.

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    Copper conductivity versus zinc plate. Zinc is 27% the conductivity of copper. Aluminum crush washers is 61% that of copper. I'm assuming you're using zinc plated nuts. Or sand the zinc from the top nut underside.
    Last edited by Alabama Buckeye; 03-11-2022 at 11:06 PM. Reason: assumption; sand
    All answers are opinions and may, or may not be technically correct.

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    I changed the earth strap to the suggested location. It did drop the SWR by .1, I've ordered a secondary grounding strap that is higher copper content to see of it improves.

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    26TM205 (03-17-2022)

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