Tuning my Predator 10k

**Fogdog** · 05-08-2013, 10:19 AM

Having trouble tuning my new Predator 10k SW. I mounted it on the aluminum headache rack of my truck, and can only get the swr down to 1.6.1. The Firestick it replaced was at 1.3.1. I may have cut the whip a few inches to short trying to tune it yesterday. Total length is 57''.

Does the whip when tuned have to be bottomed out in the lower shaft cavity? Right now mine is above the bottom a few inches supported by the set screw. I am waiting for my new coax cable to arrive, and I haven't done any additional grounding of the rack yet. That Firestick made contacts almost every day across the country. I couldn't get out yesterday. I know the conditions haven't been very good on the west coast for a few days.

Any help would be appreciated. Here's some pictures. Name: predator 10k 002.JPG
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Name: predator 10k 002.JPG
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**619 NJ** · 05-08-2013, 10:24 AM

Don't bottom it out. That will affect your reading. I would add some grounding to the headache rack, and honestly just wait for the coax to arrive bud. You may get a completely different reading.

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**Fogdog** · 05-08-2013, 10:31 AM

Whew! Ok cool. I was hoping I didn't screw it up. I should have waited to get that quality coax I ordered before the install, but I was excited and wanted to get it done. Thanks for the help.

**619 NJ** · 05-08-2013, 10:34 AM

It's all good man. I'm sorry that you are having such a bitch of a time with this. Last time I tuned a predator, I put it on the roof, hooked up the MFJ, cut an inch off of it and I was good to go. I'm thinking you may be getting some reflect off of the headache rack. I know that height is a concern for you, but I just think that if you could get the coils up a little higher it would tune easier

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**Fogdog** · 05-08-2013, 11:21 AM

Yeah height is a bit of a concern around here. I have a lot of trees along my drive. Don't want to beat the antenna to much, and knock it out of whack. It might be as good as it's going to get. Still have a couple of things to try yet.

**619 NJ** · 05-08-2013, 11:32 AM

Yeah I wouldn't give up just yet

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**JesseJamesDallas** · 05-08-2013, 07:46 PM

Before I started cutting on the stinger, I would first get the headache rack good and grounded...and your new coax.

Just wondering...Is there no way to mount the antenna in the center of the rack? Would be better centered.

**Fogdog** · 05-08-2013, 09:41 PM

I'd have to take it off, and drill it. If that didn't work I'd have to take it off again. It's a bit of a hassle. Of course it can be done. I didn't have to ground the rack for the Firestick, so I'm wondering why this seems to be needed now. I did ground the rack today to the frame of the truck with a set of jumper cables just to see if that would do anything , and it didn't. Not sure if it would have anyway. I want this antenna to work but honestly out of three differant antenna's , this one is at the bottom of the list. I thought I was upgrading, but so far that hasn't been the case.

If truckers use this SW antenna on their mirrors with good results I don't see why it wouldn't work on top of my pickup. I would think there is less reflecting going on , on my vehicle.

This morning I turned on the the little Midland cb with a cheap Lil Wil mag mount antenna on the Grand Am inside the garage and it was pulling in stations that my truck parked outside couldn't. That bummed me out.

I'm still waiting for that coax to arrive, but I don't have a lot of confidence that it's going to make that big of a differance. The signal that I was receiving this morning sounded just like when I had the Lil Wil on my truck, before I put the Firestick on it. The receive judt doesn't sound clear. Kinda muted. I'm not saying the Firestick is better, but it does work better so far.