so what are the swr's now ? did you try different shafts yet ?
I would have to order a different shaft. I took the 10k off the truck. I read youe posts. Thank you for trying to help. I am listening, but I don't think I want a longer solid antenna. Even putting a 17'' shaft on would increase the soloid portion of the 10 k 8'' over what I have now. The whip will be shorter yes, But the solid section could make contact with a branch. I have a spring on the Firestick ,so when this happens it's no big deal.
The Predator 10k SW I was trying to tune was at it's best lower in overall length. I also wasnn't impressed at all with the POS mount that they recommened. Just the vibration from the truck made it loosen up, and then when I tried to tighten it down it was just pulling itself apart.
I'm no rookie when it comes to mechanical stuff. I made my living turning wrenches for 35 years. I know how to properly mound/install an antenna. Or for that matter anything else. I must have bought the wrong one for this truck. I called Kale himself and he said it should tune at around 5 feet. Thats about where I was at. It just isn't good enough to run a amp with. I wish I could run a longer antenna, but I don't want to take a chance finding it on the road after contact with a tree branch. The mount would have to be waaay better also.
Fogdog (05-09-2013)
Ha Ha High Voltage Mobile NJ,
Yeah maybe you could come over to the Left Coast and give a Mudduck a hand. I really do appreiciate what you and others have tried to fiqure out. I've got it packaged up right now, but I really want to run the dang thing. When I got it tuned to 1.6-1.7 It was at about 57'' I think. Just under 5 ft.
I'm on my second FS-5 from FireStick. I want to try another antenna before I purchase my second FireStik. The more I thought about it the more I told myself... If it ain't broke, don't fix it. They've been really good to me so far, they both tunned to 1.1/1.2 ( 1 thru 40 )
Silverado 996 back in the woods and I'm gone!
* Cobra 29LXLE *
* Ranger 2970N2 * 5' FireStik FS-5 *
* Uniden BearCat 12 watt spearker *
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one most adaptable to change, that survives"
- Charles Darwin
Try this...If you have the 12" lower shaft, get you one of those barrel springs like they use with 102" whips and stick on it...It's still going to end up about the same over-all height after it's tuned, but you will be getting the coil section higher over the roof line, plus you'll have the advantage of the spring in-case you do plow into a low hanging limb.
On my Toyota Tacoma I have a single coil 10K mounted on a riser which is mounted right behind the rear window in the center of the truck. The riser puts the antenna mount even with the roof line.
I also tried using a 12" shaft but never could get it to tune lower than 1.3 to 1.4 SWR...Changed out to the 17" shaft and now it's tuned on my MFJ at 1.0 to 1.1 on channels 1-36, and 1.1 the rest of the channels to 40...
By adding the spring I'll bet you'll see a better SWR reading...Only thing you'll have to check is how the antenna acts at highway speeds with the spring. I know a single coil 10K on the 12" shaft will work with a spring, but not sure about the dual coil...worth a try tho if a 17" shaft is too long.
High Voltage Mobile NJ (05-09-2013)
One other thing...I would recommend getting a better mount if your having problems with the one you have coming apart...These are what I use, they are solid brass ball mounts made by Hank Breedloves Machine Shop. They have a web site, just Google "Hank Breedloves machine shop".
These things will handle "ANY" antenna, and last you a lifetime.
BOOTY MONSTER (05-09-2013), High Voltage Mobile NJ (05-09-2013)
jesse james dallas is in the houseeeeeeeeeeeeee . hello to ya .
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