| Author |
Message |
    
Fishman487
| | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2002 - 8:20 pm: | 
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i jsut installed a new system in my 1989 4runner. i can't get the swr down. so far i've made scrape metal out of two whips. i have an titan rpsy485 transmiter, palomar-250 amp, wilson 1000/mag mount, para-dynamics pdc-30 match box, new jumpers and cable on the wilson and an aries ( hp-5000 ) swr/pwr/mod meter. since this is the first time i am using an amp for mobile use, is there something i don't know about tuning an antenna with an amp? thanks in advance. |
307
| | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2002 - 9:07 pm: |
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Test the SWR with out the amplifier in line and see what it is. You really can not set it with the amp in line. If the SWR is good without the amp you are ok...
307 |
Fishman487
| | Posted on Sunday, February 24, 2002 - 8:18 pm: |
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307,
ok i have a 1.3 without the amp. i put the amp back in line, and i still pin the meter. are you saying it is safe to run this way? so far i've only used the low setting. is it safe to turn the power up? thanks |
Tech181
| | Posted on Monday, February 25, 2002 - 12:13 am: |
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You have to recaibrate your SWR with the amp on or else it will slam to the right. Key the amp, turn meter to CAL or FWD, the adjust till the needle is sitting on the set mark. Unkey and set the meter to SWR or REF and then key up and see what it says.
Steve
Tech181
Tech181@copperelectronics.com |
Fishman487
| | Posted on Monday, February 25, 2002 - 12:51 pm: |
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181, 307,
WITHOUT THE AMP I HAVE A 1.3:1. WHEN I PUT THE AMP BACK IN LINE AND RECALIBRATE THE METER , I PIN IT. IF TAKE THE AMP OUT AND RECLAIBRATE THE METER I'M BACK TO A 1.3:1 THANKS. |
307
| | Posted on Monday, February 25, 2002 - 9:42 pm: |
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Make sure your ground is short and tight on the antenna. If so try to add about 12 feet of coax in line to the existing coax..Let me know if this helps. I am sure that longer coax will...
307 |
Warlock
| | Posted on Monday, February 25, 2002 - 10:00 pm: |
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1. When you check swr with amp on, there should be the radio--> amp--> meter--> antenna. Your radio should have an AM carrier of 1.5w. If it does not you need to set it that way. With the amp turned on and on high power, you key the mike with your meter on CALIBRATE. Adjust sensitivity knob to the calibrate point. Set meter to swr then read. If you still have a high swr, your antenna has a problem. Often the PL259 that comes with the Wilsons are no good. |
Fishman487
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2002 - 8:05 pm: |
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warlock
that is exactly how i have been testing the swr.
(radio-amp-meter-antenna). the pl259 connectors are new amphanols on new rg8x cable. my jumpers are also new. i have tested all cables and they are fine. as i said when i check the swr without the amp, the swr is 1.3:1. when i put he amp back in line and check the swr, i pin my meter. should i get a longer whip? is there a problem with palomar amps? should i use different cable for jumpers? i'm going crazy! ps. am output is 2 watts thanks |
307
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2002 - 9:32 pm: |
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12 foot jumper ADDED to the existing cable..Try it...
307 |
Fishman487
| | Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2002 - 7:19 pm: |
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307
ok i tried the 12' jumper. i still pin the meter. when i test the rig with the jumper and no amp my swr went up to 1.4:1. once again, thanks |
Warlock
| | Posted on Friday, March 01, 2002 - 5:37 am: |
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There's 3 things it could be. Either the coax going to the magnet has a short, the magnet is bad somewhere, or there's a problem in the amp. In these situations the first thing I do is put a dummy load in place of the antenna. This eliminates the rest of the system. You can also borrow soeone elses magmt that is known good to do this. Second is to install your antenna on a buddy's vehicle that runs an amp and has a decent match. That eliminates your antenna and tells you you have a problem in the amp.
Sounds crazy that a magnet mount itself could be bad, but I've seen it happen. |
Fishman487
| | Posted on Friday, March 01, 2002 - 2:04 pm: |
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to all
ok. problem solved! i took the rig to the local shop and had them test everything. it turns out there was a problem in side the swr meter. some kind of technical gizmo. anyway, they fixed the meter and i now hve a 1.2:1 with no amp and, a 1.6:1 with the amp on high. thanks to all who tried to help. it was appreciated.
73's
fishman487 |
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