| Author |
Message |
    
Quackdaddy
| | Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 7:50 am: | 
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I mounted a Maxon MCB30 radio on my son's ATV and so far have tried 2 different antennas with terrible results. I've tried a Radio Shack "no ground plane" antenna and also the Wilson "No ground". I haven't been able to get the swr down to acceptable (less than 1.5) levels on anything except channel 20. Should I give up and just tell his Mom to stick her head out of the door and yell when she wants his attention or what? |
Taz
| | Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 12:10 pm: |
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1.5 is totally acceptable. |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 4:41 pm: |
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Above 2.0 I would be worried but Taz is right, 1.5 is fine. No Worries.
Alsworld |
Taz
| | Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2002 - 6:13 pm: |
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only 4% loss at 1.5 |
Dx431
| | Posted on Sunday, October 20, 2002 - 2:26 am: |
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1.5?? nothin wrong with that..... |
Quackdaddy
| | Posted on Sunday, October 20, 2002 - 5:18 pm: |
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So far the best I am getting is between 2.0 and 3.0. I get 2.0 on channel 20 only. I should have said that I had hoped to get it down to 1.5. |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, October 20, 2002 - 6:00 pm: |
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Oh I see what you said, it could have meant both ways. lol
hmm
since its between 2.0 and 3.0 I would say it just needs to be tuned. |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, October 20, 2002 - 6:33 pm: |
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anything over a 3 usually means coax |
Rattlesnakejake
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 9:48 pm: |
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how about this.... mount the antenna on the gear rack on he back of the atv if there is one,,,, next take some electrical wire and bolt it both into the rack, and then in the metal chassis. That mite help. |
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 12:39 pm: |
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Personally, if you don't need much range, 1 or 2 miles, consider a sit of FRS radios. If you need more range consider MURS radios with an outside antenna at the house.
Things to consider when mounting antennas regardless of the type or band of radio:
1. Ground the antennas mounting bracket to the metal frame of the vehicle. It is very important
to de-couple the antenna-end of the coax run by making sure the shield (or ground) part of the coax cable is grounded to the frame of the vehicle. This forces the antenna system to use the vehicle as a ground plane. If you don't do this then the antenna will try to couple back into the coax cable and and cause VSWR issues.
2. Scrape paint away where the antenna mounts FYI...Paint won't conduct energy, it needs to be bare metal to bare metal!
3. Try to mount the antenna at least 2 or 3 feet away from where you sit.
4. Mount the antenna on a high point
5. Make sure any loading coils not sandwiched up beside any metal objects.
6. Last ditch effort would be to make a ground plane by using something like sticky backed metal foil tape. (looks like shiny metal tape on a roll...like duct tape). Apply the foil tape to the inside of the plastic/fiberglass covers and mount the antenna near it and ground it to the foil tape.
7. Consider a 102" steel on a ball and spring mount. this is usually the most forgiving antenna for installations with awkard VSWR issues. |
Cm3885
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 9:13 pm: |
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Go to Wally World and get the boy a pair of FRS radios. They work great for short range communications and you have nothing to worry about regarding SWRs antennas and such as with CB radios. Only problem is if he wears a helmet (he should anyways) he might not hear the radio if he doesnt have a earbud. ATV are a blast but mounting a CB radio and antenna on them is a pain!! |
Applejack
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:30 pm: |
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i mounted a 3' FGT on the front bumper of my harley davidson golf cart and about 3' of coax to a uniden 510. i didn't check the swr, and i dont use it alot, mostly around my propery but i have talked 10 miles to a base before. use a cheap yard sale radio and let it work as long as it will |
Mikefromms
| | Posted on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 11:27 am: |
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I think we are sweating the little stuff. If it's not in the danger zone for the radio and the radio can talk back to the base 4 or 5 miles, this should work fine. we don't really realize (including myself)how little bit of nothing we are fretting over when we can't get a 1:1 match. I know of one antenna at the same height that outperforms another where it's swr is close to a 3 and the other is like 1:3,--same radio. Go figure. This stuff is weird sometimes.
I'd say, if it works use it. A 1:5 is really an excellent swr. Sure we all wish we could get that meter to say 1:1 on all channels but in the real world in different applications sometimes 1:5 is the best we can do or even a 2:0. Give it the talk test.
mikefromms |
Applejack
| | Posted on Saturday, January 03, 2004 - 12:29 am: |
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i forgot to mention i also have a uniden 510 on my tractor with 3' of rg8 going to a 3 ' francis. never checked swr, use it from all areas of 90 acre tree farm to contact my base. |
Applejack
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 11:22 pm: |
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now i have another one. a 40 ch GE mobile with 18' of coax into a 2' FGT. radio on top of pie safe (cupboard) antenna on window sill in kitchen, used as an intercom to garage. tried to tune it but couldnt, it works fine tho. aj |
