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Wildrat
Member
Username: Wildrat

Post Number: 52
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 8:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I bought a antenna bracket for my jeep. It mounts on the spare tire holder. When the tenna is mounted it would put the base about 15 inches below the top. I have a soft top on my jeep, but it does have the round metal rollbar at the top. I am using a 5 foot Wilson silver tip. My question is how much do you all think this will affect my SWR, or do you think I should just manufacture a new brackett that that would put the base of the tenna at the top of the top?

Thanks!
Wildrat
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Eddy1104
Junior Member
Username: Eddy1104

Post Number: 19
Registered: 3-2005
Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 10:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

From what I have heard that at least 3/4 of the antenna has to be above the roof line. I personally dont know how much of an impact this will make on the SWR. Your antenna should be ok where it is and moving it up above the roof line I dont think will make that much more of a difference. I am relatively new at the radio hobby but from past experiences with antennas mounted below the roof line I havent noticed that much of a performance difference with that much of the antenna below the roof line
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Kid_vicious
Advanced Member
Username: Kid_vicious

Post Number: 556
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 11:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

moving the base of the antenna up to the roof line will actually raise your swr.
its about the groundplane. the operative word here being "plane". and by that we mean a large flat surface. the base of your antenna should be at the same level as the bulk of the metal on your jeep.
the way you have it should work fine. you do need to make sure that the bracket is well grounded to the vehicle body. no paint, or rusty hinges in the way. i would suggest that you run a ground strap from the mount to the vehicle body. (like the hinge plate bolts on the body.)
there is a thread on this forum called "high swr 102" whip" i think. do a search for this and you will get a lot of advice.
matt
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Wildrat
Member
Username: Wildrat

Post Number: 53
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 12:07 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I forgot to mention that there might be mysterious power increases going out the tenna. The finals got burnt out of a box several years ago when I had a SS whip installed on the back of a truck with an aluminum topper and did not ck the SWR because of impatience and a little to much of that mysterious power came back towards the box. I do like the set up in the Jeep with the radio and other equip. It's all overhead and easy to see and easy to get too. My head even misses it, although I probably will put some cushioning on part of it just in case the noggin makes contact. Oh well enough for now. Some of you old timers chime in so I can see your ideas!
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Sg569
Intermediate Member
Username: Sg569

Post Number: 232
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Friday, September 02, 2005 - 5:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Personally, I don't own a jeep; however I do like the idea of padding the Equipment incase of sudden "headaches". Same good idea as padding the roll bars.

sg569

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