SWP Gen Lee Wilson 5000

[Gixxer]

When tuning for SWR on a SWP General Lee should it be on high power setting or low ? Can good SWR's be acheived just by adjusting the depth of antena in it's base without cutting ? In general do most people have to trim with this set up ?

[Rex_foxhound]

I check swr's on high power. The highest mine gets is right at 1.3 and I haven't trimmed any off, but I think I will just to see how much lower I can get the swr.

Also mke sure when you check it that your at least 50 feet away from any obstacles like buildings or trees. I get out in the middle of my field to check mine.

[Phaze91460]

Not to dissagree with rex but you allways want to check your SWR with the lowest settings you can get. If you have an amp, turn it off. Getting in the open is very important. and on trimming, there is no one size fits all applications. You will have to check yours and do what is needed.

I just regrounded my vehicle and it changed my SWR enough to have to cut almost 2" off my whip.

[Rex_foxhound]

I'll check mine on low just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for pointing that out Phaze. I might not have ever checked. Hopefully it will be the same. :06-01smi: but I still need to trim of a hair to get it where I want.

[Phaze91460]

you will usualy have a lower SWR on lower power. Mike at Radio Active told me to not even use my 4600 to set SWR as it couldnt get low enough. He said for me to use a cheep anything radio to check and set SWR.

[Gixxer]

So say if you can t get SWR's below 1.3 on lowest setting you youll probably need to trim ?

[Phaze91460]

Well, thats a little bit of a generalization. If you go to the thread on info for newbys there is a great piece on SWR and antennas by Thumper that will tell you what to do to get SWR set.

Basicaly, on low power on chan 1 calabrate and check, do the same on chan 40. If the swr on 1 si lower than 40 then you need to go shorter. and if 40 is lower then you need to go higher. If you have to cut, on an antenna like that just cut a 1/4" off at a time. It can take a while on some antennas and sometimes you just move it a little and there you are. just be patient and be consistant. I had to set mine after changing the grounds and it took 1 1/2 hours to set my swr correctly. It was 1am when I finished and I had to leave at 5 am to go to the cb break sat.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

So say if you can t get SWR's below 1.3 on lowest setting you youll probably need to trim ?

How is it on band D channel 1?
How is it on band D channel 20?
How is it on band D channel 40?

So you already got the SWP General Lee, and the RadioActive Amp?

[Gixxer]

HEy thanks thats some good info ... So you always bottom out the antenna inside the shaft instead of trying to raise and lower it to get improvements in SWR .

[Gixxer]

NO not yet SmallTruckBigRadio I just want to be prepared for when it all arrives. Want to do it right the first time with out guess work. This forum is a big help..

[Phaze91460]

HEy thanks thats some good info ... So you always bottom out the antenna inside the shaft instead of trying to raise and lower it to get improvements in SWR .

Well, you can start there. I would start where it came in at. If you have a lower on 1 than 40 then lower the whip into the shaft and check again. you only cut if you cant go any further and need to shorten more.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

I've heard a couple reports, on the Wilson Mag Mounts, that nothing had to be cut, and almost no adjustment needed. My Wilson 1000 included.

I kinda like the results of raising the whip about 1/16 off the bottom. That 1/16 seems to improve SWR slightly, even after a cut. I've tuned several Wilson Antennas.

Don't go cutting, searching for flat SWR across several bands of channels. If you can shape an SWR "V" between channels 1, 20, and 40, near 1.3 or lower, stop!

Cutting a whip too short is a sickening feeling, Don't ask how I know that.

Wait a minute, I'm supposed to be in "time out"

[Phaze91460]

Get back in your corner :06-20hid:

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

Get back in your corner :06-20hid:

OK, gotta go anyway, I'm 4 hours past my bedtime anyway.

Been fun! :Peace!:

[Mr RadioActive]

If just testing the radio, use low or high power! On some meters it wont even calibrate on low, since its at times too little watts to calibrate the meter!

[BobOstro61]

When I tuned my Wilson 5000 for my General Lee, I had to cut off about 1-1/2" to get the SWR's flat.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

When I tuned my Wilson 5000 for my General Lee, I had to cut off about 1-1/2" to get the SWR's flat.

Wow,
So much for my "barely need to trim" theory.

[Phaze91460]

Go back to time out, no more antennas for you !

[Big Guns]

I have SWP General Lee and Wilson 5000 Mag mount just read the instructions that comes with the antenna it will tell you exactly how to set the swr's. Mine are 1 across the board with a DM 2x4 installed.

[Gixxer]

Nice job Big Guns

[Mr RadioActive]

Thats great! Big Guns 1.1 with the amp on shows why davemades are so bodacious!