SWR problem

[Amp|-|ibious]

I am having SWR problems with my base antenna. With just the radio on my swr is find but when running any watts my swr is higher on 1 than on 40... channel 1 being at 1.6 and 40 being at 1.4. Any suggestion how to get it below 1.3?

[BobOstro61]

From what I've read on the forum here, you're just fine. SWR's should be set without running any power. When you pump some power through the antenna, the SWR will go up.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

I agree with BobOstro61.

Flat SWR with high power is hard to do. How much power are you talking about?
If your doing SWR of 1.3 with 300 plus watts, and flat SWR with less than 100 watts, I'd say your doing better than most.

[Rex_foxhound]

Check your swr's with the lowest power setting possible.

Some really lucky guys with all the big toys, cough cough Mr. Radioactive, don't even use radios to check the swr.... LOL

[Amp|-|ibious]

I agree with BobOstro61.

Flat SWR with high power is hard to do. How much power are you talking about?.

Have a dave made 2x8 hit around the 2.2kw. So those readings are good to go then?

[Amp|-|ibious]

so check it with the less amount of power including the RF power turned all the way down, or should it be all the way up?

[BigBopper]

start with checking SWR with the radio power on low setting,,,mic gain down, then check with amp on low and go from there,,,,

[Amp|-|ibious]

OK thanks, I have. I started with just radio on and the RF power all the way up and checked swr on 20, 1 and 40 and great readings at 1.1 and lower. After I turn on some watts the swr goes between a 1.4 to a 1.6 depending on what channel. Channel one being at 1.6 and 40 at 1.4. Davemade said it should be at 1.3 or lower with it on or off.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

OK thanks, I have. I started with just radio on and the RF power all the way up and checked swr on 20, 1 and 40 and great readings at 1.1 and lower. After I turn on some watts the swr goes between a 1.4 to a 1.6 depending on what channel. Channel one being at 1.6 and 40 at 1.4. Davemade said it should be at 1.3 or lower with it on or off.

2.2 KW? Wow! That mans on fire!
If ch 1 is 1.6, and ch 40 is 1.4, Can you check upper channels above 40? If so, and those channels are lower SWR than ch 40, keep adjusting your antenna in the shorter direction. Unless you use those upper channels.

Be vewy vewy carwful...when yewr this close to perfection it's easy to go the wong diwection.

You could also blame the SWR meter as being out of calibration, and claim perfection!
I would say leave it alone, exept for what DaveMade is saying.
What antenna are you using again?

[Amp|-|ibious]

I am using an Excalibur by Mr. Coily. My base station is only a 40 am channel with USB and LSB. Maybe very shortly in the future I will be able to go beyond 40 but for now the highest I can go is 40. :D

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

I bet that Mike with ***Censored*** can tell you if you should be able to get better with that antenna. He is a dealer. He can probably advise on how to adjust it also.
Even better yet, he might tell you that you're OK...

[Amp|-|ibious]

Very true, I just hate to bother him...I bought all my equipment from him from my base set-up to my mobile set-up. I thought I might just post it before bothering him with it. He has be so good answering my emails and phone calls in the past.

[BigBubbaBD]

That antenna is suppose to tune better than that.

Maby you need to ground better?

Maby some better coax for the higher power? but with that much power im hoping you already have some good coax.

[Amp|-|ibious]

Oh yeah, it is the best...Mike set it all up for me, all I had to do is just put it together as it was delivered to me...LOL

[Amp|-|ibious]

So what do you think I need to do to get the swr down, bigbubbabd? The swr is prefect with just the radio on and isn't that bad with power but I would like to get it down. Any suggestions would be appreciated...

[Amp|-|ibious]

Thanks for all the imput so far guys also.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

I think that if anyone has ever been justified in calling Mike, you are...

[Amp|-|ibious]

LOL

[Amp|-|ibious]

Thats probably what I will end up doing. I also got a 2x8 davemade base box of him and a 1x4 davemade mobile box off him too besides what is listed in my sig.

[SmallTruckBigRadio]

Thats probably what I will end up doing. I also got a 2x8 davemade base box of him and a 1x4 davemade mobile box off him too besides what is listed in my sig.

Wow, very impressive list of toys there earthling, I mean Amp|-|ibious.

I'm jealous...