Wilson trucker 2000

1.38 SWR is just fine. I bought a new Wilson 2000 last year and had many headaches trying to get the SWR down. Never had that problem with a 2000 I had 20 years ago! I just gave up and went with a 5 foot Firestick 2 and had better luck. I have since moved to a 5 foot Skipshooter and I am very pleased with it!

JD

 

With an antenna analyzer, you're at the head of the class in regards to getting the antenna right.

I would use the analyzer to achieve the best resonance, and ignore any SWR that is below 1.5:1. Although the lowest SWR usually indicates being in the ballpark in regards to resonance, it doesn't absolutely coincide, necessarily.

I'd seek resonance first with the analyzer, and then check that the SWR is below 1.5:1, and then stop there. Would make me happy.

 

I don't have an antenna analyzer, being satisfied with getting "close enough" with a simple SWR meter. But I've been told that this is the goal for those with analyzers:

1. Get X=0 or as close as possible to 0 by adjusting antenna length etc. for resonance
2. Get R close to 50 [ohms]
3. Get SWR at 1.5 or below

Maybe those skilled with use of the analyzer will chime in. All I know, or think I know, is that "resonance" is the gold standard to shoot for in regards to antennas.

 

Just because an antenna (with or without a feedline) being resonant doesn’t mean it is one that preforms better than one that isn’t resonant

 

Now, that really is interesting Ridgeline. Then, what is the goal when tuning an antenna. If it's not resonance, what are we looking for?

 

Ok it isn’t as easy to explain, so let me muddle it up for you ...

No seriously let’s start with my statement - Just because an antenna (with or without a feedline) being resonant doesn’t mean it is one that preforms better than one that isn’t resonant.

So here are two parts to sort of explain it, first when the antenna is resonant, that means the voltage and current are in phase at the antenna's terminals. When this happens, the impedance is matched between the antenna and feed line at the antenna terminals but doesn’t mean that the radiating element is at its best efficiency to transfer power.

Repeating and adding the second part is this ... many believe that the efficiency of the radiating element is at its best when it resonant which It is to a point, however resonance doesn’t measure the other parts of the antenna system, and many don’t understand that there is in all antenna systems a balance needs to be created for effective transmission. This at times includes the capacitance between the earth and antenna or vehicles.

I have a k40 (old school) on my beater truck, it is a good antenna but it is a balanced system. It is resonant at 27.150, swr is just ignored. It performs very well, I get about 20 miles out of it and they can hear me a little past that with 20 watts. If I put more effort into the antenna, maybe go to a whip, I would do better. I also use it on 10m where I have talked to Europe with a little over 150 watts.

so back to my statement, just because it is resonant doesn’t mean it works better than one that’s not resonant.