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*Workman B-100 Saturn Base antenna problem*

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by 305-Hillbilly, Aug 7, 2013.

  1. Aug 7, 2013 #1
    305-Hillbilly

    305-Hillbilly Bobtail Member

    28
    1
    May 30, 2013
    Ontario, Canada
    0
    I bought a couple new things today: a new power supply (14A max) to power my cb and car stereo deck in my garage, a Workman B-100 Saturn base atenna (39" high) and a 18' length of patch cable with dual PL-259 connectors. Well I rigged up the antenna to try it out and the SWR is crazy high on the radio yet only showing 1.5:1 on my external SWR metre. Not to mention there is a rather noticeable 60 cycle hum being emitted from the speaker of the radio. What can I do to get the SWR's down? It's supposed to be a "no ground plane" antenna. I read the sheet that came with the Antenna and for a 17' cable it says 11". Does that mean the cable needs to be cut down to 17' and then 11" taken off that? I'm extremely confused with this. Anyone suggest anything?


    note: I temporarily mounted the new Antenna by the opening of the garage door in a vertical position with the Antenna pointing up.
     

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    305-Hillbilly, Aug 7, 2013
    305-Hillbilly, Aug 7, 2013
    #1
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  3. Aug 8, 2013 #2
    305-Hillbilly

    305-Hillbilly Bobtail Member

    28
    1
    May 30, 2013
    Ontario, Canada
    0
    After screwing around with this antenna yesterday and today I've decided to return it possibly for the T225 Boomerang Mini Balcony Mount Base CB Antenna. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of that particular antenna? Would it be worth exchanging for? Handlebar or Turbo-T you out there? You guys always have great knowledge.
     
    305-Hillbilly, Aug 8, 2013
    305-Hillbilly, Aug 8, 2013
    #2
  4. Aug 9, 2013 #3
    handlebar

    handlebar Heavy Load Member

    829
    592
    May 28, 2010
    Them Thar Hills, TN, ZIP EIEIO
    0
    Well, the first one you had uses some minimum length of the outside of the coax braid to provide the "phantom half" for the rest of the antenna, which has just a helix of wire wound around the core. Since (unlike most standard designs) there's signal on the outside of the coax with that antenna, there's little surprise that a lot of it is spraying around inside your shack, getting into meters, maybe lamps, meters, and yes -- receive audio amps. That first antenna is really designed to be a minimalist device to get someone on the air, but a caveat is that it really does need to be up away from the ground and other nearby structures to have much of a chance to radiate and receive radio signals.

    The new one is a sort of loaded vertical dipole: a regular base loaded mobile antenna is fastened to the top of a bracket, and the center of the coax connects to it. The braid of the coax connects to a second identical loaded mobile antenna that's fastened to the same bracket but pointed in the other direction from the first one. The angle of the lower whip is to allow for limited space in which to install the antenna assembly, and can also play a part in determining the VSWR of the antenna system depending upon the angle.

    But with either one, you'll have to get it up farther off the floor, and ideally outdoors and in the clear. if you're allowed a Broadcast TV antenna on your roof or siding, this should mount above the TV antenna on the same mast. Just drop the CB's coax down through the mast to conceal it until it comes out at the bottom, then strap or tape it to your TV lead-in until you get it in to your shack.

    Somehow, someway, you're going to have to get an antenna outside and up in the clear somewhat. For comparison's sake, if you've got a mobile antenna, what kind of reception do you get with your car parked in the driveway and the radio inside the car? If it's way better, then it'll help support the idea of being outdoors (or at least farther from building materials) and mounted over a "proper ground plane".

    And that's just my two cents (I live in "Lion King" store country)
     
    handlebar, Aug 9, 2013
    handlebar, Aug 9, 2013
    #3
    305-Hillbilly Thanks this.
  5. Aug 9, 2013 #4
    305-Hillbilly

    305-Hillbilly Bobtail Member

    28
    1
    May 30, 2013
    Ontario, Canada
    0
    I don't have a vehicle right now which is why the radio is still setup in my garage. I just got off the radio (it would have been about 11:08PM in Southern Ontario, Canada and he said "I was coming in loud and clear in Chicago) which is crazy because I've never had my transmission skip that far and got a instant receive. Only thing different I have done is I took some 14AUG red & black coated wire and wrapped one end around the bottom of the whip where it connects to the whip adjuster screws and the other end around the steel garage door frame. Didn't end up switching antennas as I saw no point as I can only erect an atenna inside the garage (landlord rules). It has made radio quiter but no matter how much time I spend tuning the antenna I can't drop the SWR's lower than 2:1.
    )
     
    305-Hillbilly, Aug 9, 2013
    305-Hillbilly, Aug 9, 2013
    #4
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