Strange thing happened today

[Guest]

Hey guys I got a little baffled today and for the life of me I can not figure it out.....
I am running a 4' wilson silverload mounted in the stake hole of my truck.
So I thought today I would put another 4' wilson in the other stake hole just for looks and not hook it up....well when I got it hooked up I figured I would just check my SWR to make sure ET was ok....and it was through the roof.....I adjusted a little on it made sure all my grounds were getting a good conection and everything was A OK.....so then I thought the antenna was bad so I switched it out with the antenna that wasnt hook up and swr was just right .....1.3 on 1 and 40 ....cool I got it fixed right? but the other antenna back on the other stake hole and guess what ...through the roof agian so I just said the hell with it and took the one not hooked up off....So what would cause this ? it isnt a big deal I was just trying to get the even look with the dummy antenna .......I was pretty aggervated by the time I figured out what was going on

[Working Cowboy]

HMMMMM dude I have no idea.

[Guest]

Well I went back out just now to mess with it and noticed I had left the plastic/nylon washer off of the dummy antenna....I put ET back on and what do you know it didnt mess with my SWR's then ....kinda strange it messed with it with out the washer ...I dunno

[BobOstro61]

Very Strange since the dummy wasn't even hooked up to anything.

[Working Cowboy]

sitting here thinking about it ........ makes no sence at all. Maybe Thumper will know

[Guest]

Yeah the only thing I can figure is that where the washer was missing it was grounded and the other antenna was reading it for some reason ....or I may have bigger problems and not know it


I have stake hole mounts with a 8ga ground wire from frame to mount...then the little wire on antenna to mount.....without the little wire hooked up I have terrible SWR
SWR Ch 1 ---1.3
ch19 ----needle doesnt move
ch 40 ----1.3

[jessejamesdallas]

What happened was. With the washer off, it was acting as a "1-hot, and one not" set-up. Generally see guys do this on Suburbans. They will have the front antenna hooked up to the coax, and the back one not. This makes the rear antenna a reflector antenna. You would have to reset your swr in order to run that type of set-up, by adjusting both antennas...

On a Suburban, this would give you a more directional signal out the front of the truck. Off yours however, would direct the signal to the side! (not good)

[Guest]

I knew JJD would have the answer thanks and I am just glad I checked the SWR when I did lol