Excalibur CB aerial

Homebase antenna advice and troubleshooting
Post Reply
robpxr3
Good Buddy
Good Buddy
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:00 pm

Hello all

Don't know if it's been brought up before but i've got one and having problems with high swr, ie in the red.
I've got 10m of coax joined to 2.2m of coax with a female adaptor (to make the recommended 40') however still high.

I had it up on the now redundant tv aerial pole and it seems to receive ok but high swr.
What is odd if i take it into the middle of the garden and lay it down the swr goes down to 1.4 !!

If anyone has a logical answer to this headscratcher i'd be greatful!
I know they're not the best for transmitting etc but i cant stick a biggen up there unfortunately so have to make do with that :-(
Top
Dragonfly
Motor Mouth!
Motor Mouth!
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:11 pm

I think with the Excaliber it can only be tuned by altering the coax length .
Top
User avatar
stampman
- - -> CB God <- - -
- - -> CB God <- - -
Posts: 6090
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:36 pm
Location: lancaster

sounds like you are getting reflection from something


*King* *King* *King* *King*
if it anit broke dont fix it
Top
robpxr3
Good Buddy
Good Buddy
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:00 pm

I think you may be right Stampman- perhaps because it's mounted alongide the pole and not on top isnt helping -need to try it on a standalone pole me
thinks.

But, even if i get the SWR sorted im still stuffed with the limited transmission range- so i'm going to try something else.
I have a spare Modulator aerial & mag mount, need to find a makeshift groundplane (no biscuit tins tho lol) and give that a go.
Not many people round my way on CB so local transmission im pretty much talking to myself!

Will let you know how i get on ! Now where's that spare car wheel. . . . .
Top
User avatar
stampman
- - -> CB God <- - -
- - -> CB God <- - -
Posts: 6090
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:36 pm
Location: lancaster

like your thinking


*King* *King* *King* *King*
if it anit broke dont fix it
Top
robpxr3
Good Buddy
Good Buddy
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:00 pm

Well i had a root around at work today and i've come up with a steel wheel from a Mondeo and a brake disc off a Galaxy- both big & heavy so if those two together dont make a good groundplane i don't know what will !
Top
User avatar
stampman
- - -> CB God <- - -
- - -> CB God <- - -
Posts: 6090
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:36 pm
Location: lancaster

its not the weight but the surface area that matters the more surface area the better


*King* *King* *King* *King*
if it anit broke dont fix it
Top
robpxr3
Good Buddy
Good Buddy
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:00 pm

Yep quite true, but the good news it works! Much better than the Excalibur even with the Modulator II in the loft.
Got the SWR down to 1:6, it was a bit lower out in the garden but obviously there's a bit of reflection off the rafters lol
Top
User avatar
stampman
- - -> CB God <- - -
- - -> CB God <- - -
Posts: 6090
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:36 pm
Location: lancaster

and another one bites the dust good result


*King* *King* *King* *King*
if it anit broke dont fix it
Top
User avatar
wildfire
Motor Mouth!
Motor Mouth!
Posts: 335
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:08 pm
CB Handle: wildfire.
Location: United Kindom.

i personally think any mobile antenna would but the Excaliber to shame lol & with the Excaliber having a 4 miles radias who ever buys one i hope they don`t expect to go breaking records for long distance contacts anyway glad to hear your doing well with your modulator 2 robpxr3 as they are good antennas for centre loaded but i think we all know for a mobile or a home base short antenna you can not go wrong with a center loaded or a top loaded antenna :wink:
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Homebase CB Antennas”