Sigma Excalibur - advice please.

Homebase antenna advice and troubleshooting
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hobgobblin
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Bit limited on antennas at my qth. Can't have big outdoor ones for a number of reasons. Anyway, got a Sigma Excalibur loft antenna. Instructions said to use patch leads of a precise measurement. I chose the shortest (8'10") and everything appears to be good. This morning I connected a swr meter and short patch lead and the swr reading was high. Would putting the meter and lead in affect it? Any advice and comments much appreciated.
HOBGOBBLIN
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hobgobblin
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Silly me! Just Googled stuff to do with swr... I should've turned my mic gain and power knobs right down!! Will try again. :oops:
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
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stampman
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no power and mic gain should be as you normally use the set not turned down as it will give you a false reading


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hobgobblin
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Think I might know what's wrong. I've got the antenna mounted on the wall with the top nearly touching the camp ceiling. I'm getting a secondhand tripod and will mount it on that so it can stand away from walls and ceilings. Do you think I'm on the right tracks?
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
to look at the same thing . . . but
to see far more." Nelson A Rockefeller
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hobgobblin
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The saga with this set-up continues! Just measured the bespoke lead I had made at a ham radio shop - it should've been 8'10" and it's way over 10'!! Got them phoning me this arvo to sort it. Will it have damaged my rig? Because if it has they'll be buying me a new one!!!
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
to look at the same thing . . . but
to see far more." Nelson A Rockefeller
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hobgobblin
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Thinking I'm not going to get great results with the Excalibur so I've ordered a Double Spooky Bazooka from America. Anyone want the Excalibur? It'd make a good truncheon - if you cut it in half it would make two. :wink:
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
to look at the same thing . . . but
to see far more." Nelson A Rockefeller
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hobgobblin
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Got a new rig with a built in SWR meter - tested the Excalibur today and it's a perfect SWR reading on CB and 10 meters! Explanation anyone? :)
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
to look at the same thing . . . but
to see far more." Nelson A Rockefeller
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stampman
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sounds like a dodgy meter or patch lead

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wildfire
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hi hobgobblin,

i had a mate who had a Excalibur did not stay up for long as it was not inpresive & don`t work as well as other antennas but personally i think you would have done better with a boomerang but how have you got the Excalibur mounted have you ever thought about mounting it on a Cranked Aerial Mast with a stand of brackets
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hobgobblin
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Thanks for the advice. Yeah, that'd been a great idea. Not allowed outdoor antennas where I live. Have ordered a Double Spooky Bazooka that I'm thinking will be much better than the Excalibur. Will post on here how I get on with it.
HOBGOBBLIN
"Others looked at radio and saw a
gadget; his genius lay in his capacity
to look at the same thing . . . but
to see far more." Nelson A Rockefeller
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wildfire
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yeah let us know how you get on with it m8 would be nice to see & hear some good results but if it all goes pear shaped don`t worry as there are many antennas what are specially built for lofts & here they are below,

the 1/4 wave or 5/8 wave boomerang wave, mini GP, signal keeper, DV 27 with ground plane kit not sure if they build ground plane kits for DV 27 anymore as i used to own one,

but what ever happens good luck with your double Excalibur buddy :wink:
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