How do you test the SWR on a antenna??

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Author Message   Darryll Mills (Emnat) Member Username: Emnat Post Number: 66 Registered: 11-2003 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 02:40 pm:    How do you test the SWR?? Also I have an Firestik quick disconnect stud mount, not sure how to install it. Does any body have one?? It comes with the 1/2 inch bolt but also has two nylon bushings and two ground terminal lugs. I am mounting it on my front ARB bumper.   Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Senior Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 320 Registered: 08-2003 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 05:00 pm:    You can find pictures of the mounts at www.firestick.com. that may help with the install. To measure your SWR, you have to buy a SWR meter from an electronic store like Radioshack. I got mine for about $30 at Radioshack. This is how I did it with my meter. First you place your antenna where you want it on you rig. Hook the antenna up to the "antenna" connection on the meter. Then connect a short piece (5' or so)of coax from the "transmitter" connection on the meter, then to the connector where your antenna goes on your CB. You should have a set of instructions with the meter. Turn the CB on, and set it to channel 1. Press the key as if you were going to talk into the CB, and record the reading. Do this on channel 40 too. If the reading on channel 40 is higher than channel 1, your antenna is too "tall." If channel 1 is higher than 40, then it's too "short." You want the reading on both channels to be the same. For best performance make sure the SWR's are below a reading of 2. There are different ways to make your antenna "taller," or "shorter." Mine is a steel whip antenna so I just ground it down with a grinder. Hope this helps, Matt   Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Senior Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 321 Registered: 08-2003 Posted on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 05:08 pm:    oops, bad link. try this... te-qd-4a.gif (6.3 k)