Perhaps I should enter the text BEFORE hitting the send button, eh?

Doc has a good idea here with an "external" ground/counterpoise ae a
test.

However, I would ask: How are you determining when it is tuned? What
are you using to determine if it is tuned?

I don't think this talk about connecting braid to the FRAME is good.
The antennas are usually designed to have a ground-plane right at the base
of the antenna and a length of braid can be easily more than a quarter wave
at 2M and 440 and the frame is far from the antenna base. With plastic
paneled cars it is common to put some sort of foil or plate inside the body
to provide the ground plane.

--
Steve N, K,9;d, c. i My email has no u's.

"Steve Nosko" wrote in message
...

"'Doc" wrote in message ...


Patrick,
Sorry, tuning the antenna 'off of' the car won't work
(miracles do happen, but don't count on it). The most likely problem is
as you thought, a not so good 'ground', but maybe not. Does
anything you do change the tuning of the antenna at all? Maybe not get
it to where you want it (freq.), but does change it's resonant
freq? If not, then there's something else 'going on' besides the
inadequate
grounding/counterpoise. Make sure you have a good connection
through the mount, no shorts/opens except as they should be, etc. And
you probably should do something about the grounding/counterpoise,
maybe clip a wire to the base of the mount as a counterpoise to see
what difference it makes (just lay it on the surface of the car for
now). The length of the counterpoise isn't that critical, but too long
is 'better' than too short. Changing the location of the mount is
also something you might try.
Good luck...
'Doc