"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
After a bit of destructive investigation, the problem was caused
by a screwed brass stud - not dissimilar to the 3/8 stud at the
base of CB antennae, but slightly smaller in diameter.

When the base part of the radiating element had been screwed in
place onto this stud, instead of the base screwing onto the
stud, the stud had, in part, unscrewed itself down into the
plastic insulator, by several turns. Unfortunately (for me and my
friend) also in the base was a 4-turn loading coil which had not
taken kindly to being unscrewed by at least 4 turns, and had
deformed so that it was intermittently shorting to the ground
plane through the tarnish of the loading coil.


Sounds like you fettled a perfectly good antenna. I am surprised you have
not claimed "shoddy goods" and cast it into the bin.

You seem very cack handed for someone who claims to do model engineering and
home brew your own radio equipment.

Just at it did at Westinghouse, the truth is emerging. You can't write
software and you can't do hardware.

Back to shelf stacking in a supermarket.