How to use it? I got this load of CB stuff and want to install it, according
to what I've read the SWR meter is for adjusting the 18 feet antenna, but
how do you do that with this thingy.What would be the best lace to install
the antenna, as high as? Might be a job our average wind speed is about 45 k
an hour or 30 miles.

Thanks
Richard

"prairie farm" wrote in message
...
How to use it? I got this load of CB stuff and want to install it,
according to what I've read the SWR meter is for adjusting the 18 feet
antenna, but how do you do that with this thingy.What would be the best
lace to install the antenna, as high as? Might be a job our average wind
speed is about 45 k an hour or 30 miles.

Thanks
Richard


70 feet in the air is perfect as long as you don't live in an area that
restricts you, otherwise just get it above any obstructions and you will be
fine. The swr meter does not set the swr, it only measures it. You have to
adjust the antenna for the lowest swr reading. Not knowing the brand of
antenna, I cannot help you with how to adjust it.

"Dr.Death" wrote in message
...
"prairie farm" wrote in message
...
How to use it? I got this load of CB stuff and want to install it,
according to what I've read the SWR meter is for adjusting the 18 feet
antenna, but how do you do that with this thingy.What would be the best
lace to install the antenna, as high as? Might be a job our average wind
speed is about 45 k an hour or 30 miles.

Thanks
Richard


70 feet in the air is perfect as long as you don't live in an area that
restricts you, otherwise just get it above any obstructions and you will
be fine. The swr meter does not set the swr, it only measures it. You have
to adjust the antenna for the lowest swr reading. Not knowing the brand of
antenna, I cannot help you with how to adjust it.
Neither do I unfortunately, time has washed away all markings, I'll give it
an easy accessible place first and figure out what I can do to improve/lower
my swr.The swr meter has a calibration switch,(turn type) FWD/REF switch
and a FWD/REF switch.and a gauge that runs from 1 to 10 red-zone starts at
3 any idea how that should work?

Thanks
Richard

On a sunny day (Thu, 11 May 2006 06:22:44 -0600) it happened "prairie farm"
wrote in :

The swr meter has a calibration switch,(turn type) FWD/REF switch
and a FWD/REF switch.and a gauge that runs from 1 to 10 red-zone starts at
3 any idea how that should work?

Set to FWD
Turn on tranmitter
adjust for 100% on the meter
Set to REF (reflected)
now the meter indicated the reflected power.
'3' in your case is about 25%!!!!
Your transmitter gets this extra power back, it may not be able to handle
that.
So switch off immediatly if 3 or higher (red area).
Then adjust antenna, and try again.
Always--- use FWD to recalibrate.

I do have a PAN SWR230, it has a power meter too.
What I did was connect a transistor over the SWR meter, that drives a 3V
beeper and a red LED, like this (use fixed font):

------------------------
| | |
270 [ ] | |
| | |
red \ / O] 3V beeper | +
LED --- | -
| | ---
---- |
/ |
+ 10k |/ - 2x 1.5V AA battery
0--==----| BC547 ---
from | | -
SWR \ |
meter | |
0-------------------------------


So now anytime SWR changes (the old antenna used to behave bad in storms
and rains, the beep will sound, and the LED will come on.
There is no switch, batteries have lasted 4 years in this :-)
When the voltage across the SWR meter becomes 0.7V, the transistor conducts,
and the beeper and LED come on.
So also during calibration (FWD), so that tests the batteries and LED.

I think the R is 10k, but I would have to open it up to check.
Nothing is very critical though.
Been in use now for 8 years!

"Jan Panteltje" wrote in message
...
On a sunny day (Thu, 11 May 2006 06:22:44 -0600) it happened "prairie
farm"
wrote in :

The swr meter has a calibration switch,(turn type) FWD/REF switch
and a FWD/REF switch.and a gauge that runs from 1 to 10 red-zone starts
at
3 any idea how that should work?

Set to FWD
Turn on tranmitter
adjust for 100% on the meter
Set to REF (reflected)
now the meter indicated the reflected power.
'3' in your case is about 25%!!!!
Your transmitter gets this extra power back, it may not be able to handle
that.
So switch off immediatly if 3 or higher (red area).
Then adjust antenna, and try again.
Always--- use FWD to recalibrate.

I do have a PAN SWR230, it has a power meter too.
What I did was connect a transistor over the SWR meter, that drives a 3V
beeper and a red LED, like this (use fixed font):

------------------------
| | |
270 [ ] | |
| | |
red \ / O] 3V beeper | +
LED --- | -
| | ---
---- |
/ |
+ 10k |/ - 2x 1.5V AA battery
0--==----| BC547 ---
from | | -
SWR \ |
meter | |
0-------------------------------


So now anytime SWR changes (the old antenna used to behave bad in storms
and rains, the beep will sound, and the LED will come on.
There is no switch, batteries have lasted 4 years in this :-)
When the voltage across the SWR meter becomes 0.7V, the transistor
conducts,
and the beeper and LED come on.
So also during calibration (FWD), so that tests the batteries and LED.

I think the R is 10k, but I would have to open it up to check.
Nothing is very critical though.
Been in use now for 8 years!
He, great, another mystery solved, ur Dutch I guess, just like me, but I
ended up in Canada.
One more, the antenna has nothing adjustable on it, I just checked. A 10
feet pole with at the bottom a "normal" connection to a "normal" cable.
"normal" = all my ends of cable will fit on it. This is held in a steel base
part, looks like the wooden pole is caught in a tube of about 14" high and
that will also be the part I will use to hang it to the gable of my shop.
Pole it self is wood, with a connecting cable going through it to the top,
on the top a steel screw connection to pole number 2, 8 feet long. Also wood
with ? in it. It all ends in a rubber cap at the top. The wood was painted
and I sanded it down and put a first coat of paint on again. If that part
cant' be adjusted, the length of the cable will be important, as far as I
get it. Is the assumption right ? Do I cut of a small piece of the cable,
solder on the coupler again and try again for improvement?
Thanks for any help here.
And this is two then I also found two 30 watt amplifiers, they run on 12
volts and have two "normal" connections for the antenna cable. One in and
one out I guess. While testing with the swr thingy they should be in the
loop too? Are those things necessary, a huge improvement or just a gadget
for the show?

On a sunny day (Thu, 11 May 2006 08:47:13 -0600) it happened "prairie farm"
wrote in :

He, great, another mystery solved, ur Dutch I guess, just like me, but I
ended up in Canada.
Ducth yes.

One more, the antenna has nothing adjustable on it, I just checked. A 10
feet pole with at the bottom a "normal" connection to a "normal" cable.
"normal" = all my ends of cable will fit on it. This is held in a steel base
part, looks like the wooden pole is caught in a tube of about 14" high and
that will also be the part I will use to hang it to the gable of my shop.
Pole it self is wood, with a connecting cable going through it to the top,
on the top a steel screw connection to pole number 2, 8 feet long. Also wood
with ? in it. It all ends in a rubber cap at the top. The wood was painted
and I sanded it down and put a first coat of paint on again. If that part
cant' be adjusted, the length of the cable will be important, as far as I
get it. Is the assumption right ? Do I cut of a small piece of the cable,
solder on the coupler again and try again for improvement?
Thanks for any help here.

I would test the SWR first, and leave it if it is less then 2.5 or so.
SWR usually is frequency dependent, so test midband, ch20, and also
high and low band.
This will also give a hint if it is too short or too long.
If the SWR is better (REF = lower) at high band then at mid band, then the
length is too short.


And this is two then I also found two 30 watt amplifiers, they run on 12
volts and have two "normal" connections for the antenna cable. One in and
one out I guess. While testing with the swr thingy they should be in the
loop too?


microphone----cbset----amplifier----swr meter-----antenna

Are those things necessary, a huge improvement or just a gadget
for the show?

I dunno what the regulations are in Canada.
Maybe there is a maximum power (like here it is 4W FM for example).
Of course more power will make people hear you further away, but
if they use normal power, only a better antenna and better sensitivity
can make you hear them.
And a better antenna will compensate for more power.
That leaves better sensitivity you need (apart from the legal stuff).

Thanks again Jan,
I'll finish the antenna and put it on the roof and give it a try, if new
problems arise, I'll post here again, I like the internet, so much
knowledge.
Thanks for your time and advice
Richard

Snipped the rest