MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Its complete, and utter bullshit. There are situations where it will *appear* to improve things while actually masking real problems - due to technical issues that I really don't understand that well - but I trust those who know a lot more about RF than I do. Run as short a coax as you can/need to - the old "multiples of 9 feet, 3 feet, 6 feet or whatever" for CB is an old wives tale.
The best thing to do is to cut the excess off and re-terminate.Meaning
Meaning, it‘s ok to cool the excess up?
For example, I don't remember what length antenna wire I used, but it was well more than enough. I ran it from a mount above the rear view mirror, under the drivers side roll bar padding, down to the tub where the OEM wiring harness runs, through the grommet at the end of the tub then out under the tail light and to the antenna. All the excess is coiled up and hanging in the fender/behind the tail light. I don’t recall how many coils or the diameter but if I had to guess it was 2 to 4 coils and 10-12” diameter. My SWR was right at 1.5 on channel 1 and just barley higher on 40 last night when I swapped my 2 foot firestik for a 3 foot firestik that I had. I figured close enough and left it alone.
Ive heard that big circles/coils wont really mess with the SWR, but its when you start making tight bends and kinks in the cable is when you have issues- I try not to have any coils, bends, loops, kinks whatsoever.Meaning
Meaning, it‘s ok to cool the excess up?
For example, I don't remember what length antenna wire I used, but it was well more than enough. I ran it from a mount above the rear view mirror, under the drivers side roll bar padding, down to the tub where the OEM wiring harness runs, through the grommet at the end of the tub then out under the tail light and to the antenna. All the excess is coiled up and hanging in the fender/behind the tail light. I don’t recall how many coils or the diameter but if I had to guess it was 2 to 4 coils and 10-12” diameter. My SWR was right at 1.5 on channel 1 and just barley higher on 40 last night when I swapped my 2 foot firestik for a 3 foot firestik that I had. I figured close enough and left it alone.
This is going to sound dumb, but how?The best thing to do is to cut the excess off and re-terminate.
New pl-259 connector and a good soldering iron.This is going to sound dumb, but how?
Do you need special tools?
Ok, I can do that.
what do you mean by specific lengths, Shouldn't you just be able to shorten the cable as much as needed? as long as you dont have any excess with no tight bends and I think you should be fineOk, I can do that.
The end of the cable needs to be cut at specific lengths, correct?
I’m talking about the end that mates to the new connector. Doesn’t the center piece that gets soldered on have to be a certain length, then the insulator a certain length, etc.what do you mean by specific lengths, Shouldn't you just be able to shorten the cable as much as needed? as long as you dont have any excess with no tight bends and I think you should be fine
Not sure, jerry will probably knowI’m talking about the end that mates to the new connector. Doesn’t the center piece that gets soldered on have to be a certain length, then the insulator a certain length, etc.
Stu has a write up that should explain it.I’m talking about the end that mates to the new connector. Doesn’t the center piece that gets soldered on have to be a certain length, then the insulator a certain length, etc.