First, thanks for the help and comments! To start with The SWR And Resonanace Question.... When I get best reception... the point where the antenna is actually resonant to the recieved frequency... SWR is 3:1. When I adjust the antenna for minimum SWR at that frequency, an antenna analyzer shows the antenna is resonant about 500KHz down.

Now... I have the problem fixed. It isn't elegant and I won't pretend I figured it out, but it works. Today I decided to try a new length of feedline. I bought 18'of brand new of RG-8/X. When I installed the new feedline, everything remained the same. I decided to try a stub, but had left the stub I had already made up at home.  I had 18' of RG-59/U, so on a whim, I put it in line to see if it made ANY difference. It was magic. Everything works as it should. No more problems. Additionally, I coiled the extra coax in an effort provide some kind of choke (both the RG-8/X and the RG-59/U) till i have approximately 6' on each piece with a 6" coil taking up the rest of the length.  Again, this WORKS and has greatly attenuated my ignition noise.

I must be missing something but I don't know what. I am getting pretty disgusted and I don't really feel it is the fault of the antenna, but I KNOW my Valor ProAm AB-5 worked without a hitch. I bought a Screwdriver so I would be able to better match my antenna on 75m and work 40m w/o a coil change, otherwise I had no problem with the AB-5. Now I have a Screwdriver and it is WONDERFUL on 40m. SWR can be made 1:1 across the band, but it is lousy on the other bands. On 75 the best I can do is  about 1.8:1, not great, but workable. I gets really strange on 20m.... I can get the SWR down to about 1.5:1 but the antenna is not resonant at that point; at resonance the SWR is 3-4:1! Likewise on 15m. Before I hear "Ground it" again, remember I said the AB-5 works beautifully. I have tried a stub cut from RG-59 - no help. I have spent a fortune in stingers. I have 5 of varying lengths - The 102" actually worked, but is not practical in an 18 wheeler (I no longer have it anyway, it is now my 48" stinger). If I can't do something with this thing I am about ready to call it $250 wasted, forget 75m, and go back to the AB-5

I successfully used a lighter plug on my Patcomm PC-500 (15WPEP). I know folks who have used lighter plugs up to 25W, and I have a 50W power inverter that uses a lighter plug. Key advice.... no matter how well the the lighter socket is fused ALWAYS use a fused plug.

I have run a couple of Big Rig setups. One was a Swan 100MX using a Valor AB-5 in a Freightliner Cabover. It worked very well, but the vibration caused ALL of the set screws to vibrate out of the Antenna. Next time? LOC-Tite!!!!

My next set up was a Patcomm PC-500 QRP rig with a DK-3 type screwdriver in a Freightliner Century. Believe it or not, even at the relatively low power (15WPEP), grounding was a major problem. My best mounting arrangement for this antenna seemed to be on the step of the truck.

I am going to try this setup again in my Freightliner FLD Classic

Hi!
Just to update a bit... I have now changed antennas. I bought a ProAm AB5 Spider at the Sumter (SC) Hamfest this past weekend and changed over to it. You were right it was very frustrating being limited to only one band at a time. I realize the Spider isn't a perfect solution, particularly on 75m (it it VERY narrow there), but it is the best the wallet would allow at this time. I have been impressed with it's performance on 20m, and 40m is acceptable. The best thing about the Spider is that the resonators are now above the level of the cab. With the Hamstick, the the resonator coil was about 10" below the roof of the cab between the tractor and the trailer. If you are interested in seeing my installation I now have pics up on my website: http://www.qsl.net/n4dfp. The rig is really surprising. The adjacent channel rejection is phenomnal. As with you, I would like more filtering. I am going to try adding in a 7 band graphic EQ on the output to see if I can notch out some of the noise.

73
David Hammack
N4DFP

Hi folks,

I need to find or find a resource for, crystals for the 28.0 to 28.5 portion of the 10m band for my Swan 100MX. The needed crystal is 42.5 MHz in an HC-48/U package. Though I am not sure, I expect this is a third overtone crystal. I have no idea what the load is on it. The manual only states that they are available from Swan (Yeah...right. Good Luck)

TNX DE N4DFP
Dave

Ok, I am curious, how many of you guys are drivers and operate HF from your truck? I am a driver (doing local haul) and in anticipation of my upgrade (hopefully this Saturday) I have installed a Swan 100MX in my tractor with a HamStick for 40m mounted on the grab bar on the passengers side fairing of my Freightliner cab over. I love the rig. It is a dream to operate .... simple, no annoying extra buttons to get in the way and take your eyes off the road; in short, I love the rig. And no, I haven't made any unauthorized contacts. However I feel I am missing the boat on my antenna end. Money IS an object, so a screwdriver is out at this particular time, but I don't want to nickel and dime myself to death with a dozen HamSticks and THEN invest in a screwdriver. Is a screwdriver even the best option? Where is the best best place to mount an antenna, and how? Come on drivers, help me out. For you non-drivers, working with a cab over is sort of like working with a van, but it is much bigger.