x-50 antenna wireing

[kingchristo]

Hello everyone I have an x-50 antenna from china and I don't think it is working as it should I took it down today and looked inside and noticed that there was one red wire that was not connected to anything. I don't know if this should be like this but it seams abit wrong to me. I was going to post an image but not sure how to do it if anyone could help that would be great

[26TM931]

Yes a picture would be helpful
To add a picture go to the bottom of the posting page and there is a box that says attachment, click on that and add the picture.

[kingchristo]

Hopefully this will add the image Hope someone can help im baffled

[GeeFull]

The Diamond version of the X-50 doesn't have that piece of wire!
Look at this repair video, shows the coil arrangement quite well!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R43lXggvtfw
As this is a copy, and whithout exact measuring hard to say how accurate a copy, it looks to me like a piece of corrective "stray capacitance" wire, that is soldered in place and cut to length and bent/positioned, when alligning!
If you can see no obvious evidence of it ever having been soldered, and since broken off, then I doubt it was soldered anywhere, as the end looks neatly cut flush!
I assume all the caps are still soldered solidly to and from where they eminate?
Broken off caps, or indeed failed ones are a common problem!
I have seen similar bits of stray capacitance wire in other dual and tri band co-linears!
Can't be sure of course, but thats my guess!

[kingchristo]

thank you everything else looks fine on it. Back to the drawing board

[Lumiya]

Got a couple of cheap x50's just been delivered so will have a look at one of them for you later and if the same wires there will take a picture

[GeeFull]

One other thing, in the OP you say you took it down as you didn't think it was working "as it should".
Could you expand on why you thought that, and under what conditions?
Was it unusualy high SWR readings on either/both of the bands its specificaly designed for?
Was it seemingly to you a bit RX deaf?
Were you using it on frequencies it is not specificaly designed for, IE general wide band VHF/UHF none amateur operation or monitoring?
Have you checked the feeder and connectors?
Are you comparing its performance to a previous antenna?
Or did it originaly seem fine, then threw a wobbly?
Did you buy it new, it doesn't look that old still shiny internals and chrome!
Just curious as to why you felt something was amiss?

[Lumiya]

On my one there is no connection from that area so its probably a mistake at assembly that they didn't bother to correct as it has no effect or it is a corrective measure..

As another poster has asked have you done a simple SWR test?

[kingchristo]

sorry im going to sound stupid but how do you do a swr test on it thanks lumiya for having a look does it all look the same other than that wire

[GeeFull]

sorry im going to sound stupid but how do you do a swr test on it thanks lumiya for having a look does it all look the same other than that wire

Can I ask what you are using this antenna for?
Are you using it for RX scanning, as oposed to amateur or whatever transmissions?
If just as a scanner antenna, and you have no access to a suitable transceiver and SWR meter, you will have to employ the services of a friend who does!
He can check the SWR for you with suitable transceiver and SWR meter etc.
Or even apply an antenna analyser to it, and assertain if it is in the correct ballpark!

[kingchristo]

im using it for scanning I have a uniden ezi33xlt scanner I can pick up some things with it just not others things that are really close to my house I don't know anyone who has a swr meter so would have to do the test myself. ill have to try to have a read up how its done and what im looking for

[Lumiya]

You won't be able to do an swr test without a transmitter/meter (and dare I say it a licence..) or as stated an antenna analyzer. It's won't really be that relevant for receiving where as long as the antenna is the rough length for the freq you'll be OK, but unless you're specifically interested in 130-150 and 420-450 then you'd probably be better off with a discone.

As for the X50 yes it looked OK so stop worrying about the antenna

[kr0ne]

I can pick up some things with it just not others things that are really close to my house

What are the things that you cannot pick up? i.e. what frequency and what sort of transmissions?

I think you'll generally find an amateur collinear, like this, a lot better than a discone although it might be deaf right where you want to listen... for most stuff it should be fine though.

[GeeFull]

I can pick up some things with it just not others things that are really close to my house

What are the things that you cannot pick up? i.e. what frequency and what sort of transmissions?

I think you'll generally find an amateur collinear, like this, a lot better than a discone although it might be deaf right where you want to listen... for most stuff it should be fine though.

I think it may be a case of lack of knowledge expectations being far higher than practical in the field results!

[StormShadow]

These antennas are rubbish, I bought one a while ago witch had high SWR on both bands, I had a friend who had a problem with his one as well, where the SWR was high on 2 meter but low on 70cms but upon further tests it turned out that the antenna was no good. You could lay the antenna on the floor and test the SWR and it will still be low on 70cm unscrew the ground plane radials which makes no difference. These are crap I know several people who have had problems with theses antennas. My advice would be to send it back to where ever you got it from and get yourself another antenna.