VE6DOK · Measure, Diagnose, Improve
Antenna Analyzer & Tuning
An analyzer is not just an SWR checker. It helps you understand where your antenna resonates, how stable it is, and whether the system is behaving as expected.
Resonance rule
Resonance too low
The antenna is usually too long. Shorten carefully.
Resonance too high
The antenna is usually too short. Lengthen if possible.
SWR is not everything
Low SWR does not always mean good radiation. Lossy systems can show nice SWR while wasting power.
Remember: a dummy load has great SWR and no useful signal.
Feedpoint vs shack
Measuring at the shack includes feedline effects. When diagnosing, measure at or near the feedpoint whenever practical.
Practical tuning process
1. Cut slightly long.
2. Measure resonance.
3. Trim small amounts.
4. Re-measure.
5. Stop when it is good and stable.