[amsat-bb] Tuning M2 LEO pack antennas

[Carl A Estey]

Recently I bought through AMSAT the LEO pack and assembled and installed it this weekend. The SWR on the 2-meter antenna is 1.4:1 from 144.1 to 146.1 with resistance of 58 ohms and 2.5:1 at 148 MHz.  The 70-cm antenna has the best SWR (3.0:1 and resistance of 25 ohms) at 442.6 MHZ.   Obviously neither is great.

How should I tune the antennas?  It appears that the only tuning possible is to adjust the shorting straps for distance from the inside edge of the shorting bar to there boom.  ShouldI I be able to achieve 1.1:1 on both antennas?  How should the coax be routed from the junction block?  I have the LMR-400 feedline zip tied along the boom to the cross bar and then around the rotors.  

What suggestions do you have?

The instructions particularly concerning the location of the 1/4-wave phasing line and the 1/2 wave balun were not very clear.  Does anyone  have any pictures or illustrations that show placement of the tasing line and balun?

73
Carl WA0CQG