Bent ground plane section? W58 Antenna

[Cutlass327]

I was putting up my antenna, a Workman version of the Maco 5/8 base antenna, and I noticed I bent the one piece. Is that an issue in performance? Can it be cut the 3/4" so that it is straight again? Or just leave it?

It's only up temporary until I get the tower actually installed, I was going to try bending it back but being it is bent where it is split to clamp onto the antenna base stud, I'm guessing I may not be 100% successful...

[jessejamesdallas]

cutting it will mess up the SWR and it may not be able to tune very good...pending on how much you cut off.

[Cutlass327]

cutting it will mess up the SWR and it may not be able to tune very good...pending on how much you cut off.

But being bent won't really affect it then?

[cigar czar]

Yea leave it be. I have the 5/8 Maco. If you can straighten in later that's fine but I would not worry about it other than looks.

[jessejamesdallas]

cutting it will mess up the SWR and it may not be able to tune very good...pending on how much you cut off.

But being bent won't really affect it then?

It might if it's bent over like a horse shoe or something, but just a little crooked shouldn't hurt anything.

[MDYoungblood]

There is a ham radio shop (sorry they aren’t a sponsor so I can’t give a link, PM me for it) that sells aluminum tubing to build homemade antennas. Getting parts for a Maco, contact the manufacturer, they sell the piece you need to replace it.

3’s

Greg