[Antennas] Antenna too tall, help?

2002年4月15日 14:17:26 -0500

I purchased a Larsen KG144pl - 2 METER ON GLASS ANTENNA
and I mounted it before looking very well. It is a great antenna
and the mounting went well, the SWR is fine as set and it works
well.
I am using it for a dedicated APRS tracker system in my SUV and
will be use on 144.390 MHz most of the time.
Here is my problem, the antenna being a 5/8 wave is too tall and hits
very hard on my garage door every time I go in and out. I have it mounted
down as far as I can on the window and do not really have another place
to mount it. I have a dual band Larsen on glass mount on the other side
of the SUV and that just barley touches when I go in and out of the garage.
Here is my question. Could I bend the last 12" or so over at a 45 degree angle? 
What would that do the the SWR and performance other than make the installation 
look strange? Is there a shorter whip that would work with that same mount
 (I have it installed now)? I understand the mount is designed for the whip and I did
try to interchange my dual band Larsen whip and the SWR was very bad.
The APRS system is set up to start up when I turn my key on and the equipment
is tucked away in a compartment. I don't want to take the chance the transmitter 
will dump 25 or 50 watts into the coax with no antenna mounted very much. This could
happen when I am screwing the antenna back or or if my wife takes the SUV and
forgets to put the antenna on.
Any help will be appreciated
Mike KU4ZD