Wilson 1000 magnet mount antenna repair
The Wilson 1000 is a popular high-performance magnet mount antenna for CB radio and 10 meter amateur radio. The screw-on loading coil design may lead to the magnetic base becoming loose from the antenna mount, which can cause high SWR spikes that could damage the transmitter. Eventually, the antenna could detach from the magnetic base and fall off the vehicle, which is a safety hazard. The symptom of this is when the magnetic base is on a metallic surface, gentle twisting of the plastic shroud allows rotation of the shroud over the magnetic base - this is a problem, the shroud should not be able to rotate over the magnetic base when the antenna is properly tightened. This procedure works for similar antennas with a screw-on coil including the Wilson 5000, Stryker SR-A10MM, Radio Shack 21-940A, and others.
The tools required to fix this are a 9/16" socket, a 9/16" wrench, and a 11/16" wrench. An adjustable wrench may be used, but a 9/16" socket is strongly recommended along with whatever wrench is used. Gently peel off the vinyl sheet covering the magnetic base and set it in a clean space as it will be reused. Gently lift off the plastic shroud and slide it down the cable several inches to expose the nut and coax connection to the antenna base. Use the 9/16" socket under the magnetic base and the 9/16" wrench on the nut above the magnetic base to tighten the nut to the magnetic base. Don’t use excessive force as the nut can be stripped or the magnetic base can be damaged. After tightening the nut, slide the plastic shroud back up and tighten the shroud with the 11/16" wrench to secure it to the antenna base. Finally, reapply the vinyl sheet to the magnetic base to protect it from corrosion and to maintain the appearance of the antenna. Be sure not to crinkle the vinyl sheet as this can affect antenna SWR performance and the attachment strength of the magnetic base to the vehicle.