Should i replace the entire vhf antenna or just the mast?

[Kenneth51]

I’m trying to figure out if I need to replace my entire VHF antenna after my mast came down last weekend, or if just the mount is damaged. The co-ax cable looks okay, but I’m not sure how to properly test the antenna itself without specialized gear.

[Mason_H]

After mine came down, the coax looked fine but the base and the radiator mount were bent. I wouldn’t trust it, so I ended up replacing the whole package rather than trying to bend things back.

[Natalie_M]

I did a quick continuity check with a basic multimeter at the feed point and got odd readings, but I’m not sure that tells me whether the radiator itself is damaged without proper test gear.

[Eleanor_T]

Do you have a way to borrow a small SWR meter?

[JosephT]

Part of me thinks the real issue was the mast tilt and not the radiator, and chasing resonance kept me busy long enough to forget about the mount; I still don’t have a clear answer.