Since getting my general ticket, I have tried the Buddipole on HF outdoors a couple of times.  I was able to make a couple of contacts but I always got low signal reports and generally wasn’t able to complete the contact, and I didn’t get responses for my CQ calls.  I was following the instructions for the Buddipole but not having much luck.

I had ordered the MFJ-223 from a local dealer and it took awhile to get in stock.  Once I got it, I realized how priceless an analyzer is.  I realized I was likely operating with 2:1 to 3:1 SWR- and my low signal reports had something to do with my rig holding back the power due to SWR. What I really like about the MFJ-223 is the graph.  I can scan up to 24 MHz of spectrum and see the results plotted out instantly.  I found that due operating in the woods with several nearby trees, I had to make the antenna slightly shorter than the instructions recommended.

At the park I was at, using the stock Buddipole horizontal dipole setup for 17 meters, my antenna was resonant at 17.7660 MHz- far below the 17 meter voice range.  SWR was 2.17 at 18.110 MHz and 2.42 at 18.168 MHz.  After some experimenting, I ended up leaving everything the same except for the red side element- I shortened that to about 4.6 sections vs. the 5 recommended.  This solved everything, my antenna was now resonant at 18.0860 MHz, and SWR at the voice band edges were 1.09 and 1.19.

Suddenly I had people responding to my CQ calls.  From Great River Bluffs State Park in MN, I was able to contact California, Vancouver Island, and Rarotonga Island.  I was getting some 5×9 reports at the highest, and 4×4 reports at the lowest.  In one contact I had he was running 700 watts, I was running 50 watts, and we were both 5×9 to each other.

I can’ t wait to get outdoors again and try some more bands. More to come.