Secrets of the Buddistick Pro and Fine Tuning

I took my new Buddistick Pro Deluxe out to the park today and with my friend, we discovered a little tuning secret with the antenna. Hope this helps and that you enjoy the demo.
Get Your Buddistick Pro here: www.buddipole.com/budepa.html
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My Current Shack Setup:
Yaesu FT-991A - www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?p...
DX Commander Classic
Diamond X-30A Antenna - www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?p...
Diamond GZV4000 Power Supply - www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?p...
LDG AT200 PROII Tuner
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[@scottsanders6674]

A (loaded) quarter wave antenna operating efficiently has an impedance of 35 or so ohms. This translates to roughly a 1.5 SWR on the analyzer. When you lower the raised counterpoise toward the ground, you are increasing the ground losses in the antenna, which raises the impedance of the antenna closer to 50 ohms. While this makes the SWR look better on the meter (closer to 1.1 because closer to 50 ohm) the antenna is no longer operating as efficiently as it was because of the ground losses. SWR readings on a meter are only part of the story.... Keeping the counterpoise higher than 2 feet and preferably at least 4 feet above the ground will always allow for more efficient radiation of the antenna. Adding one or more raised counterpoises will help even more.

[@jamesr1897]

Hi Scott, being new to Ham Radio, from your point, does this mean a choke is needed on the feed line or as another channel suggested ground radials, and a grounding Rod. Buddipole state that by utilising a Grounding Rod and additional counterpoise radial wires this would change the antennas purpose entirely, which is not as it was designed for. Any thoughts and ideas would be more than welcomed. Thank you.

[@scottsanders6674]

​@@jamesr1897 Hi Rob, Let me try to explain….what follows is a very basic stripped down explanation of how antennas work. Forgive me if you know this already, maybe somebody will get something from it lol. The antenna that all others are judged against is the center fed 1/2 wave dipole, which has two 1/4 wave length antenna elements on either side of a feed point, one side being fed the positive charge and the other side being fed the negative charge of the alternating current that makes up RF energy from a radio. The length of these two elements is determined by the frequency of operation. This antenna, high up in the clear and away from anything and everything will radiate very efficiently, close to 100% of the rf energy presented to it. Equal positive and negative currents are flowing on either side of the antenna, it is “balanced”. Once this antenna starts getting close to objects: trees, houses, metal poles etc- and especially the ground, current flow will be affected by these objects. When the current flow is affected on either or both sides of the antenna, it starts to unbalance the antenna which can affect it’s ability to radiate efficiently. It’s difficult to erect a 1/2 wave dipole in most places we might want to operate, so variations on this antenna design have appeared thru the years. One popular variation is the 1/4 wave ground plane antenna (like the Buddistick, and many others). We can look at the 1/4 wave ground plane antenna as it relates to a 1/2 wave dipole: the vertical whip is the positive side 1/4 wave element, tuned by shortening and lengthening the telescoping element and using the coil and coil taps. The negative side 1/4 wave element is the counterpoise, radial(s) and/or anything conductive you have attached to where the coax sleeve screws on or to the “counterpoise” screw terminal. In this 1/4 wave ground plane configuration it can be difficult to achieve an efficient “negative” side of the antenna because everything near the ground is subject to ground losses. If you are going to use ground radials, (wire laying on the ground) it takes up to about 65 or so 1/4 wavelength wires connected to the neg side of the antenna to start to overcome the ground losses and create enough efficiency to to allow enough current to flow to “balance” the antenna. Now, if you get these wires up off of the ground, their efficiency improves dramatically. Studies have shown that 2 raised counterpoise wires cut to 1/4 wavelength can have the same efficiency as 65 or more radials on the ground! This is why Buddipole have designed the Buddistick with a raised tuned counterpoise. If you are able to get your SWR to around 1.7 to 1 or lower with one or more raised counterpoises, I wouldn’t worry about trying to get it lower as it won’t make any real difference. You should be able to get close to 1.1 to 1 tho by fine tuning the length of the counterpoise and/or the length of the telescopic whip on just about any frequency…. Now about chokes…..When an antenna does not have a sufficient counterpoise, radial field, or is being affected by nearby objects causing it to be “unbalanced”, the antenna will try to balance itself by trying to find a path for enough current to flow. Since the shield of your coax is attached to the negative side of the antenna, rf current will flow down the coax shield to your radio, and since the “negative” side of your radio’s power supply is attached to your electrical system’s ground, the rf current will flow throughout your home’s electrical system on the ground wires and wreak havoc on other appliances plugged into the electrical system. A choke is a device that you install on your feed line coax that has a very high impedance which will “choke” the stray rf current from coming down your coax and help keep it from getting into places it shouldn’t be. They don’t always work tho, especially if the antenna is being asked to work in very extreme conditions with very poor balance. With the Buddistick and raised counterpoise, you should be able to achieve reasonable balance most of the time and not need a choke. The Buddistick Pro looks to be a really well thought out portable antenna system. Have fun!

[@HR4NT]

Very good point. And even keeping the wire up at the recommended 2FT, by using the micro tuning technique we still were getting better readings than by just using the larger winder to tune the radio. However your argument is correct! We are still playing with the antenna and will be doing more testing as we move forward. Thank you very much for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@gaptastic]

@@scottsanders6674 Thank you for the through explanation.

[@rodneyjohnson4794]

@@scottsanders6674 what an excellent, easily understood (by me) explanation! i highlighted it and sent it to my hotmail amateur radio folder. i have been keeping the wire at 2' using wood dowels with a notch cut in one end with at thinmhacksaw blade, just enough for the wire to rest flush. i may boost that to 3 or 4 feet. thanks much for the help! rodney KA0USE

[@marquitosdelacruz8458]

This is why I like Hams. You are always innovating, and advancing the art!

[@HR4NT]

I do my best to think outside the box and find new things to bring to the viewers. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!!!

[@1polonium210]

An integral part of being a Ham is learning to improvise. 73 KI5KET

[@jamesr1897]

At last..!!! A channel willing to get into the weeds with the Buddistick. I've owned a Buddistick for a while now trying to use it for QRP 5w with the Xiegu X5105 Tranceiver, but have experienced severely high 9.1 SWR on 20m and 40m. Most of the other channels really never go into the absolute fine detail of using this product which is frustrating as I'm certain it's an excellent antenna. I also own an after market 9ft whip to utilise once I can get it deployed and working correctly, but don't have an analyser yet. I really hope you produce more in depth detailed videos on the Buddistick. Excellent advice...!! A breath of fresh air.

[@ernestoraices4158]

This dude is awesome. These videos are super helpful!

[@HR4NT]

First thank you for the comment! I do try to put out a different viewpoint of products than what others are doing. Sometimes it can't be avoided. However when we were out experimenting with this one, it was pretty awesome to make that discovery on our own even though apparently others have done this but never spoke of it online...I think the key is just being curious and trying out different things until you get a reaction that is favorable, like going from 1.4o SWR to 1.06 SWR!!!! As far as analyzers go, I HIGHLY recommend the RigExperts. Get the one that best suits the frequency ranges you will need it for. I know some will cover way past the frequency ranges I will ever use, so I chose the AA-600, but looking back i probably could have gone with something that only did .1 - 50MHz and been happy. Screen size is a factor as well. If you don't like a tiny 1 inch screen consider the larger ones with the easier to read screens. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@HR4NT]

Thank you Ernesto!!! Thanks for your support! 73!

[@AA0Z]

My stick pro came yesterday! Can't wait to use it out in the field. Your tip for using the smaller wrap is great!

[@HR4NT]

Thank you Kyle! I really appreciate that! It is becoming more and more fun for me to delve deeper into these antennas and see what kind of performance I can get from them. I think that you will have a lot of fun with the Buddistick. It seems to be a solid antenna as well as extremely portable and fast deployment. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@4daisy714]

Thank you! Great info!

[@HR4NT]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching an for the comment. 73!

[@garyclark4930]

Good information. Thanks for sharing what you have discovered. Some of us know about some of these things, but were not making KZbin videos so if you discover something no one is talking about, share it. I won a Buddiepole Deluxe a few years ago and have had a lot of fun experimenting with it. I have added some things to it that the manufacturer doesn't sell for it, but it changes how compact it is. Bud and Chris have done a great job creating a product that is portable and rugged for what it is. Thanks for sharing Gary KF6EWO

[@HR4NT]

Hey there! I am glad that the video helped you out and that you found it informative! I try to do my best to show and explain things as best I can! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@danielzdanowicz6899]

Hey that is a great tip on the "micro tune". I didn't realize that, but will definitely use it. Also let me offer a tip on the counterpoise. Instead of an electric fence post, I use a wooden dowel that I sharpened on one end. I fasten the kite winder to the dowel with one of the Buddy velcro bungies they sell in their accessories page. I put some cammo tape on the dowel and it blends right in. Sharpen one end of the dowel like a pencil and it easily pushed into the ground or stick it in a near by bush. I live in an HOA and have to use portable antennas to get on the air. The Buddistick works really well. Worked France from SW Florida this afternoon with 35 watts CW and the Buddistick set up. Great little antenna. 73s Dan - K1YPB

[@HR4NT]

That is awesome! Thanks for the suggestion. I primarily use the Buddistick for POTA stuff. My HOA is kinda lax (so far) about my antennas, but your suggestion is a good one! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@danielzdanowicz6899]

What do you use in your HOA for you home antenna?

[@HR4NT]

I have the DX Commander Classic

[@digitalanaloguehamradio]

Makes total sense good info thx

[@HR4NT]

Glad you enjoyed it and found value in it. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@mohawk14616]

Really liking your videos.

[@HR4NT]

Glad you like them! I hope they bring value to your ham radio knowledge! Thanks for watching...73!

[@Paddy_Roche]

Hello Scott, I’m a new subscriber, I just wanted to say thanks for the channel. I am looking forward to getting my Buddistick Pro soon. Keep up the great work and welcome to this amazing and vast hobby. 73 de 2E0TWD

[@HR4NT]

Awesome, thank you for your support! I truly appreciate that! I hope that you will enjoy the content on the channel and find value in my videos! Thanks for watching! 73!

[@NICKGAR7]

Interesting video. I have a BP deluxe purchased 15+ years ago. It is an occasional use antenna if I fancy activating a few rare squares. Yep various tweaks can be made but the proof is in the pudding ie how did the signal strengths compare before and after etc. Main pain is tuning and tweaking so an analyser is good to get it to a ‘safe-enough’ tune so you can get on the air, more contacts etc before you have to head home. If you ain’t careful, you can still be in the field trying to achieve best SWR (maybe not Best efficiency), made no contacts and you are late for dinner! New subscriber. Enjoying your style! 73 Nick M1DDD

[@HR4NT]

LOL...thank you for that comment. I agree, you can go down a rabbit hole with tuning and SWR and everything, but at the end of the day does it perform and reach out the way you want it to? I like as little pre-setup as possible so that I can get on the air fast and begin making contacts. Thank you for the comment and for supporting the channel! 73!!

[@MrMatlock79]

Scott, Stumbled across this video. What a game changer and THANK YOU! I was about to throw my Buddistick Pro Deluxe in the garbage. I was always chasing SWR on this thing until I tried your tips. Now I can consistently get below 1.5SWR. Sometimes a little tweaking involved, but nothing like before. Before, it required a sacrificial goat, some chicken blood and a full moon to get it to tune up and stay put. Again, thank you. KN4YGC

[@HR4NT]

LOL...I am very happy that my micro tuning technique helped!!!!! That is awesome! I hope that you will now enjoy this antenna!! Thanks for sharing and for watching. 73!

[@Tom-W7TMD]

I purchased a buddipole in 05 I think. I found I liked using the versa tee with 2 counterpoise kits. Ends up being a dipole with no coils. At the time the versa tee was the only thing that screwed on to a painters pole mast. Great vid guys

[@HR4NT]

I have seen a lot of guys with those and they seem to like them just fine. I don't think buddipole puts out any bad antennas. I think they are all well planned and thought out, which is a nice thing. Thanks for the comment! 73!

[@markmontgomery9722]

been there done that great that some one else thought of doing this test 73s great stuff

[@HR4NT]

Awesome to hear. Glad I am not the only one! LOL Thank for watching..73!!

[@CyberCowboy7777]

Nice! I did figure out the lowering on the electric fence post, but no the micro wraps, great to know.

[@HR4NT]

Glad I could help! It acts like a fine adjustment for the antenna. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@ryanjones9305]

Good video. Wish I had found it a couple weeks ago, but doing and learning is well worth the effort. Something that surprises me, probably since owning this antenna is my first experience in doing so, but how much moving that counterpoise changes things. Just having a little slack in the line can make all the difference in addition to length and height. Something else of interest when using that rig expert is to graph the SWR. It’s a valuable training to to show how narrow or broad the tuning will be. I’m not to the level of being able to explain it, but the buddistick does appear to tune very narrow in the band you’re aiming for. Great example and the comment section here has some really good additions to your video. 73 KC5HOZ

[@HR4NT]

I actually use that feature as well, just didn't film it, but you are right, it might be a good idea to demonstrate that for others. I actually have moved on from that antenna...just too much work to get it up and running for one band as opposed to my resonant DX Commander Expedition that I setup up once and it just works without a tuner. The no tuner club idea is catching on fast. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@K5YVY]

Good job, man I had been using that technique kinda with mine but using the extra notches and such as anchor points for fine tuning, now I’ll have to try the winding like you did. 👍 although lowering the elevated radial will reduce swr it’s probably not doing what you are hoping it will do. I got 40m to a 1.1 by laying the radial on the ground but I’m sure that didn’t help the radiating efficiency. Either way it’s a fun antenna even when it’s getting aggravating to fine tune, part of the fun is trying something to get success. Look forward to more.

[@HR4NT]

The next test is to get it on the air and see if what you mentioned holds true. Even with keeping the wire at the recommended 2 ft off the ground, the SWR after micro winding the wire around that center part still yielded a very low SWR. I am just having fun playing with it and seeing what all it can do. Thank you for watching and for the comment!! 73!!

[@K5YVY]

@@HR4NT man yeah! Having fun with it and trying different things is what it’s about. What don’t work for one may work great for another. 👍

[@Jonshome337]

Yes worked for me 1:1 many thanks. Think its a great system for mobile work, I have the Buddipole system just use a Analyser .Its not overly popular in the UK like the USA mainly due to the tuning issues and people not getting on with it.

[@HR4NT]

Glad you were able to get it tuned perfect for you! I like antennas that deploy a but faster personally. Having to drag out the analyzer every time I want to change bands becomes a bit cumbersome at times. Thanks for watching and for the comment! 73!

[@twohandsandaradio]

Excellent video! Thank you for not following the lead of the shills on KZbin. Now... 1.0x SWR is great. Do a video on contacts. Find one of those online programs where you can put a pin on different cities and see how it performs. Thanks again for getting in the weeds and not just telling everyone to BUY BUY BUY.

[@HR4NT]

Thank you for the comment. Although apparently I wasn't original as I thought on my discovery as a few have pointed out to me, but it is still something the majority didn't know about and still no one else talks or has talked about it in ANY video, so I am good with it. There is a fantastic logging program out there called HAMRS. I believe you can get it at hamrs.app online and he has versions for all platforms. It allows you to log contacts and it automatically places markers on a map of where you reached. Thanks again for watching. 73!

[@gaptastic]

I was hoping your were gonna crack open the magical transformer. :P Thanks for the video

[@HR4NT]

I am planning on doing a video on the finder details of the antenna, however it looks like it is just a injected mold plastic tube and wire wrapped in a helical axis all the way down the item. Not sure if there is a balun or unun inside or not. It is very light so my assumption is no. I will do some research and get back on that one. Thanks for the comment. 73!

[@SmokeSignalsRF]

Excellent tips! Thank you W1FYG

[@HR4NT]

Glad it was helpful! It seems to work really well. I have set that antenna up many times now and using that technique has made the tuning a breeze. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@kh6qmchristophercolquhoun695]

Nice have one in the mail

[@HR4NT]

Very cool! You will love how fast it is to setup and operate. Thanks for watching 73!

[@Brighamdoc]

Been doing that with the buddipole as a vertical since I got it years ago. I thought that was how it was designed. Make it easier and better SWR add 2 more tuned radials.

[@HR4NT]

I had no idea until we decided that 1.4 SWR wasn't acceptable, so curiosity led to our discovery. I am glad we did this little hack because it made a world of difference and got us almost to 1:1...1.06:1 I can live with happily! Good to know others have done this as well. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@don_n5skt]

Made a slip there. Yeah, I want a buddihex too. ;) But that is some good tips. I just spent a few hours out doing it myself and I could not get 40 to tune. I literally ran out of counterpoise trying to do it. I was just starting to dip on the high end of 40 and around 8:1. And 20 came down at 1/2 to the 40m mark. I am probably counting wrong.

[@HR4NT]

Yeah...yeah...I have the BuddiHex on my mind now and am foaming at the mouth to get one. LOL I would say keep playing with it. Unless there is a malfunction with your antenna or some component within, you should be able to tune to 40M without issue. Thank you for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@dovetomarc]

Can you tell me what model Rig Expert antenna analyzer you are using? Thanks

[@HR4NT]

I use the RigExpert AA-600. There are other ones our there that are a bit cheaper in the RigExpert line, but at the time that was the best bang for the buck. Hopefully that helps. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@scottgus1]

Where can I get that stick you were using to tie off the wire

[@HR4NT]

I picked that up at Home Depot. It is a electric fence stake. They run about $5. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!

[@toddschutter6535]

People tend to obsess over VSWR. If you are below 2.0:1, with modern rigs at 100w or less, you should be good to go. 1.7:1 is better. If you get to 1.5:1 or a little lower, quit futzing with it and get on the air! Like others have mentioned, getting the counterpoise closer to the ground introduces more ground loss which makes the VSWR "look" better on the meter.

[@HR4NT]

I agree that chasing SWR and making it a primary obsession is not a good thing. In this video we were trying to see how low we "could" get it, but if I am at

[@loyannmunyan1174]

How would you use the 80ntr coil with the buddistick pro deluxe? Is there instructions or something to help with that?

[@HR4NT]

I am not sure what you are asking. If I am reading your comment correctly you are asking about using 80 meters on the Buddystick? The antenna is only rated for 40-6 meters. If I misread you then I am lost. Please clarify your question. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@loyannmunyan1174]

Ok so if I wanted to use the buddistick can I put the 80mtr coil on it to operate the 80 mtr band

[@ontarget1911]

So I wonder why they put that on the winder?

[@HR4NT]

So you are able to tune it and fine tune it to your needs for the frequency you want to use. Various bands will require diferrent lengths I hope this helps. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@forgetyourlife]

The lower the counterpoise the greater the ground loss leading to better swr but less radiating RF. Instructions call for minimum height for a reason.

[@HR4NT]

I understand where you are coming from and you are probably right, but I don't think there is anything wrong with experimentation. I like to get down to the minute details on things sometimes and see where it leads. Thanks for the comment. 73!

[@forgetyourlife]

@@HR4NT sure as long as you know swr isn’t the finite indicator of effective radiation. A 50 ohm dummy load for example will have a 1:1 swr or a long run of leaky coax but no RF will get out. In those cases a 3:1 would be better than a 1:1

[@forgetyourlife]

If you want to really find out use a signal strength meter. That will show the true RF out. I’m guessing even with a slightly higher swr there will be more RF out with the Counterpoise up where Buddipole says is the minimum as long as your using quality coax.

[@Bob814u]

Did you move the sections on the whip in and out a little? That may get to 1:1. Just a thought. Never forget there are viewers that are more experienced and smarter than you in their own eyes and will ALWAYS critique you. Remember, it is your channel. Do what you want. 73! de KE5ES

[@HR4NT]

I actually thought about that, but since the instructions never indicate whether that is a thing to do to get better SWR, it never crossed my mind. We got the SWR down pretty good on the bands I have it tapped for and we were seeing around 1.15:1 which I can live with! LOL...Thanks for watching and for the comment., 73!

[@paulhastings3109]

How do you like 2&70cms antenna

[@HR4NT]

I have the Diamond X-50 on my roof and love it. You put it up, plug it on and it just works! Thanks for the comment! 73!!

[@joeparker7423]

Is the buddistick a vertical only?

[@HR4NT]

Yes. The way it is setup is the vertical pole with the coil that you tap for the band you want and you manipulate the counterpoise to tune it to the band/freq you want to operate on. Hope that helps. 73!

[@arniep740]

Here is an article for an alternative method of elevating the counterpoise off the ground... kzbin.info/www/bejne/b33ReZuniKeqd6s 73 de Arnie W8DU

[@HR4NT]

Thank you for sharing! 73!!