Why does everyone love the Buddistick?

[@TheHeff76]

Morten, great video and I feel the same way. The BuddiStick Pro was my first HF antenna after I became General class and while at first it worked well enough (For someone who had nothing to compare it to), Once I got my DX Commander and Wolf River coil I realized how much quicker I could setup with those. Yes, the DX Commander was quicker to setup then spending all that time tuning the BuddiStick. That said, I am going to do some testing with a new solution I have for the BuddiStick that hopefully helps. I will post my findings on my channel. "Ham Radio Hef". I'm hopeful but a bit doubtful at the same time on my solution. LOL

[@LB0FI]

It’s funny how your your first antenna is great until you try something else:)

[@arnoldgrubbs2005]

I wonder when you had the SWR at the low point, what the actual impedance was? Usually verticals and some of the short mobile antennas will have a low resistance when resonant. Buddipole sells a "tripple ratio switched balun" that allows for matching low impedances. Its a 1:1, 2:1, 4:1 that covers 50:50 , 50:25 and 50:12 ohm systems. I am not sure if just flipping a standard 2:1 or 4:1 balun or UnUn around would work, but it might be something to try if you have one, or the parts to make one to test ( Would be less costly to test with a 'quick and dirty' home made one to see if it works than buying the buddipole one just to test with). I do own one and use it at times with a screwdriver mobile antenna, to reduce fiddling with the base shunt coil on the larger (more efficient) screwdriver antennas.

[@LB0FI]

But this is just way too complicated for simple portable operations. And that’s why I can’t like the antenna. What it’s marketed as is not what you get.

[@arnoldgrubbs2005]

@@LB0FI Yes, its not "plug and play" that's for sure. There are a lot of antennas that are easy to set up and take a minimum of fiddling to make them work.

[@K5YVY]

I have found that using the tuning chart from BuddiPole for the BuddiStick really helps get me in the ballpark and I use the swr sweep on the 705/7300 to tune it in. When I use a analyzer I find I get different readings between the analyzer and what the radio actually sees, I presume it’s the movement of the coax or maybe my proximity to the antenna at the time. I usually don’t bother with it on 40m because I as well start to get frustrated trying tuning it, but higher bands aren’t that bad. The extended whip and additional poles you can add to it is supposed to make 40m much easier to tune. Final decision for me, I do love using the BuddiStick, but only when I plan to have it set up all day, if only a couple hours or so then I’m breaking out the efhw.

[@LB0FI]

I ended up selling the antenna shortly after recording the video.

[@2e0txe]

The metal on the tripod supporting the counterpoise will be affecting it. You need a non-conductive support for the counterpoise wire.

[@LB0FI]

It probably did a little bit although there was a bit of isolation between the countepoise and the tripod. I did try it with a wooden stake at home, and I didn't notice any difference.

[@labcat73]

Thanks for the video Morten. I never owned one of those loaded verticals. I imagine it being marginally less painful to tune as a magnetic loop...

[@LB0FI]

Honestly Tobias, I don't know which is worse.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Coil antennas are always a bit fiddly. I don't know if the value is there in "high-Q" or if broadband/less fiddle is the way.

[@LB0FI]

I am going to test out a couple more loaded verticals the coming weeks. Hopefully I find one that suits me.

[@terryburton8072]

I agree with you Morten. I love my Buddipole when using it in a dipole configuration but trying to tune the Buddistick vertical is not easy... especially as a portal antenna. I had rather use an EFHW. Much easier and quicker to deployed. 73, Terry, W4ALK

[@LB0FI]

The EFHW is always my go to antenna if I have enough space. I might have found the right coil loaded vertical as well, so keep an eye out for that.

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

I’ve used my Buddistick Pro twice so far. My first time it only took about 10 minutes to tune (POTA activation). The second time it only took about 5 minutes (home, backyard testing). I need to use it some more. 73!

[@LB0FI]

I just found it way to hard to tune, and way too time consuming. I have a couple of more similar antennas coming up for testing soon.

[@MikeN2MAK]

It’s not for a lack of trying. You gave it a fair shot.

[@LB0FI]

Oh, I absolutely did...

[@StuartM0TTQAmateurRadio]

With pretty much any antenna which is supposed to be an electrical quarter wave, if the best SWR you can achieve is higher than acceptable then the first thing to try is more radials or to tune the radial itself to be a quarter wave. There's no magic shortcut in antennas which any of these variable-tap coil verticals can access. A compromise antenna that is a compromise of time as well as performance doesn't look like it's worth it.

[@LB0FI]

Exactly, it’s just not worth neither the time nor the money.

[@KS0JD]

Maybe another set of eyes looking at it might help. Maybe one of your buddy's from TEHRS can have a try at tuning it. Sometimes a different perspective helps. 73 Mort

[@LB0FI]

No worries for me, I sold it two hours after recording the video 😄

[@ExtremeSquared]

I believe the buddistick sells because it can be easily deployed where there are no trees, and the ground is very hard and dry. It's a somewhat artificial constraint in many places.

[@LB0FI]

Let's be honest, the Buddistick sells because of great marketing. It is not the only antenna that can be deployed like that, and it is also not the only coil loaded short vertical on the market. It is a great concept, but it is just too difficult to tune for being a quick deployable antenna.

[@DK5ONV]

Ummm...I definitely do not love the Buddistick. Just by looking at it gives me already Pimples in my Face. I am a Wireman 4ever and 4always. Nice Video, Morten. Happy Thursday Evening & 73 de Uncle Günter 🙋‍♂

[@LB0FI]

It’s a good idea, but it’s not practical for my uses.

[@KH6WI]

Ive found the buddistick easy to setup. Can get it tuned in just a few minutes with my rig expert analyzer. Made 200+ qsos with it and my g90 from hawaii last weekend.

[@LB0FI]

I just couldn't get it properly tuned, but I am going to experiment with both the JPC-12 and the Slidewinder DX the next couple of weeks. Hopefully they will suit me better. Thanks for commenting.

[@kieludwig2012]

I'm sorry you're having an issue with the buddistick I really like mine and I get it to tune. There is also a gentleman that wrote a book on the buddistick

[@LB0FI]

Thanks for commenting! I removed the link you posted though as I have no way of knowing how safe that link is.

[@m.k.7199]

Never had your problems with the Buddipole. It could be environmental: ground, height of the antenna, etc. I have used other configurations with both the Buddipole and Buddistick, but always on a mast. The lowest antenna I've built is on the 11 ft shock corded mast. I have literally hundreds of QSOs, some thousands of miles. Also, I've never had the radial higher than the base of the buddistick attachment point. Experiment and have fun with it, you'll figure it out!

[@LB0FI]

Oh, I ended up selling the antenna two hours after making this video. It was just too much of a hassle. Lately I've been using the Slidewinder DX, and that is a completely different antenna. It tunes in about a minute no matter how you deploy it.

[@truckinguy92]

@@LB0FIthat may be but a coil is a coil, is a coil. There’s nothing magic about the sidewinder that’s different from the BuddiStick coil. I think a big part of your problem was using a metal camera tripod to suspend the counterpoise wire. The metal was interacting with the wire.

[@LB0FI]

@@truckinguy92 The sliding coil makes all the difference in the world.

[@truckinguy92]

@@LB0FI yes I’m sure it makes band switching faster. But once you put the taps on the BuddiStick they don’t need to be removed. My point was that a coil is a coil, meaning that there’s nothing magic about an inductor. The only difference between the 2 is how they’re tapped with the wander lead.

[@JohnTarbox]

ugler i mosen DE WA1KLI

[@LB0FI]

Absolutely!