My birthday present of this year was getting a bit dusty. So after a days work this afternoon I decide to put it in the air for a test run. A few days ago I bought some nice mast pieces of 1m20 each. So I attached the BuddiPole to one of the mast pieces and build 6 of the pieces (the BuddiPole itself around 16 meters up in the air). It was kind of scary standing on the roof, holding the growing mast with two hands in the (little) wind. But it worked! I attached the temporary mast to my other 2m/70cm mast with some tie-wraps. There was virtually no wind, so not much could go wrong.
Back in the shack I did immediately notice the low noise level and strong signals. Of course it’s high altitude is also responsible for that (less QRM) but the SWR is flat on all of the 15 meter band! Thus it’s design and construction is quite nice. In less then an hour I worked 5 new DXCC-entities (countries) on 15 meter: Bahrain, China, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Cuba!
I think we can safely say the BuddiPole is working nice! Next time I’m putting it up in open field.
Hai Jim,
I have also a buddypole and im really glad with the results! I was on a camping site in granada spain. And worked many country’s with really nice signal reports. And also with 50 watts 20db over 9 in Utrecht.
So im also very glad with my buddypole. Did you buy him original or made one by youre own?
Greeting Thetmar de PD5TW
(Gewoon nederlands mag ook hoor 😉
Hi Thetmar!
thanks for your comment. Sounds like your BuddiPole is doing a great job too!
Mine is original. Want to expand it with the tripod and the 240 cm aluminium mast and the vertical clamp (so I can use it as BuddiStick). I figured it’s the ideal portable setup In combination with my Elecraft K1! Just for holiday purposes but also maybe for SOTA-activity in the nearby future.
73 de PA1JIM