Hi.

I have a Barker & Williamson AP-10A apartment portable antenna,
which I am currently using with my Icom IC-725 100-watt all-band
transceiver. How do I set the counterpoise length for minimum SWR when
I cannot use the SWR bridge in my antenna coupler (MFJ-949B)? I ask
this because one of MFJ's technicians, in response to an email I sent
the company about six months ago regarding this issue, told me in no
uncertain terms that antenna couplers may not be used with the AP-10A
(any mismatches are to be corrected by setting the length of the
counterpoise, with the antenna connected directly to the radio). This
is all well and good, but how do I know when the SWR is 1:1 if I
cannot use the bridge in my coupler (by setting the antenna switch to
COAX 1 DIRECT or COAX 2 DIRECT)? I suppose I could watch the power
meter on the rig and experiment with the counterpoise length until I
had maximum output, but I don't want to do that as it may cause
unnecessary QRM. What should be my next step--to get an external SWR
bridge (which has no connection whatsoever to the antenna coupler), or
will tuning the counterpoise for maximum output be enough?

Thanks and 73,

Jeff Strieble, WB8NHV (mailto: )
Fairport Harbor, Ohio USA