Eric,

Life is too short for this.  If you are trying to run multiple dipoles 
in a confined space or other odd setup,  why not try removing all but 
one, and concentrate on ggetting that one to work.

I know the tuner on the Kenwood has a pretty good matching range, so I'd 
try that radio first and be sure you are connected to the correct 
antenna pigtail on the radio.

  Hy power (and most of the antenna companies)  cut their antennas  long 
to start with and you probably need to shorten things up.   I'd try 
shortening about 3 inches off each end.  No need to cut anything, just 
unwrap the  wire at each end insulator, move the insulator 3 inches up 
the wire, and rewrap the  wire tail.   Without a swr  meter or analyzer 
it's hit or miss, but if the radio's tuner is all you have to go by, 
that's all you can do.

I'd do tuning tests  at a couple points in each of the bands 20, 17, 15, 
12, and 10.  You may get lucky with  a particular antenna length  on a 
particular band.


I'm not sure how high the 480's swr meter reads, but even a sighted  non 
ham could  tell you what shows on the meter.

Of course, you should be sure all coax and connectors in the system are 
in good shape.

As for the cw auto tune on the 480:  In cw mode,  rough tune the station 
and hit the cw tune button, which is  the lower of the 4 buttons in the 
  diamond pattern, just to the right of the number pad.   It won't work 
if either the cw bandwidth or shift are set too wide.   Set the shift at 
850, and the bandwidth  at 500 or lower and it will work.


73, Steve KW3A

On 6/13/2012 6:55 PM, Eric Clegg wrote:
> Hi Jim,
> I'm a disillusioned ham in an apartment.
> I have an Extra class
> license and have yet to make a contact on HF since moving to California some
> 22 years ago.
>
> Apart from the fact that I love my job I hate the radio reception out here.
>
> It seemed to be way better back east in Philly where I lived for 13 years
> before moving out here.
>
> I have tried the following antennas without success.
>
> I have two shortened high-power dipoles for 20 meters. I have one also for
> 15 meters. They seem virtually worthless. The 480 just tells me I have a
> high swr
>
> I also have one of the end fed dipoles I can't remember who makes it. I'm
> tenpted to string that along the inside roof of my apartment and see if it
> will work.
>
> I also own the following other antennas that I need help assembling.
>
> A Budistick
>
> A ventenna antenna both of which I bought at Pacificon last year.
>
> The only antenna that seems to have possibilities which my good friend Buddy
> Brannan helped me assemble over the phone is the Alex Loop Walkham antenna.
>
> I also have the biggger Alex magnetic loop. Unfortunately it nees to have
> the ends of the copper tube soldered to the tuning unit.
>
> I've asked a non ham friend to do the soldering for me. I'll be lucky to see
> it back in six months.
>
> The Yaesu FT817ND is a cute little radio. It can be made sort of accessible
> using either the Radio Mate British made keypad or the millenium Qsyer.
>
> Each keypad has its own advantagages. For instance the Millenium will read
> the mode and frequency in CW if certain commands are used.
>
> The Radio mate has one command set that will let you go thru the various
> modulation schemes with the press of a keypad key.
>
> I don't remember that one can do this with the Qsyer but I might be wrong.
>
> I had to get a sighted fellow to setup some of the initial menus for me.
>
> Right now I can't seem to get the Yaesu to pick up any am band stations. It
> did until I took it to Pacificon last year. Then a Yaesu tech made some menu
> adjustments and now no more am band. It seems to pick up all of the other
> bands ok. I can't even get KFBK here in Sacramento and that's a 50 thousand
> watt station. I'm reluctant to send it back to Yaesu they'll think I'm nuts.
>
> I also have an Icom IC703 Plus with the speech board in it but can't figure
> a way to run up the speech without taking apart the radio and adjusting a
> pot.
>
> So in short I've got three radios and no HF contacts.
>
> When I lived in Philadelphia I had such bad antennas from a condo that I
> used to quip as a novice that I should get the worked all blocks award.
>
> I miss CW.
>
> I can't believe what I'm asking is that impossible.
>
> I may get an MP1 eventually but for now I'm really reluctant to get another
> piece of aluminum and generally disgusted with the hobby.
>
> I don't want one more useless piece of hardware.
>
> I also don't understand all the bells and whistles on the 480.  For instance
> I have no idea how to spot a CW signal with the control it has. In the old
> days you just zero beat the signal.
>
> I've tried to listen to the net on Sundays and all I generally hear are
> extremely weak signals.
>
> I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.
>
> 73,
>
> Eric
> KU3I
>
>
>