problems transmitting on Yaesu ft897d

[Rizzini ABC123]

Hi all, im a new ham just passed my foundation and set up my shack I have a Yaesu ft897d it was a unused one this is connected to a sharman AV-1000 vswr meter then this is connected to a mAT-30 atu then to the se hf x-80 xp vertical (6-80meter) antenna, all using rg213 coax. now regarding the antenna I have tuned it for the 20 meter band using my rig expert 230 zoom and it is reading 1.45 swr and a return loss of 13.1 db, problem is I just spent 1 hour calling cq all thru the permitted 20 meter band no reply at all I can hear lots of conversations all over uk and Europe but no one cant hear me on transmit and ideas please this is very frustrating tbo, but the transceiver has quite a complex menu system and I really aren't sure how to set it up especially the mic any ideas would be greatly appreciated !
Atb Alf (M7FFI)

[Kilo-Golf]

I would try transmitting and using a web sdr to hear what your audio and signal is like. You could also ask local amateurs to check your transmitting okay. Then try answering some calls.

[ch25]

hf x-80 xp is basically a dummy load. Most of the power is used to heat un-un ferrite core in the bottom.
Try to add at least 2 radials per band, should improve a little.
Chris

[Rizzini ABC123]

Ok thanks for the feed back guys, think I will scrap the dummy load 80 xp vertical and try something better any suggestions please only got the 80 xp because limited room in the back garden so really need a vertical is there any really good ones anyone could recommend for 20 and 40 meter bands please.
Alf.

[ch25]

7-8m vertical is self supporting. Could be AL pipe, can be wire n fibreglass fishing pole.
Put one in the garden. than add some radials as long and as many as you can.
Sell or trade mAT-30 for FC-40 and place it at the bottom of your vertical.
Enjoy well performing antenna.
Chris

[Rizzini ABC123]

Ok thank you for the info Chris good advice for sure
73
Alf.

[Auldgeek]

Look at the DX Commander. There's a number of different options available, but essentially, it's a multiband 1/4 vertical. The smallest is the Rapide, and is self supporting. A few radials are all that's needed. They are very efficient.

[Rizzini ABC123]

Thanks Auldgeek will check it out

[ch25]

Dx commander will be even better, no ATU needed, but still need many ground radials.

[Auldgeek]

Dx commander will be even better, no ATU needed, but still need many ground radials.

It's an excellent antenna Chris. I run the Classic, which is around 10m. It's configured for 80-10 excluding 30m. On 80m, I have the radiator approximately 9m vertical, and the rest is horizontal. As you say, no atu required.

I have around 20 X 5m radials, and another 10 at 8m. Noise level is also remarkably low for a vertical. Highly recommended.

[Ant]

DX Commanders are good, but a bit deaf on receive, but good on TX. Quite a bit of fiddling needed to get all bands correct. A lot of reports of snapped poles as people leave them up without enough guys.

I have a DX commander classic +80m and I have another 10m pole with a wire up it connected to an FC-40 with one 10m counterpoise wire and I prefer to use that. I've fitted a choke to help reduce some of the noise which verticals are prone to.

[Rizzini ABC123]

thanks everyone for your recommendations, however I now have the xp 80 set up perfectly on the 15-20 and 40 meter bands, no radials required just adjusted the length to suit these bands so I got less than 3.1 swr readings on these 3 bands on the rig expert 350 zoom, connected it straight to a Yaesu ftdx1200 and job done the transceivers built in atu does the rest if need be although I do have a ldg yt-1200 on standby for use on the 80 meter band as this is showing 5.2 swr a bit high for the transceivers atu to handle I believe, however I am happy with its performance for a cheap antenna and have been making contacts all over Germany France Spain Italy Poland Belgium etc as well as Scotland and England, I must say for a cheap vertical with no radials needed it is quite impressive especially with my location only being 3 meters above sea level, most reports are coming back 5 and 9 or 5 and 8 just shows what a bit of setting up can do
73