BUDDIPOLE IN THE FIELD

Rotating the mast works well for the 8 foot and 16 foot standard masts
on the Buddipole tripod. The shock-cord masts can also be rotated under
the VersaTee, but since they are solid, one-piece masts (after assembly),
you will need to rotate the entire mast, not just the top section as with
the standard masts.
The Buddipole is supplied with a length of coax
terminated with a BNC connector on one end
and two banana plugs on the other. The
banana plugs mate to the red, blue, and black
mounting points on the front of the VersaTee.
The red banana plug is connected to the
center conductor of the coax; the black
banana plug is connected to the shield of the
coax. A set of ferrite beads surrounds the coax
near the banana plug leads to help keep RF
energy off the outside of the coax.
For a standard dipole configuration (as described in later chapters),
connect the red banana plug into the red
connector, and the black banana plug into
the black connector. Secure the coax to the
mast with the supplied Velcro strap by
threading the end of the strap through the
loop, tightening, then securing the strap end.
Antenna configurations that use the top tap
(vertical configurations) should have the red
banana plug connect to the blue connector,
which is in turn connected to the top
element.
An alternative to using the standard Buddipole coax is the Triple Ratio
Switch Balun (TRSB). The TRSB is a plastic box with a three-position
switch on its face, and a pair of BNC connectors, one on the top, and
one on the bottom. The top BNC connector (closest to the switch) is the
output of the TRSB; the bottom BNC connector (furthest from the
switch) is the input of the TRSB.
The TRSB is superior to the standard feed line in two ways:
1. The TRSB contains a switch connected to a transformer inside
the unit. The transformer provides either a 1:1, 2:1, or 4:1 ratio
impedance match based on the switch setting. That is a
complicated way of saying that the TRSB can match a radio that
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