The other day, a local ham came by with his SWR meter to help me troubleshoot why my signal wasn't reaching very far. The SWR reading ended up being so high that it was off the chart. It is likely due to a combination of factors: using improper impedance coax, using three coax joiners in the line, and possible water damage to one of the outdoor lengths of coax.
I've decided to order proper coax, and to mount my antenna higher up in the air. Both of these changes should dramatically improve my signal, as well as prevent damage to my radio from high signal reflections in the feed line.
Additionally, the local ham helped me tune my antenna properly. I had not realized that the length was adjustable, in order to tune to the middle of the 2 metre band. This should also help improve my signal. I will post an update once I get new coax in place and a higher mount for my antenna.
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