The Journey to 18,000 Miles: How Bill (NO4ON) Dialed In His Greyline Flagpole for Global DX

Customer Spotlight: Finding the Perfect Station Synergy with NO4ON

In amateur radio, the "perfect" setup is often found through experimentation and persistence. Bill (NO4ON) recently shared his experience optimizing his 28-foot Greyline Flagpole (24' + 4' extension) plus our 9-foot extension, and his story is a masterclass in how station components—from the radio to the tuner—work together as a complete system.

Key Takeaways

• The Build: 24' Greyline Flagpole + 4' Extensions + 9-foot Whip extension (37' total height).

• The Hardware: Flex 8600 SDR, 4O3A Tuner Genius XL, and Antenna Genius.

• The Solution: Achieved a rock-solid 1.1:1 SWR across most bands by transitioning to a 4:1 Balun Designs interface.

• The Results: 20 consecutive international QSOs in one afternoon, spanning 18,000 miles of total coverage (South Africa to Finland to Australia).

• Maintenance Tip: Used galvanic grease (aka Noalox) and heat shrink to ensure long-term conductivity in the humid Florida climate.
  
  - Greyline note: most won't use the heat shrink as it's permanent and messy to work with if needing to upgrade or take a peek. Greyline uses high-end, highly polished metal that won't corrode. 

The Experiment: Finding the Right Match

Bill initially utilized a high-quality LDG remote tuner at the antenna base. While LDG is a "gold standard" for many Greyline users, Bill found that in his specific environment—paired with a high-end Flex 8600 and 4O3A Genius automation—he wanted to try a different approach to achieve the ultimate consistency. Especially on the digital modes.

After collaborating with the team at LDG, Bill experimented by simplifying his feed path. He transitioned to a 4:1 Balun connected via ladder line directly to his station's internal tuning logic.

The Breakthrough: "WOW" Performance

By switching to the 4:1 Balun and utilizing the intelligence of his Tuner Genius XL, his station found its "sweet spot."

"The Flex was able to tune all of the frequencies from 80m to 6m. The worst was 10m which was 1.2, all of the rest were 1.1. I jumped on to WSJTX and got contacts on 40m, 30m, 20m, 15m, and 10m in one sitting."

Global Dominance from Pensacola

With his matching network optimized, Bill fired up WSJT-X. On a single Thursday afternoon, the results were undeniable:

• 20 Consecutive QSOs: All outside the USA.

• Global Footprint: Contacts spanning from Finland to South Africa to Australia.

• Extreme Efficiency: An average distance of 4,000 miles per contact.

"Do atmospheric conditions work that way? If they do I have never experienced it before. You should be the judge on just how good this Antenna-Radio combination is. 73 Bill - NO4ON"

Ready to give your Flex or Icom the antenna it deserves?
Shop the Greyline Antennas here.
Shop the 9-foot Whip and Flagpole Extensions here.

Are you finding the "Sweet Spot" in your shack? We love seeing how our community integrates Greyline antennas into their unique station builds. Whether you’ve achieved a personal DX milestone or discovered a technical trick that unlocked new bands, your experience helps the entire ham community grow.

How to get featured:

1. Snap a photo of your Greyline install or your station (especially if you're running gear like FlexRadio, Icom, or 4O3A!).

2. Send us your results—SWR readings, DX logs, or even your "troubleshooting triumphs."

3. Email us at with the subject "Signal Report Submission." 

73 and Good DX!