What am I doing wrong! IC-718 and MFJ 949E

Out of curiosity in once loaded a 2M j-pole on 15M with 100W and made stateside contacts with it with excellent signal reports (really). My tuner couldn't load it any lower in frequency. I've also loaded a 40' clothesline that was grounded at both ends all the way down to 40M and made contacts with it on 100W. It was a very quiet antenna.

 

I presume a very clean signal too..... Sowwwy, I couldn't resist that one.

 

The other stations reported a nice, summer freshness to my signal as well.

 

... though perhaps a bit windblown.

 

Was the audio 'Pinched' sounding with the clothes pins on the line?

 

What, no one asked me KC2ESD the question?

This could be the problem and solution: On the IC-718 if you try to tune up with SSB nothing will happen unless you speak in the mike. To tune the 718 you have to set it to RTTY mode, set watts to 5W first, key the mike and watch the meter. Adjust with the tuner controls untill you get a low SWR (1.5/1 or less) then turn the power up to 25, then 50, then 75, then full and make sure the SWR does not go up then your ready to go. If you have a Auto tuner just hit the tune button on the 718. I have the 718 and the MFJ-941E and have no problem with it, That tuner can tune a Fish.

73 de Rick KC2ESD