Success!!

My Nephew and I finally were successful in completing a QSO on the HF bands. We had trouble using Our Verticals but He bought a G5RV and installed it recently. Last night He texted Me that He had it installed and conditions seemed good for a 75m contact. We both tuned up on 3.810 and I checked to make sure the frequency was clear. He heard Me at about S9 but I could just hear a whisper of signal I assumed was from Him. Eventually We had to use the semi-reliable cell phone to discuss the situation.
By this time someone was now on frequency so We moved up 2 and both retuned and tried again. Still a one-ended conversation so He tried switching Mikes. No luck!
What was going on?? Next He tuned up into the dummy load portion of his Ebay bought tuner and noticed it tuned up nice . Lots better than thru the matching network of the tuner. Switching to direct and using the rig's auto tuner did find a good match. luckily We seemed to be trying our test on a portion of the band this G5RV antenna worked OK. I heard him at about s9 and He now was receiving Me at about 10-20 over! Tuner has an issue in the matching network or switches, but works in "direct "mode.
I was now officially his first HF contact!! Tonight I filled out a QSL card and will send it out tomorrow. The G5RV antenna is a compromised antenna on several bands but because of the coax feed makes it a very good choice in some applications-- this one for sure!! Now He has a good domestic antenna , and with the vertical, a good DX antenna. Should be fun!!
73--Tim