I'm looking for a solid HF vertical antenna. Need one that can take some wind as well do to my location. Only operating 100W, but would like for it to operate up to 80m.

 Ideas?

I've had very good luck with an S9v43 Vertical Antenna.  $200.

*ARCHIVED THREAD* S9v43 Vertical Antenna - "Just Buy It" or Try a DIY Vertical Wire?

Vertical radiators are pretty much all the same.  What really makes a vertical is its radial system. If you want your vertical to really work well, you are going to have to put as many radials out there as you can, in every direction.  Read up on radials and see if it is feasible.    You can build your own radial plate OR you can buy this one.  I have a 40m vertical that I am planning on getting up at some point.  I am trying to decide whether I am going to elevate it or ground mount it (another thing to research).

I've been looking at verticals as well.  I figure there must be some difference between the S9v43 and the Hustler 5BTV.  Isn't the S9v43 essentially just a wire in a really trick telescoping pole?  The 5BTV has traps for the various bands.



Would the Hustler require less matching from a transmatch / antenna tuner than the S9v43?

That's pretty much what it is.  

For All Band at 100 Watts I run the S9v31 and an SG-230 Autocoupler at the base of the antenna with 32 shorter radials (16')
If you are interested more in 40-10 go with the S9v3, If your if your interest is more in 80 then the S9v43 may be a better choice.

I have also used the Hustler 6BTV but it does not include the 160, 17, or 12 bands (and the bandwidth on 80 is very slim)
actually I think the Hustler antennas were made to not require a tuner (if used where they are tuned)
I did not  need a tuner on my 6BTV for 30, 20, 15, and 10, 40 was also pretty broad, 80 will work with a tuner.

I have had good results with both, the key is to put down lots of radials (16 minimum).

This last go round I did the staple it down method of putting down radials (instead of burying them)
It was far easier, and within a month or two the radials have completely sunk down into the lawn.

I currently run a Hustler 6BTV, had a 4BTV and Cushcraft AV5 trap vert also.

These antennas work very well.

Like Elijah1stated, they work best when they have a lot of radials.

The proper way to set up a trap vertical, is to tune each trap for low SWR, starting on the highest freq and working your way down in Mhz, and up to the top of the antenna.

this takes a lot of time, putting the ant. up, and sweeping SWR, and dropping it down, and adjusting.
expect to take most of an afternoon adjusting SWR.

but if you take the time, it's a wonderful thing.

If you hastily screw it together, skip the radials, and try to run it with a tuner, you're going to be disappointed.


this antenna makes a full sized G5RV or ZS6BKW seem like a dummy load.

I live on a hilltop, and have buried utilities, no aerial power/CATV. phone lines
My 6BTVis in the middle of my back yard, with radials buried a few inches under the grass.
I put down a SHITLOAD of them, for 10, 15, *17*, 20, 40, and 80.

* I modified it by adding a full length 17meter vertical element, so it's resonant on 17m too.

I don't need a tuner to run 10-40, and a portion of 80m.

this is the mod to add 17m, (and/or12m) to the Hustler trap vert

http://www.hamuniverse.com/4btvto17meters.html

 


The antenna is narrow banded on 80 meters.

I ordered a second whip, I have one that dips around 3.7 for the SSB DX
and another one that dips around 3.5 for CW DX.


with the built in antenna tuner on my TS-590 ( or TS-480sat) I can't run on the ARFCOM 80m net, SWR climbs too high as you get close to 3.9mhz.


I really like these antennas and would buy another one in  heartbeat.

Sounds like the 5BTV is probably the better choice for me.  I don't have a radio that can work the WARC bands and there is no way I can justify buying a SG-230 right now.  I've got an old Transmatch Jr. and that is going to have to do for some time.  I do like the low profile appearance of the S9v43, but there aren't any restrictions where I'm living.  

I think you will really like it.

Take your time setting it up. DX engineering has a better installation guide, and a good price.

You might want to spend a few bucks more and get the 6BTV.  your next HF rig will probably do 30 meters, and it's a GREAT data and CW DX band.



This part is worth getting too  . . . .

http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-aok-dcf




DX Engineering Direct Coax Feed Add-On Kits are designed for the Hustler BTV series antennas, which allow for a direct connection with a coaxial cable PL-259 (UHF male) connector.


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Thanks Derek.  The 6BTV looks like a good way to go.  It's pretty much the same size as the 5BTV but it doesn't have the capacitance hat 'spiders.'  So it might not stick out as much.  A bit of brown paint and it'd be pretty hard to pick out from the trees behind it.  30 meters would be pretty cool to have and I do plan on getting a new rig one of these days.

You can save the expense of the radial plate by just buying lugs made for large cable



What I did was to strip off about an inch of the insulation on the radials and then put
them in the lug and used a propane torch to heat the lug while I fed solder into it.
(I put 16 wires in per lug) then attach them to the mounting bolts on your antenna (ground side)

+1

I did the same thing with 12volt ring terminals










I painted my cushcraft AV5 trap vert flat black
I masked off the plastic trap insulators and painted all the aluminum

It disappeared into the back yard perfectly


It was very similar to the 6BTV, but was crushed when a storm knocked over a tree into it

Butternut. No traps.

Any vertical will need radials or a counterpoise of some kind.

I bought a stainless steel pot lid at a thrift store for 50 cents.  I was planning on making my ground radial plate out of it.  

I have a DXE 43 foot vertical with an AH-4 at the base and it works for me.