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Reviews For: HUSTLER 4BTV

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : HUSTLER 4BTV
Reviews: 114MSRP: 119.99
Description:
4 BAND TRAP VERTICAL ANTENNA
Product is in production
More Info: http://WWW.NEW-TRONICS.COM
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151144.8
W4SWS Rating: 2002-10-01
Great antenna, poor installer. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Followed instructions exactly. Terrible SWR on all bands. Radical adjustments made minimal changes. Tried with/ without radials, nothing worked...then I found the bad coax coupler.Pilot error. This antenna works as advertised, has a low profile and is a great value.
W8HYD Rating: 2002-07-26
Very Positive Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just for the record I have owned two 4BTV antennas in the past thirty years. The first one I bought used and operated for over nearly four years before replacing it with a brand new version in 1975. I am still using one that I installed after I relocated from Ohio in 1984. Both antennas were from the original Newtronics when it was located in Cleveland. It has been all I ever expected from a vertical antenna and more. Mine is ground mounted w/o radials, and is in an area enclosed by vegitation, trees etc. All the vegitation has encroached since I erected the antenna in 1984. No ill effects.
Hurricane Fran bent the bottom section, not by wind had a limb blow into the top section, to a 30 degree angle. Have a replacement base and bottom section ready to install but have not seen the need to do it yet. Works to good to mess with.
I would recommend this antenna to anyone. I've well over 200 countries and WAS several times over using FT101 series, FT100D, or Swan 500 transceivers into the 4BTV.
Just had to add my review. Keep up the great work Hustler.
N0VJC Rating: 2002-05-18
Very Easy Installation Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was able to pick up a used Hustler 4BTV. I already had a wire ground plane buried at the antenna location in order to use my Webster Bamdspanner as a permanent installation, so I just attached the 4BTV in place of the Webster. After reconstructing the spider assembly from 3/8" copper tubing, the actual setup time was approx. 45 minutes. It tuned flat at the middle of 10, 15, 20 and 40 meters with low power. Just to see what it would do, I tuned 80 meters. I was able to get a 2:1 with low power.
Just on ease of installation and tuning, I give this antenna a 5. I'm looking forward to seeing what it and my Yaesu FT-980 can do. I also would like to find the 75 meter resonator.
73,
-Steve Weidman
N0VJC
WA6CDE Rating: 2002-04-05
best ant ever used mobile Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had several of them.. over the past 20 years.... and used one on the back of the Airstream trailer... which someone else copied and published in ARRLs pay for view stuff... they got it part right... but, like fishermen... the secret that they missed was that we found it needed de-coupling so we used the W2AU balun... and it works great. made a fold over mast so the mast mounted on the back of the trailer ( 31 ft.) would stay and the antenna would fold down over the top of the awning. while in motion. also put little SS springs and washers on the spider tube mounting screws so that you could flip them out of the slots and make them all fold back... simple mod. placing plastic electrical tape at the set points on the tubing allows one to remove and replace without having to go back and retune the antenna.. breaking it down makes up the base and 3 aprox 6 ft sections... with the spider assembly... all three traps are not changed as they make up one of the sections. used it on all bands... 80-10... and it has stood the test of time... as to strength... it stayed on the back of the airstream when it was stationed down at Kesler and was still standing after the hurricane came through... while others were looking for their parts that came off... of theirs. it had a slight bend which was easy to fix... and we were back on the air in short order with traffic. Another suggestion is to anodize the antenna alu parts... when it is new... using the same procedures as they do on aircraft... and while it changed its color from alu to a golden... the anodizing keeps it from ever corroding and extending its mechanical life.

I am surprised that the airstream group hasn't come out with the "how to ..." as both the trailer and the hustler antenna are good ham items. the travel trailer makes a good radio shack when parked in the back yard as well as a good... on the road shack for camping and field day. comes with heater and air cond... bathroom and hot shower.... and sleeping quarters... for guests... first class all the way for traveling and usage.

We also used two of the 5btv's as a rotoable dipole... worked good also.. and we have used 3 of them in a tri configuration and phased them to make a directional gain antenna...

the antenna works well from ground mounting to on the roof...is rugged and well worth the cost... mine have been all around the world... and outlasted several different radios... Parts are easy to come by... and their staff have always been helpful. its the best buy on the market for a vertical... and after independent radio club testing in KH6 land where the club their tested it against a inverted V... found it to be equal or better in some cases.... they have their write up on the web and makes for excellent reading with lots of data support info.... that we have known for years of usage. .

For travel, home or emergency use... you cant beat it... and it can be put up in a matter of mins...
and works well... however we suggest that you pay attention to the decoupling and usage of either the suggested coax choke that the manufacture is recommending or use of the 1:1 balun which we think they should make into the base of the antenna as a improvement...


KK5VL Rating: 2001-11-23
VERTICALS COMPARED Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I HAVE USED THIS ANTENNA FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS HERE.IT IS MOUNTED ON 150 FT OF CHAIN LINK FENCE WITH BURIED RADIALS AND GROUND ROD, ALL CONNECTED TOGETHER WITH FLAT COPPER STRAP. IT WORKS EXTREMLY WELL ON DX CONTACTS. WORKING DX ON 40 MTRS SPLIT , I ALWAYS GET THROUGH ON THE FIRST CALL. I HAVE AN 80 MTR COIL ON TOP AND IT DOES WELL IN THE DX WINDOW . I HAVE WORKED JA`S AND ABOUT EVERY COUNTRY IN EUROPE WITH IT. I HAD A GAP VERTICAL. IT DIDNT COME CLOSE ON DX CONTACTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY , THE GAP IS GONE. 20 MILES FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO HERE AND IT STANDS UP TO WIND AND SALT WELL. I WOULD HIGHLY RECCOMOND THIS ANTENNA TO ANYBODY. WORK IT AGAINST A GOOD GROUND AND IT WILL SING. (IT IS MY FAVORITE SECRET WEAPON.) KK5VL
KE5GK Rating: 2001-11-23
Best of the Lo-Cost Name Verticals Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Over the years I have owned two of these antenna.
Each produced great results.

The first was a roof-mounted, with radials, set up. Worked South Pole on 40M SSB from San Antonio, TX.

The second was from Anchorage, AK. This time, ground mounted and no radials. Even with the frozen ground I worked some great DX: Father Moran, VU2, and about all of the Far East. I only had to give my call sign on 10 & 15M SSB and I could work JA's until I got tired. This is a rugged antenna that can take a licking and keep on ticking.

I am now using a Solarcon A-99 vertical that is much less expensive and produces almost equal results.

If you have your heart set on a proven, big name vertical, you can't go wrong with Hustler 4BTV antenna.
KZ9G Rating: 2001-11-23
Great Buy! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Gents... This antenna arrived missing the capacity hat's spider ring/clamp and it's associated hardware. An e-mail that included the model #, warrantee card info, and missing parts list, gained a prompt response. I received the parts about two weeks later. I had one of these year's ago, and don't expect any problems with this one. I will update this review with performance thoughts soon. BTW, many radials being laid along with it... 73 de Steve, KZ9G.
WA5US Rating: 2001-10-13
Still great after all these years! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This review is for the 4BTV. I've installed it on a four foot pipe, without any ground radials and it works beautifully. I'm sure it helps that my location in North Texas has great ground conductivity (check the FCC ground conductivity map to see what your conditions are!). I owned one of these verticals back in the late 60's and it's still one of the best around. If you're looking for an affordable, rugged, dependable antenna that takes up little space and won't offend your neighbors, and works - look no further!

Also, I've found their advice about making a couple of coax RF chokes (one at the antenna and one near the transmitter) very valuable in reducing RFI. Although no advice was given as to how you'd fashion these and keep them in shape, I found some plastic pieces at the local hardware store (along with some SS hardware) that I could use as clamps to hold the 6" coils in place.
K5ENA Rating: 2001-08-31
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my Hustler 4 BTV for over 5 years and am extremely satisfied with it. I have worked over 200 countries with it roof mounted, running 100 watts. I have also had it ground mounted without radials and it worked just fine. If I can hear it, I can work it. The low angle radiation is fantastic. Excellent construction. It is unguyed and I live in Oklahoma(tornado alley). This antenna was highly recommended to me by a big DXer for my limited budget and space. I would buy another one in a heart beat.
G4MJA Rating: 2001-08-14
Excellent! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a Hustler 4-BTV to replace an ageing Hokushin HF-5V vertical.What a difference! I carefully followed the measurement instuctions and mounted the antenna on a ground post-no radials, I dont have the space. Result? Low SWR and very broad banded, 1.1 to 1 at resonance and never above 1.3 to 1 band edge to edge. With an MFJ 949 ATU I can tune a flat match on 12m and a 1.3 to 1 match on 17m, of course the antenna is not resonant on these bands. Performance is way up on my previous vertical. If you are in the market for a vertical buy a 4-BTV, you wont be dissapointed. 73, Mike Swift. G4MJA