| KK4AXX |
Rating:      |
2012-11-12 | |
| Even rebuilt from bits & pieces |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
My 4BTV came from a fellow HAM that had two headed to the scrapyard. I took the two, cleaned up all the bits, and used some from each to build ONE complete 4BTV.
Previously I had built a 17 Meter copper pipe vertical that was mounted to a four foot tall 4x4 in the middle of my back yard with a dozen or so telephone wire radials just under the grass and a home-grown balun made on a T200-2. I simply mounted the 4BTV on the opposite side of the 4x4, split the feed with the 17 Meter, and commenced tuning.
I expected to have major issues. Yet, the home-grown 17 blended right in with only the slightest tweak in overall length (a design feature). Across the bands I have no worse than a 1.7:1 at one or two points. Reports have been stellar considering the 4th hand radio I'm running. First day in operation I made my first contact with Japan and since have picked off even more decent DX - all barefoot.
In this operators opinion, this is top-of-the-line equipment and anyone with a little patience and a spool of wire for radials can have it up and running in an afternoon. |
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| AF2DX |
Rating:      |
2012-08-22 | |
| SUPER VERTICAL |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I'm antenna restricted and I use the 4BTV along the creek.
I never use radials because I have excellent soil conductivity.
I spent a full day tuning it and have just about zero SWR on all 4 bands.
I just wish I can get a higher spot to mount it.
It is a bit rough to use portable but I break it down into two sections and just leave it in the station wagon.
I have worked into Netherlands,and as far as Germany with 4 watts showing on the HB1A rig with AA batteries.
I'm in the lowest spot and still received a 559 report.
A bit of a pain for portable work but if I am going to stay out most of the day then i'll use it.
I paid $90.00 shipped and that vertical really does a super job.
BOB
AF2Q |
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| N8SUT |
Rating:      |
2012-07-17 | |
| affordable and it works! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Remember that old saying "Good stuff ain't cheap and cheap stuff ain't good."? Well, there is an exception to every rule! I don't consider the BTV-4 to be a particularly expensive antenna, but the performance and durability for the price is amazing. There are however a couple side notes that go with that...As others have stated, it takes at least 20 radials, a coax balun, and patients to make it work. You really need an antenna analyzer to get this system set up and resonate--you can do it without, but I wouldn't recommend it unless the swear jar is low on funds! Also highly recommended is the DX Engineering package with tilt over base, coax adapter, radial plate, radial wires, and better instructions. I added one of their baluns specifically designed for this setup and was glad I did. When installed properly, the "bands" are narrow, so I would also recommend a tuner.
My install:
The only place I have for a vertical is smack in the middle of my front yard. So, I have mine inside a standard schedule 40 pvc pipe with a pully, rope, a couple spacers, and an American Flag. The BTV-4 WILL FIT INSIDE A STANDARD 2" SCHEDULE 40 PVC, BUT you need to remove the black plastic trap covers, lose the capacity hat, and align all your clamps to make it fit. Once inside the pvc pipe with a 4" cap on top with a 2"reducer drilled and threaded for a pully, it is weather tight and the trap covers are not needed. To tune or service, I lower the flag, lift up the white trash can covering the base and balun(looks like a formed concrete base from the street), tilt it over and simply pull the pvc pipe completely off and I'm good to go for tuning and maintenance. I also have 20 ground radials 20' in length. This system has stood in 65mph gusts with winds 35-40mph so far with no issues and it is not guyed. Performance is fairly good all things considered. I use it mostly on 40m, 10m and last night my first ever 6m contact. Simply put, it is alot of work to tune and set up properly, but once up, it just works. |
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| VA7VO |
Rating:      |
2012-02-14 | |
| Great Antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Just installed this one on my roof with a radial system zig zagged around roof. No surprises here, if yours doesn't work you are probably doing something wrong. Radials, follow the manual and no problem. My 3rd one in 33 years and it also works on 6 meters as a 5/8 or there abouts because 15 meters works as an electrical portion of this antenna. |
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| W3END |
Rating:      |
2011-12-19 | |
| Does the job for me |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I waited to do my review until I got a chance to tune the antenna. I have the antenna ground mounted with 35 radials which are arranged in a not so perfect arrangement but nonetheless they are down. My yard is on the small side so I arranged them in the best layout as I could. I have the tilt over plate and radial plate, both recommended in my opinion. I've worked a lot of DX and stateside with this so it does do a respectable job. For a lower priced vertical this does exactly what you would expect but you'll most likely have to lay down some radials (the more the better) and tune the traps to get a good or better swr. I finally tuned the traps today and it made a big difference. So if you are looking for a low cost vertical the Hustler should fit your needs. I also will put in a plug for DX Engineering which is where I bought mine, they provide excellent customer service and tech support if you need it. One more note, I did purchase and install the 75/80 meter resonator for mine which works fine. |
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| KB2HSH |
Rating:      |
2011-10-02 | |
| Affordable Performance |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I became the owner of my 1972-ish Hustler 4BTV when I bought it used from a local ham. After some considerable work to bring it back to new condition, it was ready to install in its current location. After minor tuning according to DX Engineering instructions, including adding 2 radials per band, I found the worst SWR is on 20 meters at 2.0:1. On 40 and 10 meters, I have a near 1:1 match. Since installation, I have gone from 8 to 16 radials. The performance has improved considerably.
During the 2011 CQ WW RTTY, I had the chance to REALLY push this antenna with a whopping 5 watts. The DX was almost easy to work. (Sure, the hard work was done on the other end, but it still made me heard).
Installation and tuning is a breeze. The performance, even with low power, makes this antenna a keeper.
As a side note of interest, in its current configuration, I am even getting a low SWR and decent performance on 6 meters...a hidden bonus!
Worth the money (even though I paid $35 used!) |
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| K6NM |
Rating:      |
2011-09-14 | |
| Great - even without radials! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I've had my 4BTV for almost 20 years, and added the 30m mod about 5 years ago. It's been at 4 QTH's, two of those installations *without any radials* at all (ground mounted). And it got out great, with decent SWR (1.3- 1.4 at resonance). No more than 2.1:1 at any band edge; not bad for no radials!
Now, I have the old veteran ground-mounted with just 4 radials tuned for 40 m. All band edges at SWR 1.5 or better, and dips of 1.05 to 1.2. I just worked into Europe today (F's and G's) from New Mexico with 300 W SSB on one call.
I've even disguised it as a flagpole, inside 2" PVC tubing. The PVC dropped the resonant frequencies on each band (down 150 kHz on 40m), but after re-tuning, it worked as good as ever! And it made a sharp looking flagpole as well.
I'm just saying that my experiences over the last 20 years are *fact*, not uninformed opinion. As you read comments on this antenna, you'll have to sift out the facts from the hot air. Hey, it's the internet!
Tuning is easy, if you can follow the manual instructions exactly. Start with 10m and work your way up the antenna. An SWR meter is all you'll need unless you're adding a band expansion kit - then you *might* need an antenna analyzer. I feed mine with RG-213X, and use 5 turns of it as a coax balun at the antenna base.
It took me about 40 minutes to assemble and tune my BTV at my new QTH. It's mounted on a 1-1/4" steel pipe driven in about 3 feet. No tilt-over - the ant only weighs 15 pounds and is easy to remove and replace on the base for tuning, as long as there's less than 5 mph of wind.
Speaking of wind, my tough 4BTV survived 60 mph tornadic winds in Atlanta without guys or damage. I just added poly/dacron guy cords at my new QTH because we get Spring winds here that commonly gust to 70 mph.
This baby won't let you down! + 5 out of 5 +
K6NM |
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| KY6R |
Rating:      |
2011-07-11 | |
| Surprising |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I'm surprised at how well this antenna performs. I use it on my second station - which is a TS-590s, and compare this with my K3 running with lowband half squares and a high band home made 3 element yagi.
I have it mounted on the roof - with 2 elevated radials per band sloping down at 45 degrees, and also a home made 1:1 current choke. |
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| AE5J |
Rating:      |
2011-06-29 | |
| 2nd Review of a Great Antenna |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I last reviewed the 4-BTV in 2007 so I thought I would update since I brought the antenna down for R&R. I last had it up as a vertical dipole. It performed very well atop a mast for 4 years.
Recently I took it down and refurbished it and made some mods. I went back to a ground mount with radials but I added 30m, 17m, and 12m operation. 17 and 12 couldn't be easier as there are several good internet articles. Some PVC, wire ties, a hose clamp and wire is all that is necessary. 30m operation came with the add-on kit which adds a trap above the existing 20m trap and replacing the tubing above that. I now have a 7 band vertical that works extremely well.
Tuning this antenna can be a problem. Get a MFJ 259 and look at the trap adjustment procedure which can be found on the DX Engineering site. That will cure any tuning problems you may encounter.
All in all, the 4-BTV is an incredible bargain that equals, and in some cases, betters the performance of most modern designs that cost several times more. It also forms the base for inexpensive high performance mods that greatly increase its effectiveness. For the price, whats not to like?
73
Pete |
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| KJ4SSX |
Rating:      |
2011-04-05 | |
| A super antenna. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have only had my vertical for about 3 months now. In that time I have had lots of complements on the performance of my 4BTV vertical. My typical SWR is 1:1.2. My highest is 1:1:4. I recently installed the 80M resonator. Although it doesn't give me the whole band what I get works well.
Mine is ground mounted on a 1 inch EMT conduit 4 foot in the ground. I have two #14 AWG radials per band. It was a little difficult to setup, but with the help of a couple of local Elmers, we adjusted the traps using an antenna analyzer and it performs well. The instructions for this were included with the antenna. I have talked all around the country, Canada, Europe, Russia and the Caribbean.
One fellow told me, he was going to recommend it to his son who is a new Ham. I just love simplicity and this antenna is it! |
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