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Reviews For: Hustler 5BTV HF vertical

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Hustler 5BTV HF vertical
Reviews: 146MSRP: 211.99
Description:
Hustler 5BTV HF vertical antenna for 10,15,20,40 and 80 meters.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.new-tronics.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001464.6
4Z5PM Rating: 2005-08-31
The most qualitative antenna! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Antennas HUSTLER, models BTV-4, 5, 6 it is the top-quality vertical antennas from all which are now in sale for radio fans! I used many vertical antennas of different firms and each time collided with failures yet has not bought HUSTLER BTV-5 antenna! Now I am very happy and I wish to tell words of gratitude to address of firm DX-Engineering (where I have bought this antenna) which renders the top-quality services to the clients! Thanks!
N6AJR Rating: 2005-08-29
as advertised.. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have mine up for a couple years now. not may main antenna any more but for $159 at HRO, such a deal.

I got back on HF after a few years off (20 years..) and this was the first antenna I raised. pounded a post into the ground, assembeled the antenna and stuck it up. Ground mount, no radials, it works.

I got WAS on 40 meters, (HHH net) and worked a bit of everything on it. Not too much on 80, but about 2000 cointacts before I put up a beam and wire etc.

for a small foot print, easy to use antenna. its a great antenna. I have it set up now on a dedicated radio ( ts-2000) as my check it out whats this band doing rig.

worth every penny, but please do tie on a couple 3 parachute cord guys up above the "star" ring..
N2LK Rating: 2005-08-29
Just as advertised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Well after 2 years of reading reviews of this antenna finally broke down last week and bought one to replace my low G5RV Mini. Put it up on Friday and without radials it was not tuned but my rigs tuner got me on 20 meters no problem.

Used the SCC Rtty contest this weekend as a test and without radials worked some DX on 20 and got answers calling CQ. Put down 5 radials Saturday morning and the SWR on all bands came down to more normal levels. That nite worked EU's on 40M and a few ZL's on both 20 & 40 meter rtty. So it works at least as well as my G5RV.

Now on 80m (which I bought it for), finally took time to tune it after putting a total of 8 radials under my sod (2-11ft/6-16ft, small lot) and it tunes just fine on 10-80 meters down to 1:5-1. Rigs tuner makes it cover all band edges and overall am very pleased with this antenna.

Hopefully it will help me increase my 80m DX total this contest season, need to really finish that band for 5BDXCC and this may be the answer.

Well worth the money, no problems with parts or setting up. Great for a small space or CC&R ham like myself.
73's -- N2LK
WW5AA Rating: 2005-08-08
It works! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have read all the information I could find on vertical antennas and all the reviews here on the available commercial verticals. I have never used a true vertical; I do have a homebrew vertical coaxial antenna which does a great job for getting in quick on DX when I need to turn the Cushcraft A3S beam. My full wave 80 meter horizontal loop is a great close in antenna, but not much on DX. With it's low take off angle a vertical that works just might be the ticket. I decided on the 5BTV and got a great deal and quick shipping from DX Engineering. This was to be an experiment to see if the old saying was true, that “verticals radiate equally poorly in all directions”.
It seems to just make sense to mount this antenna elevated with tuned radials if possible. I used a Radio Shack 3’ tripod and 4’ aluminum mast to mount the 5BTV on the roof at 25’ in the clear. I cut 2 radials per band and mounted them at a 45 degree angle (all measurements per the manual).
Ok, so here go the tests. SWR is the same or better than the manual and the tuner in the IC-746 will tune it on 6 meters! Wow, well wait, had to see if this thing would hear. And be heard. Most of the time, the A3S showed signals on 20 meters having about a 1 or 2 S unit advantage. However while tuning across the band I heard W9IMS at the Indianapolis Motor Speed Way. I was rather surprised to have him at S-9+10 at this close a distance (Little Rock, AR.). I switched to the 5BTV and was really surprised to see his signal jump to S-9+20. Bill had a pretty good pile up going so hear goes…with the amp in standby, I gave him a call on his next QRZ with 100 watts and received a quick "you are also 5-9+20". I spent the next couple of hours comparing signals and my signal reports on 20 meters, all in all the A3S continued to be about 1 or 2 S units above the 5BTV but an occasional signal would be the same or actually stronger on the 5BTV, not much on 17 meters and by this time, 2100 hrs local, nothing to report on 15 or 10 meters. The IC-AT500 will tune this antenna on 12 meters. On 80 meters this antenna is a hands down winner for DX, worked a YV in Argentina, 500 watts on 3.795 with an S-7 signal both ways. His signal was S-4 on the 80 meter horizontal loop, but then that is what I would have expected from an NVIS antenna. I suspect results will be about the same on 40.
What’s the bottom line? I like this antenna, good quality at a very reasonable cost. This antenna would be my choice if a tri-bander and tower were not an option. The 80 meter capability alone makes this antenna a bargain for me.

73 de Lindy
N5PTV Rating: 2005-07-27
Works Well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After looking over the antennas at the Hustler display at Hamcom 2005 and speaking with the sales representatives, I decided to take a chance at a trap vertical against what some other vertical antenna manufacturers have posted on their websites. There was a vendor at the hamfest that had the antenna in stock at a really awsome price. I think that the quality of construction is what impressed me the most, not to mention that the sales reps were very friendly and knowledgable about their products.

While leaving the hamfest some old fart approached me and commented that I had wasted my money on a giant dummyload. Nice guy!! Now I was really unsure about what I had bought. I tried not to let that ruin all the fun I had had that day.

I followed the instructions to the letter, and finished all of the install with the exception of the radials the next day. That evening I was overly anxious to try the antenna out, so even without the radials I hooked up my Icom-736 and checked the tune. The swr was perfect(less than 1.5:1) on all bands but 80. Keep in mind that I had not adjusted the antenna at all. I just approximated the clamp positions. I checked into the 3905 net on 7.2335 and had a great time. I received several good signal reports, and could work any station that I could hear.

A few days later, after installing and burying all of the radials (10) two inches under the ground along with the coax and the coax choke, I fired it up on 20 meters. That night I worked two europe stations, one in France and one in Italy. I received 5/9 from both stations. The Italy station was asking for west coast stations only, and was pointing a beam in that direction. I figured what the heck, he probably will not even hear me. After the first call, I broke through all of the Washington and California stations and was given a 5/9 by a slightly irritated station that a 5 lander from the midwest had called him. Oh well!!!

Recently, the antenna survived 60 to 80 mph straight line winds during some really nasty thunderstorms. It is not guyed. The mast is a 1.25 inch water pipe pounded in the ground two feet.

This antenna is a great performer when it is installed according to the instructions. Don't be lazy, put those radials in!!! For the money, it is a great deal. It is constructed will high quality materials,, and has proven its survival in extreme winds.

I hope to meet that old fart at Hamcom 2006 and let him know that he's full of it!!!!
HR2PAC Rating: 2005-05-08
Good for Backup. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought this antenna from a ham buddy that's just could not get to work at his location. I think the fact of the matter is that he does have a big enough property for this thing to really take off, anyway his loss is my gain. I've worked with these antennas in the past with very decent RST reports and they are great for backup and DXpedition operations, do not get me wrong but I still think a dipole can do a way better job than one of these baby's. As far as construction and customer support the New-Tronics are doing a great job I've had excellent experiences with them in the past, oh! here is a tip visit www.dxengineering.com these people are selling all kinds of nice goodies for the BTV Hustler series. Bottom line: If you can get your hands on one of these antennas for dirt cheap money then you will not be sorry later on ($50 in my case) 73's from HR land.
VA3NUT Rating: 2005-02-11
Guy this thing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought the 5btv. It took me about an hour and a half to put it together. The next day a buddy helped me and we muscled it up onto an 1.5" pipe on top of my 28 foot tower. That lasted 3 days (until last night to be exact). With a 25kph gusty wind, the thing was whipping back and forth like mad and was threatening to wind up on my neighbours roof. There is NO doubt in my mind that this thing would at the very least have some permanent bends in it or worse if we had received a 50 kph or so gust. You MUST guy this antenna if you're going to use the 80m resonator.
It's in the garage right now and will probably wind up being ground mounted at the cottage since it is impossible to guy it at my home QTH.
I did give it a 5 because the price is right....it's dead simple to put together....and I got great signal reports on 40m at around 300 miles with 100 watts. Also worked one station in Portugal on 80m with 100 watts. I'll give a more detailed report once I've had a chance to really put it to the test.
VK5SN Rating: 2005-01-28
Great antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Great value for money! Great performer too. The hose clamp screws are prone to rusting in salty environments. Tuning was a breeze. The antenna is resonant on the 5 bands it is supposed to work. With a tuner (MFJ 901B) I can tune all the other bands. Highly recommended in a space limited estate / backyard. The customer support of the company are super efficient in handling queries.
G1MQQ Rating: 2005-01-15
poor compared to my sandpiper Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Support from manufacturer 10/10
Ease of assembly and erection 10/10
Build quality 10/10

Mine was ground mounted with no radials.Acknowledged by the makers as the worst option.
Adverts say you can use this antenna un-guyed.DON'T Manufacturers say guy it! Reports from on-air comparison with my chimney stack mounted Sand-piper vertical were at best 'as good as' but mostly 'worse than'
Considering the Hustler costs £179 and stands nearly 30 ft high and the Sand-piper costs £75 and is only about 11ft high draw your own conclusion. They say that the Hustler will outperform any other ground mounted antenna in similar situations. I can't verify this, but if it's true then get something smaller, cheaper and lighter and stick it on the chimney stack because ground mounting without radials is a poor option.
G1MQQ
WA6CDE Rating: 2004-10-29
How to make the 5BTV even better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
this will make the 9th one of these that I have owned. This time I bought one from a ham who was very disapointed with its preformance. (no ground radials) We had some problems with getting it up as my young helper moved the traps clamps... a quick call cleared that up... but, we found the bottom plate was scorched as if it was hit by a blow torch.. no part can be had... only the compete assembly... too bad.. all we needed was the one part which we quickly had made at the local mach shop. But, then we got to looking at the construction of the antenna... starting with the base... its rough stamping needed to be dressed out with a file... to rid it of burrs and we also noted some corrosion starting... so while we had it aprart it was over to the bead blaster and in for a chemical cleaning with aluma-prep 33... then to keep it from happening again itw was into the alodine 1201 bath for 5 min. this gave it a green/golden finish and not the bright reflective glairing look. We figured why stop.. and did the whole antenna that way... (they should have done it at the factory) and now it should not corrode for at least 10-15 years...(the do the process same to aircraft parts) So its a 5BTV made better and will last longer. We recomended this to the lady down at newtronics but, it was, we felt passed off. Sure looks and works well with the radials and with the alodining seems to disapear into the background instead of the bright alu reflection like a airstream trailer... smile... G.M.