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Reviews For: Butternut HF6V

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Butternut HF6V
Reviews: 90MSRP: 522.95 USD
Description:
10,15,20,30,40,80,Vert.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/but-hf6v
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00904.5
VA3FLN Rating: 2020-05-02
Impressed with initial results Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I managed to purchase my antenna used from a local ham almost four years ago but set it aside for future use. Since then, I got a set of fourteen 33' counterpoise wires that a previous Butternut owner used on his antenna (thrown in with a transceiver that I purchased from him), followed several months ago by the purchase of an antenna tripod for portable or roof use. During the 2019 Christmas season I finally had some down time to devote towards setting up and experimenting with the antenna, which has had over three months of regular use.

First of all, I have to admit that aside from reassembling and testing the antenna with an analyzer I cannot comment on how easy or challenging it might be to bring down the SWR levels across several bands. The previous owner appeared to have set 75m to tune around 3.735, close to several local/regional Ontario nets that I was usually able to check into with ease. I found that the external auto-tuner for a Kenwood TS440S managed to tune to the 3.920 region where several Michigan nets regularly operate, providing decent service across 75m. Two other transceivers/tuners however were a bit narrower in their workable range.

The SWR was relatively flat on 40m, where the antenna got decent reports checking into ECARS and other daytime stations a few hundred miles away from me. Recently I managed three European contacts on 40m, a decent feat at 100W for an antenna set up within very limited space, even if the receiving stations were running power and directional antennas. While SWR on 20m was set at about 3:1, it also works fairly well on that band, and can be heard by some European stations under decent conditions. Much of the 10m band sat at a bit over 2:1 SWR, but with few openings this winter I hadn't spent much time or made contacts on that band.

I took down the antenna a few days ago, as it was set up with guys in a portable configuration with counterpoises all across the ground. As a renter, I knew that the landlord was looking forward to using the backyard, especially as we are essentially stuck in our homes during the coronavirus outbreak, and it didn't seem right to abuse his generosity towards my hobby and wait for him to ask for its removal. I could probably set it up again with about twenty to thirty minutes work for temporary use, at least until I either mount it on the roof with several matching radials, or back in the yard once the cooler weather returns in Autumn.

The antenna might take some work to fine tune on all of the higher bands, but there seemed to be little action above 20m this winter, probably on account of the current phase of the solar cycle. As a vertical it is a bit noisier than some of my other antennas, but I am still impressed given the many wires and objects nearby, not to mention increased local noise as most residents are still sheltering in place in nearby homes. It is of rugged make, and I trust that it will give me years of additional service, assuming the continued use of guys and perhaps lowering it in advance of extreme weather events.

Currently, the price for a new antenna is somewhat high in Canadian dollars, even before adding any radials, counterpoises and mounting equipment, that would probably exceed $1000 CDN in total, but as a used rig purchased at a decent price, I cannot complain. Hopefully I will be able to report in the future about its performance roof mounted with radials, and on whether or not I can achieve low SWR across all six of the bands that it was designed to work for.
W3DS Rating: 2019-06-10
Works very well Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Mine is ground mounted with 40 radials and a DX Engineering matching base coil. Full band coverage and the loading coil greatly improved 40 and 30. Tuning was a breeze, on the ground, and this antenna performs well. This replaced a Hustler 6btv that was a real headache and the difference in antennas at my location is like night and day. The quality of materials and construction is impressive. For me, buying a cheaper trap antenna was a mistake. I'm happy with the performance of this antenna.
KE6TDT Rating: 2018-04-05
Up 28 years and works the world Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the HF6Vx. I understand the x meant experimental. Mine is roof mounted with only 4 tuned radials + 1 radial for 80 meters and this antenna has allowed me to work the planet with just 100 watts out. It's survived heavy winds etc for decades and it's sill up!

For those looking for an HF vertical that can take a beating and is fairly stealthy, I would not hesitate to recommend this antenna.
W3PYF Rating: 2018-02-26
A fine alternative to a high dipole Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used this antenna both on a flat rooftop and 4 feet above ground - and in both instances, very pleased. I gave away one to a CT ham down on his luck - I'd used it for about 8 years in Westchester County.

I bought my current one used for $150 on Craig's List. I use 3 tuned multi-band radials made of twin lead per the original Butternut/Bencher instructions. After 10 years in Boston weather, the 15 meter wire has broken, and one capacitor is a bit battered but still working.

I couldn't rationalize in-ground radials when I first installed it my rented-house back yard 10 years ago, so I made 3 radials for 40-10 meters per those instructions. I suspend them at a height of about 5-1/2 feet off the nylon cord guys that support the antenna against MA winter winds. I use 2 copper wire radials for 80 CW zigzagged long my property line.

While I thought my above-ground/near ground radials were radical, a QST article about 4 years ago that tested various radial systems found what I'm using was better than a LOT of in-ground radials.

Driving the HF6V with either a KX3 (~10 watts input) and occasionally with my old Yaesu FT-707, I can make CW contacts almost any evening on 40. I work a bit of DX on other (higher) bands. I rarely work SSB - a) running low power and a compromise antenna, they rarely want to listen for you, b) most on SSB are more conservative than me, and I don't want to listen to their political rants, and c) the 2 meter repeater people in the Boston area aren't very friendly, so I've gotten away from using a mike much on any band.

The only negative is that, like all verticals with good ground systems, it has a very low angle of radiation. I ended up erecting trap dipole with W2AU traps, just to work/hear stations closer than 400-800 miles away on 80 and 40.

It's darn near a 1:1 match with the built in antenna tuner in the KX3, but then again, that could probably tune a coat hanger on 160.

I formerly used a Cushcraft R7, and while I have great memories of Les Cushman, the R7 was poor vs. the Butternut.

I'm thinking to replace the HF6V with an HF9V in the spring. The HF6V has had about 15 years and is getting pretty battered. But if it comes down well and goes back together, I might just keep it.
AC8JU Rating: 2016-08-22
complex but very effective. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used mine for a year or so and like it. This is a tinkerer's dream. Kinda tough to tune and keep tuned, but when it's set up right it's wonderful. You will need a good antenna analyzer to make that happen.
Rainwater will mess with the tuning until it dries, the 15 meter wire breaks easily, the 75 Ohm matching cable is needed for 20 meters but degrades the others. Mow away from the little Q coil at the bottom. The worst is the standard ground mounting tube. I never even tried it. I adapted it to a Hustler base and never looked back.
In the winter I convert mine to the hv2v configuration and use a 160 meter conversion coil ass'y. Gives me DX on 40, some of 80 and a tiny slice of 160. It spreads out a bit with a tuner, but then the DX can't hear me. No surprise.
My radial field is pretty good.
I also use a Hustler 5btv. The Butternut beats it easily on the low bands and curiously on 10, but the Hustler shines on 15 and 20 and is quite useable on 12 and 17 with a tuner.
VA3MVW Rating: 2016-06-11
Nice! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great vertical. With 100W PEP, I work the world.

I tied it down with four guy wires, as per the maker's instructions. But the sleeve that connects the top of the top coil to the antenna kept sliding down under the guy wire pressure. My solution: drilled two holes right underneath that sleeve, and inserted a screw into both. That stops the sleeve from sliding down.
NZ4J Rating: 2015-10-09
Works well, but.. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As cautioned by many, the antenna will work with the proper installation. Ground wires or, if elevated, a counterpoise system is required. Read the technical articles and understand what is needed to get it to perform. I installed at ground level and in another location, elevated at 10' - both with counterpoise/ground wires/etc. Tuning at that height is tricky - climbing on roof to adjust. A lot of climbing.

I live 1000' feet from the Atlantic ocean. I treated all the aluminum with "Alodine(r) Conversion Coating" - same stuff that is used for AC parts. I made sure that the aluminum-aluminum connections were raw aluminum. Added conductive grease and that has cured 99% of the corrosion issues for many years.

I just bought the 12M/17M add-on and will install this winter.

Complaints on the BW on 75/80 are a bit silly. Any vertical with high bandwidth/Q without re-tuning the antenna will likely not be an efficient radiator.

I cannot compare this antenna with the 43' verticals with tuners at the feed and counterpoise. That might be a simpler installation, for sure. The HF6V is not trivial in design.

Also, after many years, I replaced the two ceramic HV Caps. One developed a crack after 9 years.


VE7IG Rating: 2015-10-09
Excellent antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have just replaced the 8 year old HF6V at my remote site with a new one. The old one had been used on many IOTA expeditions and was suffering from wind damage and corrosion. IMHO these antennas are the best commercial all band verticals available. I have three of them and have used one of them with a ground rod in the past. It worked, but really perked up when I installed thirty 33 foot radials under it. They also work well with a few ungrounded radials in portable operation. This one is on a ridge about 80 feet above the prevailing ground level that slopes down to the Atlantic Ocean 1 km away. It tunes to low SWR on all bands except 12m where it works fine with an autotuner. I received this antenna quickly from DX Engineering, put it together and up in a day. Every part fit perfectly, all holes were perfectly aligned. Altogether a fine antenna and one that works very well.
WX4O Rating: 2015-09-10
Good Ant. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used one for a year in S. Korea as HL9JT. There was no way I could put up radials, so I ran it without. Using 100 watts I worked all but 47 states.
K0FL Rating: 2015-09-10
Gotta know what your doing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This antenna is a good performer when placed over a radial system. No ground mounted vertical will perform like a yagi at 50ft but this antenna does as well as anything in its class. Take the time to educate yourself on verticals before buying this or any antenna and then take the time to put down as good a radial system as is practical at your location. With a radial system this antenna tunes up on each band just fine. I get a laugh when I read reviews saying how much experience they have or how long they've been a ham and then show how little they know. Anyone who doesn't know a vertical needs a counterpoise best stay with dipoles