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Reviews For: Hustler 6BTV Vertical

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Hustler 6BTV Vertical
Reviews: 160MSRP: 189.99
Description:
6btv
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.new-tronics.com/main/html/base_hf_6_band.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
33.71604.6
AE0ZJ Rating: 2020-04-05
Works great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am new to HF and I needed a way to get on the air, small yard and power lines on two sides, a wild work pattern and winter breathing down my neck. I read the reviews and a Elmer's input, I decided on this vertical. I love it.

I have and odd soil in my area and I use no radials. I'm getting 5-9's.
Over 3 years later, still love it and still not 1 radial. yea I know.... soil here is a odd clay sand mix ( I did put radials down 24 total and they had a negative effect SWR went up...?)... so I took them out. DX was great to work with.
N9GRG Rating: 2019-12-12
Excellent Performance and tough - best bang for the buck Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased mine from DX Engineering. It performs great with radials (I have sixteen 32' radials currently) It's simple to setup, easy to tune and is built tough - I live out in open farm fields have lots of wind. I purchased DX Engineering's reinforced lower tube and have no issues with it standing up against the wind, it has withstood multiple 50+ MPH winds with no guy wires.

The key to performance is radials, more is better and they're not that hard to install. Read DX Engineering's excellent manual to learn how to make this antenna attain peak performance.

Resonant on all stated bands, 80m is very high-Q so bandwidth is small but that is perfect for digi-modes where you stay in a small bandwidth anyway.

M1EOP Rating: 2019-08-25
Better than I thought Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had been toying with the idea of a multi band vertical for some time and had done a fair amount of research on Eham.net and You Tube. I had heard so many stories about “lossy traps” and “noisy verticals” and wondered if I was about to throw away good money.
I had nearly decided on a Cushcraft R6000, as it wouldn’t have needed any ground radials but would only go as low as 20 metres, and it would require being mounted about 2 metres above ground to get the counterpoises above eye height. The same considerations went for a GAP Eagle. Both would have been just a bit too tall when mounted this way.
A 6BTV came up on eBay, and I got it for a fraction of the new price even though it was only a few months old. The seller even delivered it a couple of days later while passing through my town. Even at full price it is far cheaper than the other antennas I had considered.
I already had a pole in the ground at the bottom of the garden behind a flower bed, so it was duly mounted on that at ground level and about 170 metres of copper wire was stapled down to the lawn, albeit in a very irregular radial pattern due to the layout of the garden. It was also connected to an earlier radial system laid down for an inverted L many years ago. There is a lot of other vertical clutter which really is too close the 6BTV and which invariably will affect its performance, but there is nothing I can or are willing do about that. Very few of us live in free space. It is however installed some 17 metres from the house.
It is fed with around 30 metres of RG213 with no choke at the feed point with no obvious ill effects.
Tuning was a dream. It is under 1:1.3 for all bands except 40 where it is just above 1:1.5, although 80 has a very narrow bandwidth. I have not had to retune the traps, but do need to cut a bit off the 80 metre whip, as it resonates near to 3.7 whereas I would like it to be nearer 3.76.
Because it can be tuned for each band, there is of course no need for a tuner / matcher, which is a real boon when changing bands.
I have guyed it about half way up by clamping 3 short lengths of nylon cord to the antenna with a worm drive clip which are looped through 3 dog bone insulators. Very cheap, and hopefully effective long term. I am considering moving the guy ropes up the ¾ mark.
Performance wise I am impressed. All the naysayer’s predictions of verticals being noisy and radiating poorly in all directions do not seem to be the case for me. My TX reports have all been pretty much balanced with my RX. Sometimes it’s noisier than my other antennas, more often than not, it isn’t.
For comparison, I have a G5RV configured as an irregular inverted V due to lack of space with the feed point up at around 12 meters and also an inverted L. Depending on the time of day and where the signals are coming from, the 6BTV is the generally within an S point or so of the G5RV and the inverted L on the lower bands, (80 and 40) and often the equal or better of them, especially on the higher bands of 20 and up. I do get very dubious of those who comment on how good their antenna is when they are not making a direct real time comparison with another antenna. What I can say is that no one antenna is better all of the time.
All in all, it does what it says on the tin. To my eyes it is well constructed and as low profile as can be expected, and the fact that it can be ground mounted reduces its visual signature.
G4GZG Rating: 2019-06-30
6BTV after one year at new QTH and minimum sunspots Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought a 6BTV after moving to a new QTH on the side of a hill overlooking the English Channel in SW England. The location is a few hundred feet above the sea which is about half a mile away in straight line distance.
Being a new QTH and not wishing to aggravate my neighbours I positioned the antenna behind a small group of Monterey pines. It has a clear view in every direction apart from North - North West which is obscured behikd the hill. Soil is rock and sand so poor conductivity.

I installed about 12 radials of various lengths and tuned the vertical according to the instructions. I got below 3:1 SWR on all bands except 80M which came out at 5:1 but I'm not into 80M right now so was happy with this.

Over the past year I've worked a lot more interesting DX than I did the previous year with a 40M doublet up at 30 feet across flat countryside at my last QTH. Examples are Africa XT2 and 5R8, Asia V85 and 9M2. Also 8Q7 and 3B8/3B9 on 20, 40 and 30 M. This is with the antenna in a less than ideal site and low sunspot activity. The antenna has survived 60Mph winds without guying. although it did flex quite a bit. Overall quite pleased but will see what it does in a better position and propagation.
N1NDF Rating: 2019-06-07
Disappointed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this antenna on recommendation from another ham. Price was a consideration. It was purchased from DX engineering.
It came with 2 sets of instructions ( the original from hustler and the newest from DX engineering ).

I thought I had a good understanding of RF antennas but after my experience, I think maybe not. Here is how it went here. After reading the instuctions I decided that I wanted to install it and get it up and working prior to laying a great ground system around it. On my property are several large metal buildings so I was not sure it would be effected by near (20ft +-) metal structures. The two instruction sheet contradicted each other. Especially the part about tunning the traps. Couple this with a very knowable fellow ham who has one and insist to never adjust the traps ... UGH. Day after the antenna was to put up and taken down over and ove r trying to make the 40 meter band work. I should mention that the 80 meter trap on the top gets broken very easily ...Invest in the over price tilt over bracket you be glad you did.
Each and evey time .. I was able to get all bands to resonant except the 40 Meter band. I was told more radials would resolve the problem (high SWR >2 RR= 30 ohms) yet adding radials did not seem to help. This evaluation was done with an MFJ-269 and a Rig Expert-AA-30. Resonant was achieved with 10/20/30 and 80 meters. 40 meter was low in frequency and its input impedance was at about 34 ohms and it dropped to even lower value of 25 ohms after adding more radials. There was no adjustment for 40 meter ... I finally cut off about 3-4 inches off the bottom of the 40-meter section against much verbal abuse of my all-knowing friend.
I have spent so much time on this because the insistance of my close friend that I must have done something wrong because his works . I got resonance at 7.240 but the input impedance is at about 25 ohms at zero XL/XC ... I read several other posts on uTube and ham site that other discribe the same issue but they have not posted a working solution. I don't know if my experience is an exception or if this is a norm but given the 80 Meter coil broke easily ... and that several house clamps quit working and the two conficlting instuction manuals I would never buy another 6BVT
W4NNF Rating: 2019-06-04
Update to my 6BTV review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just a minor update.

In my review I mentioned that the antenna I received had instructions from Hustler and DX Engineering that reflected an older version with a different means of securing the 80-meter whip. I don't know what I was doing (or drinking), but the DX Engineering manual is 100% correct. The Hustler manual does show the older system. Kudos to DX Engineering to contacting me to point this out. They are certainly on top of things and, as you can tell from the review, are highly recommended by me.

W4NNF
Rod Mollise
KD2OAM Rating: 2019-05-08
Easy Install and Tune Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After researching the type of vertical antenna I wanted to install in my small back yard, I settled on the Hustler 6BTV vertical antenna, purchased through DX Engineering.

I purchased a full kit with most everything needed for the installation. With the instruction from DX Engineering installation was straight forward.

I was able to cut the radials, solder the ends on and install the radials on the radial plate in my basement. Using plastic zip ties I just moved the whole assembly out and over the mounting pipe at one time and then spread out the radials. I installed 40 radials, cut to 25 feet to stay within my back yard.

I would recommend installing the antenna on a tilt mount, as this makes it easy for the tuning process. Tuning was, again, easy and I can use the antenna without the use of any tuner.
I have yet to make any contacts on 10M or 15M due to conditions but have made some fantastic contacts on 40M and 20M. The 80/75M band works but is not as good as my wire antenna.
I believe the Hustler 6BTV, purchased through DX Engineering, was well worth the money and time spent putting it up.
N8GAB Rating: 2018-11-24
Great with a good radial system Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 is because the tuning instructions are confusing, if not backwards.

I bought the DX Engineering package with the tilt-over plate and radial plate - which I recommend whole heartedly. It gives you all you need though it doesn't save any money.

If you put in a good radial system (more than 20 wires) you will probably want to order extra packages of the crimping wire terminals and SS bolts which connect the extra radials to the radial plate.

After installation and tuning I found this an excellent vertical antenna. I have 28 66' radials and 14 33' radials (all 14g stranded - nearly 2500' total) and, with an antenna tuner, I get excellent service on all bands.

So far I have made contacts with Germany, Italy, Switzerland and other European countries, as well as Brazil and Japan. I have even heard NZ and Australia.

The importance of a good radial system cannot be over emphasized.

I had trouble tuning the antenna at first because I was following the directions from Hustler and DX Engineering.

The tuning problem comes from the directions that tell you to adjust from the top of the trap. But this causes the silicon O-rings to come out of the trap and means you have to re-weatherproof the joint with, preferably, silicon fusion tape. Tuning is also very difficult this way.

(An antenna analyzer is very helpful, if not necessary, for this.)

After spending an hour or more just trying to get 10 meters tuned, we started adjusting the tube that ends just before the trap and found that much easier. We also didn't dislocate silicon O-rings that keep the top of the traps water tight.

So, all in all, with a strong radial system (which takes up nearly half an acre) this can be an excellent vertical antenna that gives you 360 degree radiation and reception.

I may be wrong in the way we tuned the antenna. You results may vary.

We also used automotive aluminum anti-seize compound on all the joints. It is messy, but I expect it to be worth it if I ever have to re-tune or take down the antenna.
K2II Rating: 2018-09-30
Barely acceptable. Extremely noisy vertical Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Briefly, the Hustler 6BTV just barely is acceptable. It is a very noisy, low performance antenna. I have 40 radials and yet bandwidth on 40 and (of course) 80 are VERY narrow. Am using a 1:1 common mode balun at the feed point.
Construction is very good (using the DX Engineering reinforced lower section). I have been forced to put up alternative antennas since the Hustler is a non performer during most times.
The motto 'a vertical radiates poorly in all directions' is very accurate when applied to the 6BTV vertical.
W7GEM Rating: 2017-09-12
My first Vertical Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I still have two 6BTVs. I had one for my back yard and one for field trips. They work and are better transmitting than receiving antennas. Way too noisy and narrow bandwidth. Easy to rig a 17 meter addition which I often used with good results. If you have a big lot and room for all of the radials, it can be an excellent vertical antenna but not as good as any decent dipole setup. For field trips...takes a looong time to put in enough radials. I have a nice pipe rack on my truck. so I can mount it about 6 feet off the ground and it does work better there.