[BULK] - [TowerTalk] Help Hustler 6 BTV problem

[Steve Katz]

A few comments following the "::" marks below...

73 de Steve, WB2WIK/6

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	gerry scott [SMTP:fjx1 at optonline.net]
> Sent:	Wednesday, October 27, 2004 12:56 PM
> To:	towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject:	[BULK] - [TowerTalk] Help Hustler 6 BTV problem
> 
>   Hope someone can figure this out.  just put up a 6BTV and have strange
> problem. I know it's a compromise for 30, 40 and 80 but have no other
> option and I've used them before when I had to.
> 
> ::Actually, on 30m and 40m the 6BTV is a base-fed 1/4-wave vertical, and
> almost a full-sized one -- not too much of a compromise.  On 80, it's
> heavily loaded and very narrow band.
> 
> It works fine on 10,15 , 20 and 40 1:1 SWR. ON 30 the SWR is 3:1 across
> the band. Changing FREQ doesn't change the SWR. On 80 it's about 7:1 . I
> tried from 3500 kHz to 4000Khz and the SWR does not change.
> 
> ::Did you try adjusting the whip length above the 80m loading coil?  That
> is a very critical adjustment, and the "tuning chart" provided doesn't
> mean a thing.  I've had to adjust the whip length several inches on most
> of my 6BTV installations -- they usually resonate well below the band
> (<3.5 MHz) if you go by the tuning chart, and the whip has to be pushed
> way into the resonator.
> 
>  Ground mounted with radials. It doesn't seem like it just needs pruning,
> it's way off. I called Hustler and they said change the trap dimensions on
> 30 where 1/4 of an inch will change it 5000Khz!
> 
> ::5000 kHz, like from 10 MHz to 15 MHz?   That seems impossible.
> 
>  I did that and saw no change? Trap looks OK but Hustler wont let me touch
> it with soldering iron, they say it voids warranty. I said even though
> ohmmeter shows good, it could still be cold joint, they just look it over
> only. It "looks" OK. I checked my measurements 6 times and no go and 30
> and 80. Hustler said it I dint have 30 I shouldn't have 40,,BUT I do. I'm
> at a loss. Can you think of a cause? It doesn't pay for me to send a 30
> meter trap to Hustler they charge me both ways and that may not even be
> it. Their tech support knows some things but didn't seem to know what a
> trap really does.
> 
> ::You do know that the trap "capacitor" is actually the aluminum trap
> cover, right?  So if the cover is tilted or misplaced, or its insulator
> has any problems, that really can throw a Hustler trap pretty far out of
> kilter.  The traps don't work without the covers...you knew that, right?
> 
> Please give any ideas you have to help  Thank you very much.
> 
> Gerry
>