[TowerTalk] Hustler 5BTV Problem

[Dan Schaaf]

You may need a lot more than 12 turns on that choke ( Ugly Balun ) . I tried 
15 turns and I still got RF in the shack. I doubt that this is his problem. 
I went through hoops making my 6BTV work. Finally gave up and waited for 2 
weeks until the DXPeds had gone away since I couldn't mess with the antenna 
and still be focused on working the DXPeds last year.

You need a very good radial system, at least 20 radials. They do not have to 
be tuned if they are ground radials.
20 ft radials will work fine.
You do not tune a vertical by tuning ground radials. You tune a vertical by 
adjusting tubing lengths and/or traps.
Trying to tune a vertical by adjusting ground radial lengths is just fooling 
the system.
On the other hand, if it is an elevated vertical with elevated radials then 
you must tune the radials.

The best method for keeping the coax shield from radiating is to install the 
DXE VFCC Balun at the base of the vertical. It will force all ground 
currents through the radials and not back onto the coax shield.

Dan Schaaf
K3ZXL
"In the Beginning there was Spark Gap"
www.k3zxl.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Swinger" <awswinger at earthlink.net>
To: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Hustler 5BTV Problem


> Try changing the length of your coax since you are close to a half wave on 
> 40M. Also, its a good idea to use a choke on both the ant and shack ends 
> of the coax so it does not try to act as part of the radial system. By 
> choke, I mean 12 turns (or so) on std black drain hose (about 5 in in dia) 
> or other suitable form. I am sure you will get lots of other advice, but 
> feedline length is an obvious (and simple to fix) one.
> Good luck. - Alan K9MBQ
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: Kelley <kshaddrick at jetup.net>
>>Sent: Jan 20, 2010 6:47 PM
>>To: towertalk at contesting.com
>>Subject: [TowerTalk] Hustler 5BTV Problem
>>
>>I've been working with a 5BTV antenna for about two weeks now. I've got
>>good SWR readings on 10m, 15m and 80m. Higher but usable readings on
>>20m. However, I can't get anything under 2.0:1 on 40m. The antenna is
>>ground mounted with 20 25' radials. It's fed with about 60' of coax.
>>
>>I've tried the normal tuning as well as adjusting the traps. Nothing
>>seems to bring the SWR on 40m down to something usable.
>>
>>Anyone have any ideas I can try?
>>
>>Kelley - W0RK
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