There is a hack with a jubilee clip, wire and plastic tubing to take it away from the main pole and will be a bit cheaper. You do it and you will enjoy doing, or trying to tune different bands. Andy M6APJ
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I found very informative. I have had a BTV6 for about five years and have had good luck with it. I went non active for about 2 years for various reasons, one being a health scare. It's all good now and decided to get back on the air. I live in Florida and as you can imagine it's quite wet here and my traps paid the price so I ended up replacing them. This time I was much smarter in protecting them from water intrusion. I've thinking about adding a 17m to my antenna and to but a kit it cost around $100USD. I'm going to make one myself and follow your example. I too can use a power drill and a hack saw. Thanks again for a very informative video. 73 de Ed K3ENV
I think the Hustler BTV series are the strongest vertical antennas available to hams. I have had mine since 1978 and the only issue I have had was the 15 meter trap cover, here in Colorado's we are have alot of strong winds up to 100mph and with minimal guying they hold up. I have made contacts all over the world so they do really work the DX well. 73 from ki0ad/jim
According to LB Cebik W4RNL (Antenna Guru - SK) bending the radiator 90° half way away from its feedpoint will drop its signal about 1/2db (0.5db, referring to his inverted U dipole). So this 17m configuration should have minimal loss compared to an unloaded 13' antenna. And much better signal than on a mobile with a 22-54" Hustler mast. Good Video! - mike N4ONL EDIT: Clarified 1/2db was 0.5db not 1 to 2 db
Clever modification 👍! Would it be fair to say you have built a “J” pole system using the 17m mobile antenna ?🤔. (At the date of your posting 12m & 17m have been quite active between the US and Europe around 14-1600 UTC 😉👍)
I love the Hustler. A royal pain in the rump to tune up, but I added 12M, 17M, and 60M to my 6BTV and jokingly call it a Hustler 9BTV. DX Engineering makes kits or you can easily homebrew them with some PVC pipe and a bit of wire. This is an interesting take on another way to do it. I kind of like this better.
Peter, you’re using the hustler coiled antenna. I am attempting to add a similar 17m 5/8th wave non coiled option on a 1/4 wave mono band vertical. I haven’t found the sweet spot yet.
Worked Michigan on 17m 50 w into a dv27 with a brass brazing rod stuck in it to tune it. it was mobile as well i had to stop to write his call sign down . I wonder what i could do with a decent anttena
Just did basic install with basic radial deployment. Would like 17 meters in addition to the 4 band BTV. Was wondering why the placement of 17 meter did not go below the 20 meter trap due to frequency order.
No, you can't put it higher, the Hustler resonator expects the other half below the coil, it's resonant now because it has the missing part which is the 10 meter 1/4 wave section below it, if you put higher it won't work, unless you reduce the inductance. 73
Greetings, Peter. Another great antenna video. I have a Hustler 4BTV with approximately 50 radials in my city lot. Late last year I added 17m and 12m to mine using wires as was described in an article that I read. It works very well on those bands and no adjustment was needed to maintain my low SWRs on 10-40m :) . I think that I might try your suggestion using the mobile whip(s). If it works as good it will at least improve on the appearance. I'll let you know my results. Thanks. 73"s KC8WVG
thanks for this idea peter.you just showen me how to add on 12 and 17 mtrs to my hustler 6 band trap vertical.Where should I put the 12mtr one on the antenna please,Thanks again for a really enjoyable video peter.
Added 17M to my 6-BTV using this method, and my 6-BTV is now a 7-BTV. Took some time to tune in, that is, besides 17M, I also had to retune the 15M and 20M bands. But it’s all up and running with VSWR
Hi, I agree that 17 M is a good and very interesting band, between the crowded 20 M band and still not to active 15 M Band. 73 de W2CH Ray-60 years-1962-2022.
I did also add 17m to my 4BTV: at the bottom screw where the coax connects to the antenna I attached the 17m radiator which ran horizontaly around 20 cm (8") and then vertically and I had couple spacers made of PVC keeping the 17m radiator (speaker wire) parallel to the antenna itself. At the top end I had rope to the capacitor rods to keep the radiator straight. I remember it needed 3.9m of wire to have a 1/4 wave on 17m. Worked very well atop my condo roof (see HA7WX page on QRZ). Then I had to remove everything due to my relocation to VE land...
Nice job! But you are adding windage to the original design so the manufacturers may not agree to it being self supporting especially if you add more "branches" - just saying! KUTGW cheers
This thought just occurred to me. What about adding a total of 3 whips? 30m, 17m and 12m. I know it should work for 17 and 12m based on my other comment. But what about 30m?
Hi Peter I agree their great antennas and built very strong.i bought the tilt over kit as well so laid mine down in 10 seconds when there were high winds.