Mounting the Hustler vertical

[G0VQY]

I have been reading the instructions on mountain in my Hustler vertical and it states that you mustn't use concrete, the pole needs to be hammered into the ground. They say that if you do this radials are not required. The problem I've got is there are quite a few stones and rocks in my garden, I'm not really sure if it's going to be possible to knock a steel pole 3 feet into the ground. I had planned on concreting the pole into the ground. If I concrete the pole into the ground and use radials, is that going to be a lot more efficient than installing it the way that the instructions say?

[M0GVZ]

Radials are required. It'll work without them as in you'll have a low SWR but it'll work poorly and you'll have common mode issues.

[K9ASE]

I followed the directions. I used a 5ft piece of galvanized pipe and cap. I used a sledge hammer to pound it in. I'm also using radials. with the pipe and suggested guying, it has survived two storms this summer with winds around 80mph

[KB4QAA]

If you believe an HF vertical will be a performer without radials, I've got a bridge over the Thames available for a great price!

Look at it this way: Copper wire, of even the smallest gauge, is over 1000 times more conductive than the best soil.

Roughly for 1/4 wave radials;
8 radials should give a fairly stable impedance for loading/matching
16 should be an OK performer
32 should be quite good
64 should be darn good
120: local engineers will come to your shack for standards measurements.

http://www.antennasbyn6lf.com/
Everything you wanted to know about radials in fairly easy reading.

[KC9UDX]

Have you tried pounding a pipe in the ground? It's usually easier than you'd expect. Wouldn't you want it 3' deep if you were to concrete it anyway?

[G0VQY]

Okay, I get it, radials are a must :-) don't worry, I have planned an radials from the very beginning and will be playing at least 20 to begin with. All I wanted to know was whether concreting the pole in will decrease the performance in any way, or whether I should try and hammer the pole into the ground without using concrete

It's funny how Hustler themselves make quite a big thing out of stating that their antenna does not need radials, however nearly everybody who has one says they do need radials. I sometimes wonder whether this is a ploy by Hustler to try and sell the antenna to people who don't want to use radials

[K9ZMD]

. . . this is a ploy by Hustler to try and sell the antenna to people who don't want to use radials

**Bingo.**

[WB2WIK]

Okay, I get it, radials are a must :-) don't worry, I have planned an radials from the very beginning and will be playing at least 20 to begin with. All I wanted to know was whether concreting the pole in will decrease the performance in any way, or whether I should try and hammer the pole into the ground without using concrete

It's funny how Hustler themselves make quite a big thing out of stating that their antenna does not need radials, however nearly everybody who has one says they do need radials. I sometimes wonder whether this is a ploy by Hustler to try and sell the antenna to people who don't want to use radials

That's the new Hustler "marketing department" speaking (and writing).

The Hustler BTV has been on the market for more than 40 years. If you refer back to the instructions that were written by engineers in the 1960s, they never, ever said to mount it on a pipe driven into the ground or that radials weren't required.

Pure fantasy. I've used these things for at least 40 years and they only work with a very good radial system.

Of course now in 2012, everything is easier and you can get 50 mpg with your Lexus also...assuming you only drive downhill. Marketing is great.

[W4ABC]

I have been reading the instructions on mountain in my Hustler vertical and it states that you mustn't use concrete, the pole needs to be hammered into the ground. They say that if you do this radials are not required. The problem I've got is there are quite a few stones and rocks in my garden, I'm not really sure if it's going to be possible to knock a steel pole 3 feet into the ground. I had planned on concreting the pole into the ground. If I concrete the pole into the ground and use radials, is that going to be a lot more efficient than installing it the way that the instructions say?

Hi Penn.

After hunting through several of their dead links on the subject, the last one worked for me (isn't it always the case?): http://static.dxengineering.com/pdf/...uide-rev0c.pdf

DX Engineering rewrote the book on this antenna.



73,


Jon Pearl - W4ABC
www.w4abc.com

[N8WWM]

Hi Penn,

Well, as a charter member of Ohio, which is sort of kind of close to Missouri, I have to be shown regarding the performance of antennas .
Think of it this way...You are confident that you have taken all precautions until after the DNA test proves you are a father.

73 Doug