Anyone on the forum know of anyone or have you run a multiband HF vertical like the GAP INDUSTRIES TITAN DX or simular I have a few antennas up but the G5RV inverted V is setup for the majority of the bands, I was looking and seen a few big verticals some bigger than I want to deal with at 40 some feet antenna length without the mast there pricey and I imagine theres a bit of work involved in putting them togethersome of them are over 20 pounds when assembled I would think that high winds would rip these things apart. What other companies make these vertical multibands other tha GAP INDUSTRIES?
-
You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
MULTIBAND VERTICAL HF ANTENNAS
- Thread starter TonyV225
- Start date
I think you will find that there aren't a whole 'slew' of HF vertical antennas. Most manufacturers do make them, at least one, sort of, but nothing like is available for the higher HF bands. The primary reason is that the lower you go the bigger them things are going to get! At least if you want 'reasonable' performance from them. One other thing about HF verticals is that like it or not, the lower you go in frequency, the more noise you are going to hear.
Also keep in mind that I am not a huge fan of HF vertical antennas. I have used them, they do come in handy, and they do have their good points (as well as some bad ones). Not having a vertical hasn't stopped me from enjoying HF stuff, they do not have any overwhelming benefits over 'non-vertical' antennas.
Having said all that, there really is one vertical HF antenna I wish I could afford. I've heard several that have been really nice in their abilities. Aside from the $$$ part, they also require some preparation for good performance. (As in a very good ground system, radials in dirt, not ground rods.) "Mississippi's Finest Junk" owns the design now, used to be by 'Hygain'. Getting a 'clue' of which one I'm talking about? You're probably right, the 'HT-18' or '18-HT' not sure what they call it now. Does all but 160 meters very well, good coverage. Does 160 meters too, but only a 'chunk' of it, not all of it, which is 'normal'. It ain't small. Then again, what you can expect from it isn't 'small' either.
All the above is for commercially available 'resonant' antennas. But if you'll think about it a bit, what says it has to be 'resonant' at all? There are over 4000 of them things around the country. Most if not all of them are 'custom' built antennas. They work just fine. They do require 'matching' or a tuner. Most of them are much larger than that 'HT-18'.
What are they? Ask 'QRN', bet he knows...
- 'Doc
Also keep in mind that I am not a huge fan of HF vertical antennas. I have used them, they do come in handy, and they do have their good points (as well as some bad ones). Not having a vertical hasn't stopped me from enjoying HF stuff, they do not have any overwhelming benefits over 'non-vertical' antennas.
Having said all that, there really is one vertical HF antenna I wish I could afford. I've heard several that have been really nice in their abilities. Aside from the $$$ part, they also require some preparation for good performance. (As in a very good ground system, radials in dirt, not ground rods.) "Mississippi's Finest Junk" owns the design now, used to be by 'Hygain'. Getting a 'clue' of which one I'm talking about? You're probably right, the 'HT-18' or '18-HT' not sure what they call it now. Does all but 160 meters very well, good coverage. Does 160 meters too, but only a 'chunk' of it, not all of it, which is 'normal'. It ain't small. Then again, what you can expect from it isn't 'small' either.
All the above is for commercially available 'resonant' antennas. But if you'll think about it a bit, what says it has to be 'resonant' at all? There are over 4000 of them things around the country. Most if not all of them are 'custom' built antennas. They work just fine. They do require 'matching' or a tuner. Most of them are much larger than that 'HT-18'.
What are they? Ask 'QRN', bet he knows...
- 'Doc
I had a Gap Titan about 10 years ago. It was "ok" but not worth the money. It's to small for 40 meters and below, I can do better with my 80m dipole and a tuner. One thing I did like about it was that no tuner was required, but you can do that with a fan dipole.
Is your space limited?
Is your space limited?
I love my G5RV and have no complaints my wife and my 12 year old son and 13 year old daughter are all taking the Tech Course and testing on November 2nd. I was looking into the Verticals because I had been talking to the kids and my wife about setting up one of my towers for the kids radio bench I like my things setup the way I like them obviously and I told my wife I know whats going to happen CHAOS on dads bench. I am going to set them up with one of my Yaesu FT-840 I have sitting here with an external tuner. I wasnt sure if ide get them an HF vertical or get myself one and give them my G5RV. Im thinking Im going to set them up with a G5RV of there own and Ill set them up with a tri band antenna 6-2-70cm antenna to cover VHF ETC. Im thinking on a smaller beam or antron/imax forthe simple 10 meter route. I have often thought about these vertical hf for myself but as I said these G5RV are simple and work excellent and are truly affordable for practically everyones budget. I know these verticals are huge by there specs and they are HEAVY fom what Im seeing and hearing from others so those are 2 more factors to take into consideration.
I have tested lots of different HF antennas and bang for the buck an A99 and a G5RV if you have a HF radio with an Antenna tuner built in will work just great. The A99 for 10-17 Meters and the G5RV 10-80 Meters, these antennas overlap on the higher bands so you have some choises................walterb
You basically have a choice between convenience and performance. Either of them is going to be at the expense of the other. There are exceptions, but very few of them.
The 'G5RV' works 'well' on 20 meters. It is only 'adequate' on any other band except the WARC bands, there, it's a total flop. (The designer of the thing, Luis Varney, said he made it for a 20 meter antenna, the other bands were just an accident.) A tuner really is necessary. If it satisfies your requirements for an antenna, use it!
- 'Doc
The 'G5RV' works 'well' on 20 meters. It is only 'adequate' on any other band except the WARC bands, there, it's a total flop. (The designer of the thing, Luis Varney, said he made it for a 20 meter antenna, the other bands were just an accident.) A tuner really is necessary. If it satisfies your requirements for an antenna, use it!
- 'Doc
Ok now I was on 75 meters lastnight and I was talking to a guy that said NOT TO USE THE G5RV AS AN INVERTED V?? He was saying to run it flat (straight) at 60 feet up 1/4 wavelength above ground for best performance on 80 meters.
What are your thoughts on this? If this is true I have my work cutout for me this week LOL. Also what do you recomend as far as the distance that the flat feedline be from the tower if thats where I move the inverted V configuration to to get it up higher?
I will have to look at how I would run it flat dipole style if that is truly best I have a few Acres so the only work would be anchor points for the ends which I was told to use several feet of rope on any help appreciated
What are your thoughts on this? If this is true I have my work cutout for me this week LOL. Also what do you recomend as far as the distance that the flat feedline be from the tower if thats where I move the inverted V configuration to to get it up higher?
I will have to look at how I would run it flat dipole style if that is truly best I have a few Acres so the only work would be anchor points for the ends which I was told to use several feet of rope on any help appreciated
Cushcraft, Hustler, Butternut, Force 12, ZeroFive, SteppIR, and even Jay in the Mojave, all make various types of HF verticals for various bands. Take a look at all of their websites to see the different designs. None of them are cheap. I guess to decide what you want to put up, you have to decide what you want to accomplish. For the family, it might be a fun project to build a simple wire antenna first. Maybe build some type of wire antenna that is a little more complicated than the basic dipole. Then when you decide you want a little more challenge look at vertical....
I own a Titan DX. If you must use one because you have no way to put down a ground radial field, as a major compromise, they do radiate.
They are best from 40m and up, a dummy load on 75m for sure.
40m, it is hit and miss vs a 135' dipole I have, which is better. The higher bands, for DX, the vertical starts to have an edge more frequently. The major difference is different noise characteristics between the wire and vertical. The signals may be stronger on my wire, but they may be more easy to copy on the vertical.
I've had plenty of times where receiving was easier on the vertical but my outgoing signal was stronger on the wire too.
The Titan DX was my very first HF antenna and it got me on the air quickly. I would however not buy it again as I could put down a vertical with ground radials with my property and they are generally much more efficient radiators.
Also, knowing what I know now, I could simply haul 50 feet of wire up a tree and tune that against ground and easily do as well as my Titan does.
Overall I do like having a vertical to switch between my wire to test conditions.
They are best from 40m and up, a dummy load on 75m for sure.
40m, it is hit and miss vs a 135' dipole I have, which is better. The higher bands, for DX, the vertical starts to have an edge more frequently. The major difference is different noise characteristics between the wire and vertical. The signals may be stronger on my wire, but they may be more easy to copy on the vertical.
I've had plenty of times where receiving was easier on the vertical but my outgoing signal was stronger on the wire too.
The Titan DX was my very first HF antenna and it got me on the air quickly. I would however not buy it again as I could put down a vertical with ground radials with my property and they are generally much more efficient radiators.
Also, knowing what I know now, I could simply haul 50 feet of wire up a tree and tune that against ground and easily do as well as my Titan does.
Overall I do like having a vertical to switch between my wire to test conditions.
In the ideal world, you run it flat-top and as high as you can get it.
In the real world, you fit it into your space however you can.
With a G5RV just keep that ladder line hanging straight down and clear of the ground as it is a radiating component of the system and if you lay that on the ground or parallel that to the main elements, you will compromise it's pattern pretty seriously.
In the real world, you fit it into your space however you can.
With a G5RV just keep that ladder line hanging straight down and clear of the ground as it is a radiating component of the system and if you lay that on the ground or parallel that to the main elements, you will compromise it's pattern pretty seriously.
Long ago when I lived at my parents when I was a teenager,I use a Hustler 6BTV with
Radials it worked very well-swr was under 2:1:1 on 80,40,20,15 and 10 mtrs,I also had the 75 mtr resonator-it was a great antenna-I still have it in my garage somewhere,Hygain (MFJ) have some good verticals and so does Mosley depends what you want to do-today you can get a 9bvert.Good luck-73
Paul K8PG CW IS !!!!
Radials it worked very well-swr was under 2:1:1 on 80,40,20,15 and 10 mtrs,I also had the 75 mtr resonator-it was a great antenna-I still have it in my garage somewhere,Hygain (MFJ) have some good verticals and so does Mosley depends what you want to do-today you can get a 9bvert.Good luck-73
Paul K8PG CW IS !!!!
Very basically, get it as far away from stuff as you can. There really isn't a minimum distance as such, more is better to some ridiculous degree. You have to find that 'magic' distance yourself, since it depends on a lot of variables in each particular circumstance. When it gets to the point where you are unhappy with it, move it further away and see what happens.
A very rough ROT is 4 times the width of the parallel feed line as a minimum. That's sort of variable too, but closer than that and you start getting some really odd behavior. Whatever you can 'put up with', sort of (or can manage).
- 'Doc
(Absolute -best- is about a mile and a half. Yeah, right.)
A very rough ROT is 4 times the width of the parallel feed line as a minimum. That's sort of variable too, but closer than that and you start getting some really odd behavior. Whatever you can 'put up with', sort of (or can manage).
- 'Doc
(Absolute -best- is about a mile and a half. Yeah, right.)
- No one is chatting at the moment.