[Antennas] Hustler Vertical antenna info?

[George, W5YR]

Phil, with all respect, I can't see what the problem is from your list of
SWR readings. Assuming that they are reasonably correct, I would say that
you have a very good installation with quite workable SWR readings on and
across each band. If in the past you saw much lower readings, that suggests
to me that you had considerable loss present in the system somewhere. If
that condition - a poor joint or whatever - has now corrected itself then
the readings you report are, from my experience with a 4BTV back in the
70's and with Butternut HF6V and HF9V verticals recently, quite acceptable
and workable.

The 20-meter readings are exceptional in my opinion and would not cause me
to expect any trap problems at all.

Any rig with an internal tuner should be able to handle your situation, and
I suspect that most rigs would tolerate those SWR levels without requiring
an internal tuner. 

Your report is exceptional in one respect, however. Usually, such
installations start out with SWR readings such as yours and then as things
age, etc. loss is introduced and the SWR readings actually improve,
approaching 1:1 on all bands. Your experience has gone the other way,
evidently.

I would not upset the Better Half by hopping on the roof until and unless
things get a lot worse than they are now . . .   <:}

As a practical matter, there really is no way that you could tune those
traps. They are a complex (electrically, but simple mechanically) design
involving the distributed capacitance of the trap cover, and the coil, etc.
and are just not amenable to "tuning." I would not expect that your guy
strings could pull down hard enough to loosen the trap cover.

Color me wrong if you really find a problem, Phil, but your description
does not suggest any to me.

72/73/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas         
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe   
Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina #91900556  IC-765 #02437

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Phil Atchley wrote:
> 
> Hello
> I have a Hustler 6BTV vertical that was put up a little over 2 years ago and
> performed flawlessly for a couple years.  (it is over  > 1000 Sq/ft of
> sheetmetal roof/awning.)  The unit was guyed (per Hustlers instructions) at
> the 20M trap, especially as we get some good winds here.  I used some Nylon
> Twine as the guys, it is still holding well so it didn't "sun rot".
> 
> It has since developed problems, high SWR's Especially on bands below 20M
> and I suspect that the outer sleeve on the 20M trap 'may' have slipped down
> some from the constant downward  pressure of the guys, detuning the trap.
> (the various tubing sections were all secured against slipping by SETSCREWS
> after it was tuned).  Does this sound feasable?  While up there I intend to
> replace all the coax from antenna to the antenna switch in the shack as
> insurance.  (I use RG8X as I don't run any 'power' over about 100W maximum).
> I want to do EVERYTHING in one trip to the roof as I don't want to walk on
> the mobile roof more than needed.  My wife says she can tell exactly where I
> am by looking at the ceiling  sag 8^(
> 
> My present (best) SWR's are (Taken with a friends MFJ Analyzer)
> 29.7   2.0 (10M is about as it was, I didn't wish to cut tubing)
> 28.0   1.3
> 21.3   2.0 (never had a really good SWR but was much better)
> 14.35 1.8
> 14.1   1.4   (Was tuned to Phone band)
> 10.15 2.0   (Was 1.5 at 10.1MHz)
> 10.0   1.2
> 7.1     2.0   (was tuned to 7050)
> 6.97   1.3
> 3.67   2.4   (was 1.4 at 3.908 net freq)
> 
> If the trap is detuned, any hints on getting that sleeve in the right spot
> again?  I don't have a grid dip meter.  Also, I never had to tune a trap
> before, how critical are these Hustler traps.  Any ideas?