HAM RADIO - Adding the 17m Band to Hustler Vertical Base Antennas

[@edwarddoyle5585]

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

[@RobertJohnsonG0GFC]

Very true about 17m, usually find some activity during the afternoon and not long ago I realised I've worked over 100 countries on17m.

[@jamesgeorge1709]

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

[@mikes6844]

Great mod for a versatile antenna. Thanks Peter.

[@MountainRaven1960]

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

[@watersstanton]

Hi, glad you sorted the tuning out. That is why I placed the whip below the 15m trap. 73 Peter.

[@MountainRaven1960]

I’m going to add the 12M whip as well. Will let you know how it goes. Cheers VK2KLJ

[@andrewhill4226]

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

[@watersstanton]

Yes as I said in the video there are several ways, but this makes tuning very easy. I will come back to the subject in another video.

[@andrewhill4226]

@@watersstanton Look forward to your other videos on this great antenna.

[@BonesMedic642]

I picked up a 17m Hustler coil and went to the local hardware store and made this. It works great!

[@watersstanton]

Great news. Thanks Peter

[@dougtaylor7724]

Brilliant addition to the kit. Just last week I was looking at the Hustler and my decision to skip it was the fact of no 17 meter.

[@W9HJBill]

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.

[@watersstanton]

Thanks for sharing. 73 Peter

[@NeilAustinuk]

Got the 6btv working on 12 meters. Thanks for the video

[@watersstanton]

Glad it helped

[@jameski5oeb668]

That is a super great idea! Might need to try that.

[@davidshermanlittle919]

Looks good - so tomorrow I’ll do the same as yours. Thank you.

[@andy2E0JIU]

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.

[@watersstanton]

Hi Andy, thanks for sharing. 73 Peter

[@CriticalThinker-42]

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

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks Mike.

[@W-733_KWX]

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...

[@watersstanton]

Thanks for sharing

[@richarde735]

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.

[@shaunruscoe5599]

Antron99 10/11m cb base antenna works great for me on 17m, i do believe it is aimed at 27-28mhz but has 1:1.2 swr dip at 18mhz

[@michelsinnott]

clever that, I would never have thought of it.👍

[@kc8wvg]

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

[@watersstanton]

Thanks William. Great to get your info. 73 Peter

[@SimonMcPhee-id3fp]

Hi Peter, I have the 6BTV and also the 17M coil and will do the same as shown. Where would the 12M coil go? Below the 10M coil or else where please?

[@adyg6ad73]

Nice hack Peter. ps your workshop is very clean and tidy!

[@watersstanton]

Thanks! 👍 But it is not always tidy.

[@geoffpriestley7001]

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

[@watersstanton]

Thanks for sharing. 7403 Peter

[@SV1RXI]

If this antenna installed at my roof have the same perfomance like the Ground install?

[@Dan-56]

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 😉👍)

[@AndrewMurphy8383]

I would love you to try to use the hustler resonator as a base for home use and u would go about it

[@watersstanton]

Get yourself about 7ft of alloy tube , strap it to the top and resonate it.

[@raymondmartin6737]

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.

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks Ray. 73 Peter

[@robertallbright]

Another useful and entertaining video, Peter 73 Robert G3RCE

[@watersstanton]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@williambingham2459]

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.

[@watersstanton]

It won’t work in that position as the inductance beneath it is roo great. It will work below the 15m trap.

[@rogseye]

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.

[@jameski5oeb668]

I think making the angle piece 30cm longer and place it opposite the 17m radiator.

[@watersstanton]

I would suggest around 40cm and make sure the U-bolt is centred.

[@rogseye]

Thanks for the reply

[@michelgraveline5256]

@@watersstanton is it 40 cm more at the length of 25 cm than you say or is it 40 cm total

[@michelgraveline5256]

@@watersstanton is it 40 cm more at the length of 25 cm than you say or is it 40 cm total

[@ronpetroski7203]

I do like how you added the 17m.

[@AliReza-zx8km]

Nice........................

[@kc8wvg]

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?

[@watersstanton]

Yes will probably work. 73 Peter

[@Flagrazi]

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

[@watersstanton]

It actually does work above the 10m trap - if the section above resonates on 21MHz there is still more inductance needed for 18MHz. Try it!

[@wrote8]

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

[@watersstanton]

The extra piece adds little weight and is low doen so should be no problem.