Hy-Gain AV-680 Multi-Band Vertical Antenna Assembly and Installation

In this video I assemble and mount on a moveable mast, a commercial nine band amateur radio vertical antenna. The Hy-Gain AV-680 is available from a number of amateur radio suppliers and is one of the most diverse vertical antennas available.

[@AzPauly]

I've had the AV-640 version for years, has served me well..make sure the vent holes have screen in them or else insects will invade the box...

[@peteantonio1601]

very challenging to put together, mines was missing screws or the screws were coarse threats when it calls for fine threat, that top peace did call for 4 inches yet only 3 inches goes in, I just shorten the top by an inch to make up for that . a week later I just finish now im setting up the mast, I got a video coming out when all is done

[@i82996]

Great - I'd love to see it. By the way this antenna rocks for me. OK the gain is 0 in all directions, but I am seeing really good DX on FT-8 and FT-4. The only "dark" area is China for some reason. Worked easily Guam Easter Island and Indonesia the other morning. KR3HAB

[@andyschneider3431]

Mines on the garage roof. 5ft tripod. Swap out the match unit with DXE’s 4:1 Voltage Balun. (5kw) Make sure you also install large common mode choke. The bandwidth that opens on 40 and 80 will blow your mind.

[@i82996]

Thanks for the tip. Using mainly on FT8. 40/80 is already better than end fed homebrew. Not good FT8 SWR on 10/6 meters.

[@rtoledo2]

@@i82996 YOU KNOW i am a 2 year old general license , and had watched a lot of elmers, and kept a lot of contradicting info jotted down. I went with " as short as possible " lmr 400 2 pieces one to the alpha-delta and a piece into my house. I use a ldg at-100 pro tuner and it's almost always on " bypass " getting one to one.

[@rtoledo2]

do you have photo's of the 4:1 you took out ??? I have made a few 4:1 and 1:1 using txlabs video , really good desing and step by step . by any chance did they use a air balun or good torroids ?

[@rtoledo2]

I OWN this antenna and love it for my situation in my house lot size .

[@i82996]

It is a very hot antenna for me. Close to 2K QSOs.

[@keitholiver341]

Would this antenna work well without the radials if I installed it on top peak of a big metal top building? It measures about 25’ x 50’

[@i82996]

Hey friend, as my Elmer Dave Casler KE0OG on KZbin says (paraphrased) "with antennas, everything affects everything." I chose this antenna as a catch-all installation that could be put in the back yard away from trees, and with a hinge mount on the 10 foot pole, provide me easy maintenance. As it is a vertical, the gain is one in all directions. Still with that, I am able to FT-8 just about everywhere in Europe, South America, with some middle east, Africa, Japan, Australia, ... everywhere except South Asia and China have been tough even with a 500w linear. I am really happy with it. I might suggest that if you have a pole you could mount, put up a single wire 1/4 or 1/2 wavelength vertical on the metal roof on a shorter wavelength band, to experiment first before sinking so much into the multiband. Dave has a video on his channel "Metal Roofs Vs Antenna (#1043)" which may help. Also you could ask this question to the HyGain engineer who is a very. very knowledgeable expert on his antenna designs and antennas in general. You can surely get to him via MFJ.

[@antoniobellezza536]

Good morning my friend, I would like some information. In the final part of the tube, (BE), there are three holes. Which one should be used to connect it to the part with the coils and which one for the cable? What is the third one for? The connection with just one screw seems unstable. Finally, how did you connect the earth?73 de IU0PNM!

[@i82996]

Hey Antonio, you caught me when I am over in Asia for the moment. Write me your question on the business email for the channel, and I will follow up when I get home next month. I took the antenna down and stored it in the garage and will have to check your question down anyway when I put it back up. I removed the composite top part from the metal tubing to store it, and the radials were removed relatively easily for storage.

[@i82996]

I just got back Tuesday and I noticed that the wire from the lower stages is connected to the upper screw assembly that is outside of the tube as inserted. I also noticed some cracks in the composite so I will be reinforcing that with straps. Albert

[@SeanFao]

Have you recorded a follow-up video, showing it in action?

[@i82996]

Well no, after it was put up I have put a lot of work in the transmission center to address some issues I created so that took some time. Also I have been working entirely in FT-8. I use a MFJ-989D tuner and get 1:1 on every band but 6 meters. The antenna + my mostly clear line of sight above 10-15 deg over the horizon results in a powerful DX combo. I have worked around 1000 QSOs since installation and the antenna beats the old EFDP hands down. I have recently worked Kazakhstan New Caledonia Cyprus Algeria Japan New Zealand Australia Malawi but China India and Indonesia still elude. I can hear em though.

[@i82996]

The one bugaboo is the antenna tunes about 500khz above the FT8 frequencies and I don’t have a 6 meter tuner. No amount of manual length adjustment with my MFJ 259D can bring it down so 6 meters is a SWR of 3:1.

[@aemt4u]

I also am having issues with the connecting studs being too big

[@i82996]

I haven’t done it yet, but the secret sauce is 8 mm tube or stubs. Fits nicely.