I've had my trusty HF6V for 13 (hope that's not an omen) years. It has performed extremely well all things considered. It's been through 3 moves, 2 states several field days. The only thing I've ever had to do to it is clean it up occasionally (usually after a move) and replace the 20m matching stub. The RG11U isn't even needed is you don't use it for 20m.
While the HF6V is no comparison to a beam of any sort, it does extremely well for me on 30 & 40m. 80m leaves a little to be desired, but I like the antenna well enough to buy a second one about two months ago in order to have a tuned antenna at 3790 and one at 3510. To date, the HF6V has netted 130 entities on 80m and 187 on 40m. While those aren't huge number, I think they are respectable given the situation.
Before moving to Colorado I *never* used any ground radials with the antenna. I guess Illinois black dirt conducts pretty well. I did notice that without radials in CO the HF6V struggled. Even with 4 - 33' radials on them, the improvement was like day and night. I now have 4 -33' and 4 - 67' radials under both HF6Vs.
I also recently bought a Gap Voyager to replace one of my HF6Vs. I figured at 45' + top loading it should compete a little better on 80m than my Butternuts. I hope to have it up before this season is over.
In any event, that's been my experience. Take it for what it's worth. CU in the pileups.
Kelly - KE9KD
http://www.dx-central.com
At 08:15 PM 01/21/2003 -0500, you wrote:
I think its also like so many other things: they don't break if you have replacements handy.
73,
Dave, AA6YQ
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Ron Notarius WN3VAW
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 19:39 PM
To: Gary Danaher; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] re:verticals
I've had my HF6V close to 20 years, and I've never had the caps break. I even have a spare set that someone gave me so that I'd be ready when it happened... never has. I think it's like so many things, they break if they're not installed correctly (ie overtightened)
73, ron wn3vaw
"Doc? You built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?"
"The way I look at it, if you're going to build a time machine out of a car, you might as well do it with style!"
-- Marty McFly & Dr. Emmet Brown, "Back to the Future"
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Gary Danaher
To: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Timothy Varnadore
Cc: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 7:32 PM
Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] re:verticals
Sorry you're unhappy with the GAP Challenger. Just a couple things though. It is resonant on 80 meters but not 160 meters, so it is no surprise you screamed your lungs out without a response. The problem with most multiband antennas seems to be their lack of efficiency on the lowest band on which they are resonant. I can't say that I have 5BDXCC on my GAP, but I CAN tell you that I have 4 band dxcc, and with 327 entities worked and confirmed, I'll hit the honor roll next submission. That was all done on a GAP over several years. You shouldn't knock it until you've used other verticals. It could be worse. The Butternuts do about as well, but are hard to tune and the doorknob caps have a bad habit of breaking........
73
Gary
AB5RM
Timothy Varnadore wrote:
What can I do (save selling it or making it a tomato hanger - I already have a dummy load!) with a GAP Challenger - I got suckered into it last year at the Miami hamfest because I dont have room for anything but a vertical (especially on 160M) . A few days after I bought it, there was a 160M contest. I was screaming my brains out and made maybe 5 contacts. It heard halfway decent, but wouldnt xmit for crap.
Is there someone who was able to 'fix' it? And if so, how?
Also, has anyone used trap dipoles? I had one given to me sealed in a box (Hy-Gain 5B-DQ). I dont want to take it out if it isnt great - (I could sell it to make back some of the lost cash from the GAP!)
I do have room for this, but I have a G5RV up now along with an R-6000 vertical. (works good)
Tnx - 73 Tim KB4UF
Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat
To post a message, DX related items only, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
