R8600 - Vertical Antenna

[vince48]

Greetings,
Any R8600 owners using a vertical antenna for HF (2-30 mhz)? Can you suggest and comment on your performance. TIA

vince48

 

[chief21]

A vertical should work fine for HF since incoming signals can be polarized in many ways.

 

[palmerjrusa]

I use an AOR SA7000 wideband (30kHz to 2 GHz) with my IC-R8600 with good results.

 

[ka3jjz]

Just remember that verticals are generally more sensitive to noise issues. In an area where space is limited, loops are a better bet than a vertical. Our wiki has a ton of links for this....

Loops - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[palmerjrusa]

Just remember that verticals are generally more sensitive to noise issues. In an area where space is limited, loops are a better bet than a vertical. Our wiki has a ton of links for this....

Loops - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

Second that, if noise is going to be an issue then consider a loop like a W6LVP:

https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=13325

or an AOR LA400:

https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=12800

 

[merlin]

I use a Sigma SE-HF-X80 vertical, 6-80 meters. With integral 6:1 UN-UN it really rids a lot of noise usually plaguing verticals. Beats the pants off my old 4BTV. Right now, tuned 5/8 wave @ 52 Mhz, it has a wee bit of gain, then I really clean things up with a preselector. Best part cramped for room is no radials.
Sure to match any of the loops or better. Below 80 meters, a loop may do better, IE: W6LVP sort.

 

[prcguy]

The Sigma is basically the same as a Comet CHA-250B and I'm surprised that would beat a Hustler 4BTV on its resonant bands. Did you have radials on the Hustler?

I use a Sigma SE-HF-X80 vertical, 6-80 meters. With integral 6:1 UN-UN it really rids a lot of noise usually plaguing verticals. Beats the pants off my old 4BTV. Right now, tuned 5/8 wave @ 52 Mhz, it has a wee bit of gain, then I really clean things up with a preselector. Best part cramped for room is no radials.
Sure to match any of the loops or better. Below 80 meters, a loop may do better, IE: W6LVP sort.

 

[majoco]

I still have a Hustler 18AVT-WB in bits hanging on my back fence which I used when I was an active ham back in the 80's and 90's. It worked really well - I tuned it down to the CW portions of the bands and had a 45 x 45 yard square earth mat laying in the grass made from a surplus chain link fence - after a while it was absorbed into the soil. I had great fun with QSO's all over southern Europe on the gray line in the evening from NZ. It was mounted on a 6ft length of scaffolding pole, the hole was dug into sandy/clay soil with a petrol auger from the hire shop for two hours only!

 

[vince48]

Thanks all for the replies and comments. I rather not goto the active antenna route. My past experience is that is there is noise, the active antenna does make the noise level worse.
I take it that the radials are im portant to install on those verticals that come with them? Also, di you suggest the radialless vertical?

Vincent

 

[prcguy]

I would recommend against a vertical of any kind due to the noise pickup over a horizontal antenna. Something like a PAR end fed SW is probably the gold standard for SW antennas, its of moderate size, works well and is reasonably low cost. Except for receiving local ground wave stuff on 10m, I can't think of anything a vertical can do better than a PAR end fed.

On avoiding an active antenna, if you were to experience a good active loop I think you would be pleasantly surprised. My W6LVP active loop is probably the quietest HF/VLF receive antenna I have ever used and it picks up really well, sometimes better than a PAR end fed, sometimes not, but overall its great.

Thanks all for the replies and comments. I rather not goto the active antenna route. My past experience is that is there is noise, the active antenna does make the noise level worse.
I take it that the radials are im portant to install on those verticals that come with them? Also, di you suggest the radialless vertical?

Vincent

 

[vince48]

Thanks Sir
i just might give that a try. Thanks again to all for suggestions and comments.

Vincent

 

[palmerjrusa]

I would recommend against a vertical of any kind due to the noise pickup over a horizontal antenna. Something like a PAR end fed SW is probably the gold standard for SW antennas, its of moderate size, works well and is reasonably low cost. Except for receiving local ground wave stuff on 10m, I can't think of anything a vertical can do better than a PAR end fed.

On avoiding an active antenna, if you were to experience a good active loop I think you would be pleasantly surprised. My W6LVP active loop is probably the quietest HF/VLF receive antenna I have ever used and it picks up really well, sometimes better than a PAR end fed, sometimes not, but overall its great.

Same here, have a W6LVP and surprised how well it performs, become a real convert to loop antennas and their ability to null out noise.
Also use an AOR AR380 active loop (an earlier iteration of the LA400) from ages back and it's a great little wideband antenna.