Anyone Used The HF9V??

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I'm looking to use it as a beginning base station antenna, coupled to the FT-897D.

Opinions??


Thanks




Delta

 

[kcvanover]

I used one on the roof of the house when I was station on Guam. Worked great once you got it tuned. I put it up and down so much due to storms, I just ran a tuner.

 

[W3DMV]

I have one and have used it for about 5 years. Started out with it ground
mounted with about 30 buried radials. Later i mounted it on a 15 foot high
pole and used 20 elevated radials. I think the elevated mount worked better.

Please remember this is a vertical antenna and has a low angle of radiation. It
works well on long haul contacts and for working dx. It is very poor on short haul
contacts close in especially on 80 and 40 meters because of the lack of
high angle radiation.
The antenna is well built and I would buy another if needed.
Good luck

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Please remember this is a vertical antenna and has a low angle of radiation. It
works well on long haul contacts and for working dx. It is very poor on short haul
contacts close in especially on 80 and 40 meters because of the lack of
high angle radiation.

I thought angle of radiation was determined by mounting height above ground?

Forgive me if I mis-understand. I'm relatively new to this.





Delta

 

[W3DMV]

The radiation angle of horizontally mounted antenna changes as the height above
ground changes. A very low mounted horizontal antenna will exhibit high angles of radiation
thus making it very useful for short haul contacts, but performs poorly for long haul contacts.
A vertical antenna is physically in the vertical position and think of it as a low dipole sitting
on end. The major pattern is at right angles to the vertical thus providing a low angle signal.
Most verticals are ground mounted and because of their size are difficult to elevate a great
distance from the ground.
If the vertical is ground mounted, it is necessary to provide a radial system to complete
the missing side of the vertical antenna. If your able to mount a vertical high off the ground,
it is still necessary to provide radials. That's why you see VHF/UHF verticals with radials.
Please don't get me wrong. There are many variations and variables that can cloud the
picture. You will find 1/2 wave and 5/8 wave verticals claiming that radials are not required.
The gentleman is asking about the Butternut HF9V which is basically a quarter wave antenna
and is normally mounted with the supplied mounting hardware at ground level and installing
a radial system supplied and installed by the end user. The antenna works well when it has
a good reasonable radial system installed.
If your unable to install the radials, or all the hard work is a turn off, then you would be
better off looking at something else.....

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Thanks for that explanation.

I guess the reason verticals work fine for short range contacts on VHF/UHF is because the signal bounces around a lot more than on the HF bands. Is this corresct?




Delta