The BB7 is Diamonds answer to the Comet CHA-250B, which is an end fed pipe with about a 6:1 balun at the end and no ground radials or counterpoise. On 80 through 40m its a dreadful performer and a tuned 7ft Hamstick on a small car will put out a bigger signal. On 20 through 10m people boast about making contacts on them but most any type of antenna would put out a bigger signal, including a Hamstick on a car.
I wish the mfrs of these things would put information in their advertising so people would know what to expect. Instead of simply advertising "The new BB7V multiband vertical antenna provides coverage from 2 MHz to 30 MHz without radials and requires the use of a tuner", they should also add something like "Its typically -25dB down from a dipole on 80m, 20dB down from a dipole on 40m and only a small fraction of your signal will radiate on other bands. And that is dependent on your length of coax, which by the way will also radiate".
I know lots of people don't have space for a wire antenna stretched out across the property or lots of ground radials, but this particular type of antenna is a complete dog and there are much better performing antennas of similar size that will cover 40 through 10m and some larger ones that will work ok on 80m. You will find this out by visiting other hamsters in your town and watching them making tons of contacts that you cannot with the same amount of power and the only difference will be the antenna.
prcguy
Thanks for the tips. I wont be using HF and 2 meter at the same time.
A 2m J-pole might even work better on HF than the HF antenna you chose....
prcguy--what do you mean by this?