BUTTERNUT (Bencher); HF2V vertical Antenna. (my spring 2009 project) (MANY PAGES OF
PHOTOS AND INFORMATION for Antenna Enthusiasts.
PHOTOS AND INFORMATION for Antenna Enthusiasts.
I bought a Butternut HF2V 80 and 40 meter vertical antenna (used) this spring. I'm just starting to work on it (April 24, 2009).
I will be taking lots of pictures and posting all the details on this page. This antenna has a very good rating on eham reviews. I spoke with
several hams who own one and it is not manditory to guy it
Since this is a used vertical and I am up on a hill and get wind..I will be securing the vertical (about a little over half way up) with a good quality
fiberglass pole that I have from an old lightning bolt quad. I will be nesting the fiberglass poles so that it will be a double fiberglass pole which
will not flex much in the wind.
There will have to be a 'little bit of give" in the support system ..so I will be using an automotive muffler rubber support ring, heavy rubber strap
and clamp which will allow the antenna to move a bit in the wind (much like a muffler vibrates and moves with a car).
I will use a preserved wood 4 by 4 by 8 ft long which will be sunk into the ground about 3 ft and set in concrete. I will be snapping lots of digital
pictures and will be writing up my experiences and posting the SWR graphs and some comparitive signal reports and log book pages.
I will be taking lots of pictures and posting all the details on this page. This antenna has a very good rating on eham reviews. I spoke with
several hams who own one and it is not manditory to guy it
Since this is a used vertical and I am up on a hill and get wind..I will be securing the vertical (about a little over half way up) with a good quality
fiberglass pole that I have from an old lightning bolt quad. I will be nesting the fiberglass poles so that it will be a double fiberglass pole which
will not flex much in the wind.
There will have to be a 'little bit of give" in the support system ..so I will be using an automotive muffler rubber support ring, heavy rubber strap
and clamp which will allow the antenna to move a bit in the wind (much like a muffler vibrates and moves with a car).
I will use a preserved wood 4 by 4 by 8 ft long which will be sunk into the ground about 3 ft and set in concrete. I will be snapping lots of digital
pictures and will be writing up my experiences and posting the SWR graphs and some comparitive signal reports and log book pages.
Close up of the insulator separating the two
coils. Note the black substance running from
the joints. This is likely conductive grease
streaks. I will be taking the vertical apart and
cleaning up the insulators.
Where the insulators meet metal..I see no
need for conductive grease. I might see
some need for a substance to prevent the
insulators and the metal tubing from bonding
together and making it almost impossible to
take the assembly apart. I will be reading up
on what to do in this case.
coils. Note the black substance running from
the joints. This is likely conductive grease
streaks. I will be taking the vertical apart and
cleaning up the insulators.
Where the insulators meet metal..I see no
need for conductive grease. I might see
some need for a substance to prevent the
insulators and the metal tubing from bonding
together and making it almost impossible to
take the assembly apart. I will be reading up
on what to do in this case.
The two coils and the doorknob capacitor assembly.
This assembly is about 3 ft or so up the antenna.
tHAT IS WITH A CONVENTIONAL OUT OF THE BOX
HF2V..I made some changes as noted just below:
It does allow for easy ground level adjustments.
Top loading is more efficient. Some verticals are
about 33 ft high with a large inductance top loading
coil at or near the top. MFJ makes an antenna like
this. I think the Cushcraft 8040 is also top loaded.
This assembly is about 3 ft or so up the antenna.
tHAT IS WITH A CONVENTIONAL OUT OF THE BOX
HF2V..I made some changes as noted just below:
It does allow for easy ground level adjustments.
Top loading is more efficient. Some verticals are
about 33 ft high with a large inductance top loading
coil at or near the top. MFJ makes an antenna like
this. I think the Cushcraft 8040 is also top loaded.
Above is the original vertical. It is not quite
stretched out its full length of 32 ft. This is before I
decided to do the modifications.
Some of the sections of aluminum are nested
together...which I did to transport the antenna
home.
A guy ring is visible. I decided to go with heavier
aluminum tubing (which I bought) and a support
arm brace at about the 6 ft level. My vertical is
fairly stable in most wind situations and needs no
guys.
stretched out its full length of 32 ft. This is before I
decided to do the modifications.
Some of the sections of aluminum are nested
together...which I did to transport the antenna
home.
A guy ring is visible. I decided to go with heavier
aluminum tubing (which I bought) and a support
arm brace at about the 6 ft level. My vertical is
fairly stable in most wind situations and needs no
guys.
This is the base matching coil. The so-239 coax cable
connects at the base of this coil. The coil is optimized
for 80 and 40 meters.
I may add 160 meters to my vertical system and I may
have to read up on how to build a coil which will work
on 160, 80 and 40 with reasonable comprimise results.
I measured this coil as 3 microhenry.
I will be replacing this coil with a base loading coil
with taps at
3, and 6 and 1.5 uh. for specific matching for 80, 160
and 40 meters specifically.
6 uh might work for 160 and 80.
At the top of the vertical I will be adding a bolt at the
end so that I can try bolting on a top hat AND/OR
ADDING A HUSTLER COIL to bring the antenna to
resonate on 160.
When there is a 160 meter contest or special event or
something..I want to be able to fold over the antenna
and screw on a resonator to allow reasonably
efficient 160 meter operation.
I will be publishing the pictures as I move along with
this project.
connects at the base of this coil. The coil is optimized
for 80 and 40 meters.
I may add 160 meters to my vertical system and I may
have to read up on how to build a coil which will work
on 160, 80 and 40 with reasonable comprimise results.
I measured this coil as 3 microhenry.
I will be replacing this coil with a base loading coil
with taps at
3, and 6 and 1.5 uh. for specific matching for 80, 160
and 40 meters specifically.
6 uh might work for 160 and 80.
At the top of the vertical I will be adding a bolt at the
end so that I can try bolting on a top hat AND/OR
ADDING A HUSTLER COIL to bring the antenna to
resonate on 160.
When there is a 160 meter contest or special event or
something..I want to be able to fold over the antenna
and screw on a resonator to allow reasonably
efficient 160 meter operation.
I will be publishing the pictures as I move along with
this project.
On the bench with the coil assembly. The
insulator at the junction of the coil
assembly was cleaned up with alcohol and
a fiberglass cleaning pen.
While I had the coil disassembled, I took a
couple of inductance measurements for
reference sake.
I used the Autek RF 1 analyst, seen in the
background.
insulator at the junction of the coil
assembly was cleaned up with alcohol and
a fiberglass cleaning pen.
While I had the coil disassembled, I took a
couple of inductance measurements for
reference sake.
I used the Autek RF 1 analyst, seen in the
background.
All this gucky stuff is conductive. If it runs down onto
the insulator it is bad news.
NOTE: RATHER than clean and sand this insulator, I
decided to build an insulator secion using some quad
spreader material I had on hand. LATER..I painted the
fiberglass with aluminum paint and it looks like
aluminum tubing.
I will use the anti oxide pastes only on metal on metal
contacts where there is no chance of it running onto
the insulators and causing conductive paths.
It would be easier to take the vertical down every three
or four years and clean the insulators and the
associated aluminum tubing pieces than to clean up
this gucky residue.
TAKE NOTE IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO BUY OR BUILD A
VERTICAL ANTENNA SUCH AS THIS OR ARE PUTTING UP
A YAGI or something.
I would not use this conductive grease where the
aluminum contacts an insulator. (MAKES no sense what
so ever!!) You DO WANT AN INSULATED JOINT AND
THERE should be no metal on metal oxidation in this
circumstance.
the insulator it is bad news.
NOTE: RATHER than clean and sand this insulator, I
decided to build an insulator secion using some quad
spreader material I had on hand. LATER..I painted the
fiberglass with aluminum paint and it looks like
aluminum tubing.
I will use the anti oxide pastes only on metal on metal
contacts where there is no chance of it running onto
the insulators and causing conductive paths.
It would be easier to take the vertical down every three
or four years and clean the insulators and the
associated aluminum tubing pieces than to clean up
this gucky residue.
TAKE NOTE IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO BUY OR BUILD A
VERTICAL ANTENNA SUCH AS THIS OR ARE PUTTING UP
A YAGI or something.
I would not use this conductive grease where the
aluminum contacts an insulator. (MAKES no sense what
so ever!!) You DO WANT AN INSULATED JOINT AND
THERE should be no metal on metal oxidation in this
circumstance.
NOTE: SOME OF THE PICTURES ABOVE HAVE A BLUE
SORT OF LOOK TO THEM. MY CAMERA SEEMS TO BE
DOING THIS WITH MY CLOSEUP SHOTS! I'm working on
the problem. I suspect a macro or something. I use a
CANON sure shot.
SORT OF LOOK TO THEM. MY CAMERA SEEMS TO BE
DOING THIS WITH MY CLOSEUP SHOTS! I'm working on
the problem. I suspect a macro or something. I use a
CANON sure shot.
CLICK HERE (link) TO
SEE THE NEXT PAGE of
my HF2V vertical saga.
It is April 28-2009. I have
the hole dug in the back
yard and cement (1 bag of
reddi mix) is to set a
mounting post in the
ground for the HF2V.
SEE THE NEXT PAGE of
my HF2V vertical saga.
It is April 28-2009. I have
the hole dug in the back
yard and cement (1 bag of
reddi mix) is to set a
mounting post in the
ground for the HF2V.
NOTE: for those interested in building antennas ..a
company in the USA (MAX GAIN SYSTEMS) sells
fiberglass rod in various diameters.
Another company that sells vertical antenna parts is DX
Communications (also in USA).
With my large junk box I did not have to order any parts
from them.
There is a YAHOO Group specifically dedicated to
Butternut Verticals.
EI7BA has a good site with info on the Butternut HF2V.
He built one from scratch.
The eham reviews have good feedback from users of
this antenna.
I recommend all of the above.
Butternut Verticals.
EI7BA has a good site with info on the Butternut HF2V.
He built one from scratch.
The eham reviews have good feedback from users of
this antenna.
I recommend all of the above.
| To S K I P AHEAD..TO THE LAST PAGEs OF THIS ARTICLE (skipping past the CONSTRUCTION phase where I was actually building/rebuilding the antenna)... WHERE THE ANTENNA IS UP IN THE AIR and I have lowered it to adjust it THE SWR IS BEING ADJUSTED ECT the swr curves are available for you to look at...ect.. CLICK HERE TO GO TO those pages. |
I tried using this small base loading
coil but it did not allow a complete dip
in swr down to 1 to 1 so I left it out of
my particular version of the HF2V.
If you skip ahead to the last pages in
this 8 or 9 page article (LINK
HERE)..you will see the swr
curves..(which are actually pretty
good. Steep and good 1 to 1 at
resonance.
I have not been operating a great
deal..due to it being summer and all
the outdoor stuff going on..BUT..I
have gotten some good reports on 75
meters (very encouraging)..it works
locally about as good as an inverted
Vee off a 40 or 50 ft tower! Also
compares about equally with a good
G5RV that a fellow runs here in Elliot
Lake (Al VE3VKP).
This winter I will be doing much more
operating on 75, 80 and 40. I will be
trying it on DX!
coil but it did not allow a complete dip
in swr down to 1 to 1 so I left it out of
my particular version of the HF2V.
If you skip ahead to the last pages in
this 8 or 9 page article (LINK
HERE)..you will see the swr
curves..(which are actually pretty
good. Steep and good 1 to 1 at
resonance.
I have not been operating a great
deal..due to it being summer and all
the outdoor stuff going on..BUT..I
have gotten some good reports on 75
meters (very encouraging)..it works
locally about as good as an inverted
Vee off a 40 or 50 ft tower! Also
compares about equally with a good
G5RV that a fellow runs here in Elliot
Lake (Al VE3VKP).
This winter I will be doing much more
operating on 75, 80 and 40. I will be
trying it on DX!
link to NEXT PAGE ------>>>
note: I am still working on
things and not sure if there
will be 8 or 9 pages in this
antenna article.
JUST CLICK ON THE BLUE
TEXT TO "LINK" TO MY
NEXT PAGES
CLICK HERE TO SKIP BY
THE BUILDING STAGE OF
THE ANTENNA AND TO SEE
THE OPERATION STAGE
WHERE THE SWR CURVES
AND FINE TUNING OF THE
ANTENNA IS PICTURED.
note: I am still working on
things and not sure if there
will be 8 or 9 pages in this
antenna article.
JUST CLICK ON THE BLUE
TEXT TO "LINK" TO MY
NEXT PAGES
CLICK HERE TO SKIP BY
THE BUILDING STAGE OF
THE ANTENNA AND TO SEE
THE OPERATION STAGE
WHERE THE SWR CURVES
AND FINE TUNING OF THE
ANTENNA IS PICTURED.
| TO SKIP AHEAD TO THE LAST PAGE WHICH IS THE PICTURES AND INFORMATION ON USING A BASE LOADING COIL TO GET ON 160 METERS CLICK HERE TO GO TO THAT PAGE. |
| THIS IS A LONG ARTICLE OF ABOUT 15 PAGES OR SO..WITH PICTURES OF ALL THE IDEAS AND WORK I DID ON THE ANTENNA. JUST KEEP CLICKING THE LINKS TO CONTINUE ON WHICH ARE AT OR NEAR THE BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE. |
My HF2V modifications .. in a NUTSHELL
1) I moved both coils up from 3 ft off the ground to about
10 ft off the ground. I figured I could still get them to work
with a bit of adjustment. I WAS RIGHT.
2) I added some top loading to my vertical. I used a hustler
RM10 coil at the top. (note: I had to short out a few turns
of the upper hf2v coil).
3) I used thicker larger diameter tubing and the vertical
now flops (whips) around less in the wind. I bought two
brand new pieces of aluminum tubing (6 ft long) and made
up a new larger diameter.
4) I used a base insuator and tubing from an old vertical
antenna to make a new base for the antenna.
I used a chunk of railway rail as a heavy base piece and I
can tilt the vertical over easily by loosening 2 hose clamps
on the upper brace bracket.
5) An upper brace bracket on a 4 by 4 (at about the 6 ft
level) supports the antenna. I use 2 hose clamps to
secure the vertical at this point
6) where the coils are (at about the 10 ft level) I took a
couple of fiberglass quad spreader arms and some
fiberglass fence stays and made an upper insulator thus
replacing the old hf2v insulator. NOTE: both fiberglass
insulators had been gucked up with conductive
compound so I decided to make new ones.
The old Butternut insulators will be sanded clean and
used for some other antenna project. I could have bought
new insulators but I decided to use some materials that I
had in my junk collection.
If you look closely at the photo below left..you can see the
contaminated insulator. My new insulator is made from 2
concentric pieces of hollow fiberglass quad spreader
material but I inserted some fiberglass fence stays that I
taped together to form a sort of torsion bar suspension.
I want to go out and buy a proper piece of fiberglass rod
about 2 or 3 ft long to make it even stronger. Right now..I
take the antenna down in high winds. ONLY TAKES about
1 minute to raise or lower the antenna to the ground.
10 ft off the ground. I figured I could still get them to work
with a bit of adjustment. I WAS RIGHT.
2) I added some top loading to my vertical. I used a hustler
RM10 coil at the top. (note: I had to short out a few turns
of the upper hf2v coil).
3) I used thicker larger diameter tubing and the vertical
now flops (whips) around less in the wind. I bought two
brand new pieces of aluminum tubing (6 ft long) and made
up a new larger diameter.
4) I used a base insuator and tubing from an old vertical
antenna to make a new base for the antenna.
I used a chunk of railway rail as a heavy base piece and I
can tilt the vertical over easily by loosening 2 hose clamps
on the upper brace bracket.
5) An upper brace bracket on a 4 by 4 (at about the 6 ft
level) supports the antenna. I use 2 hose clamps to
secure the vertical at this point
6) where the coils are (at about the 10 ft level) I took a
couple of fiberglass quad spreader arms and some
fiberglass fence stays and made an upper insulator thus
replacing the old hf2v insulator. NOTE: both fiberglass
insulators had been gucked up with conductive
compound so I decided to make new ones.
The old Butternut insulators will be sanded clean and
used for some other antenna project. I could have bought
new insulators but I decided to use some materials that I
had in my junk collection.
If you look closely at the photo below left..you can see the
contaminated insulator. My new insulator is made from 2
concentric pieces of hollow fiberglass quad spreader
material but I inserted some fiberglass fence stays that I
taped together to form a sort of torsion bar suspension.
I want to go out and buy a proper piece of fiberglass rod
about 2 or 3 ft long to make it even stronger. Right now..I
take the antenna down in high winds. ONLY TAKES about
1 minute to raise or lower the antenna to the ground.