Hustler 6-BTV
$$$$·
| Frequency | 3.5-4.0, 7.0-7.3, 10.1-10.15, 14.0-14.35, 21.0-21.45, 28.0-29.7 MHz (80/40/30/20/15/10 m) |
| Bands | 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 15m, 10m |
| Power | Rated about 1000 W (some dealers state 1500 W PEP). Nominal 52 ohm base impedance when properly installed and tuned. |
| Modes | ground-mounted 6-band trap vertical (quarter-wave, needs radials) |
| Weight | 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) - About 16.5 lb (~7.5 kg); 24 ft (~7.3 m) tall. |
| feed | SO-239 at the base (nominal 52 ohm); requires a radial field for a proper counterpoise |
| mounting | Ground stake or short mast/pipe; wind load about 29 lb at 70 mph |
| power req | Passive antenna; no power. Needs a good radial system for efficient operation. |
Adds the 30-meter band to the proven BTV formula: six HF bands from one small-footprint ground vertical, no tower or rotator, omnidirectional low-angle DX performance and legal-limit power. The sealed factory-tuned traps make it plug-and-play across bands, it is rugged enough for a permanent install, and it is exceptionally well supported after decades on the market.
It is still a short trap vertical, so 80 m bandwidth is limited (~100 kHz) and overall efficiency depends heavily on laying a good radial field, which takes space and effort. Traps add some loss and weather exposure, and like all verticals it tends to hear more noise than a high horizontal antenna.
The Hustler 6-BTV is the six-band (80-10 m, including 30 m) version of the classic BTV trap vertical - dependable, legal-limit, omnidirectional HF coverage in a small footprint with no tower required, given a proper radial field. It is the pick over the 5-BTV when you want the 30 m WARC band, and a longtime favorite for space-limited HF stations.
The Hustler 6-BTV is the six-band version of Hustler's famous BTV trap vertical, adding the 30-meter WARC band to the 5-BTV's lineup for full coverage of 80, 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10 meters. Like its siblings it is a single ground-mounted vertical - about 24 feet tall and 16.5 pounds - that puts you on multiple HF bands without a tower, rotator or beam. Sealed, factory-tuned 'optimum-Q' traps electrically divide the aluminum tubing so it resonates on each band automatically, and it handles full legal-limit power on CW and SSB.
As a vertical it radiates omnidirectionally at a low angle, which suits DX work, and it occupies very little ground - its main appeal for operators short on space. It is resonant on every band, presenting 1.2:1 SWR or better at resonance, with the tightest bandwidth (around 100 kHz) on 75/80 meters. It feeds with a single coax through an SO-239 at the base, where the nominal impedance is about 52 ohms once installed and tuned.
The trade-offs are those of any ground-mounted trap vertical: it needs a good radial field to act as its counterpoise (the more radials the better), 80-meter performance is the most compromised, and traps add a little loss and weather exposure. It also hears more local noise than a high dipole. It sells for around $370-410.
It is the step up from the five-band Hustler 5-BTV (the 30 m band is the difference), and competes with multiband verticals such as the Butternut HF9V.