OnAllBands has been taking a close look at products that can help you get more out of your Hustler 4BTV, 5BTV, and 6BTV vertical antennas. We’ve got quite a bit of ground to cover, so we’re starting with the DX Engineering add-on kits that let you easily and effectively expand coverage. Check out this article on the Hustler BTV Series 17M Add-On Kit. Later this month we’ll be exploring what operators say about the 80M add-on kit.
Today, we turn our attention to the latest addition to DX Engineering’s lineup of devices that have turned the Hustler BTV verticals into an affordable and proven DXing juggernaut for hams around the globe, especially those dealing with limited space and HOA restrictions.
The updated DX Engineering 12 Meter Add-On Kit for Hustler 4BTV, 5BTV, or 6BTV HF Vertical Antennas (DXE-AOKC-12M) adds 12 meter coverage (24.890 through 24.990 MHz) without giving up existing band coverage. Simply install the kit, check the tuning, make minimal tuning adjustments, and you’re on the air with an additional band.
Users on eHam.net have called the DXE-AOKC-12M a “great product for the money,” “first-rate made,” “a superior product that performs, “very easy to assemble,” and “a straightforward way to add 12M to the Hustler without it looking like a Rube Goldberg contraption.” Check out all the reviews at eHam.net.
The RF power handling of the DXE-AOKC-12M 12 Meter Add-On Kit is conservatively rated for 1,500 watts PEP SSB, 1,000 watts CW, and 375 watts RTTY and Digital modes (including FT8) at an antenna SWR of 2:1 and below. This rating is for 12 meters only; it does not apply to BTV antenna trap or resonator frequencies where the use of less power is advised.
A Note About Installing Both the 17M & 12M Add-On Kits
The 17M and 12M kits work together because they do not interact with each other. Further, installing them on your BTV antenna will not drastically affect other bands. The 17M and 12M kits match each other, except for the coil on the 17M, and they add negligible wind loading to the antenna. The kits can mount on opposite sides of the Hustler BTV vertical and may be installed at the same time or at different times.
The above photo shows the following:
- DXE-AOK-DCF Direct Coax Feed Add-On Kit for BTV Antennas and a DX Engineering coaxial cable jumper connected between the DXE-AOK-DCF and a DXE-UHF-FDFB-KIT SecureMount™ Bulkhead Connector
- 12M Add-On Kit
- 17M Add-On Kit
- DXE-OMNI-TILT-1P Tilt Base
- DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate
TIP: The use of the OMNI-TILT base is recommended for BTV ground mounting when both 17M and 12M kits are installed.
The 12M add-on kit includes:
- Pre-assembled 12M element wire with soldered ring terminals
- Four stainless steel band clamps with threaded studs
- Upper insulated bracket
- Two 14-inch tuning rods
- Bottom aluminum stand-off bracket
- Spring-loaded end insulator for the 12M element wire, which lets the antenna move naturally
- Scotch-Brite® pad for cleaning the 12M element connections to the BTV antenna
- Stainless steel hardware
Tuning the 12M Add-On
Installation of the DXE-AOKC-12M can have the effect of narrowing the SWR bandwidth of 20, 15, and 10M—a reasonable tradeoff for adding the extra band. After the 12M kit is installed and tuned, any required shift to the usable SWR frequency ranges on those bands can be accomplished by trap sleeve repositioning on the respective band trap. SWR may be optimized for CW and Digital or SSB segments by careful trap sleeve tuning adjustments.
For more about tuning, assembly instructions, and further details, read the DXE-AOKC-12M manual. Visit DXEngineering.com to order this impressive Hustler upgrade.
