NV4K on 20 mtr.

[rumblefish]

I wasn't too sure whether to post this question here or in the cb antenna posts. I'm curious if anybody has tried to use there NV4K or sigma 4 on 20 meter with an antenna tuner. Right now I'm using a Imax with my ts-440s. Problem is this antenna seems to be deaf on 20. I have a sirio gpe 27 that hears way more signals than the Imax. I'd use it but it is rated 250 watts continuous. I would put up a dipole or an ocf, but I don't have the room to do that. I do have plenty of vertical room so I thought about trying the NV4K. steve 73

 

[w9cll]

With a tuner you might get it to load up but it will be deaf.

 

[RatsoW8]

Why buy another cb antenna when there are single and multi band vertical amateur radio antennas on the market? The cb antenna is fine for 10 meters and maybe 12 but not 20. Something like a Hustler 4btv ground mounted or elevated with a few wire radials.

 

[w9cll]

Why buy another cb antenna when there are single and multi band vertical amateur radio antennas on the market? The cb antenna is fine for 10 meters and maybe 12 but not 20. Something like a Hustler 4btv ground mounted or elevated with a few wire radials.

Agreed..

 

[rumblefish]

I'll have to roof mount the hustler where the imax is. The only thing I have is a ground plane kit that has eight, two ft. radials. I just don't have the room for anything else. How poorly will it perform with a compromised ground plane?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

There is no substitute for an antenna designed for the band in question. Using a CB antenna with a tuner on 20m will result in very poor performance. The old saying "You don't know what you are missing" is very true in this case. You may THINK you are making good contacts but in reality you won't even hear half the stations out there.

 

[w9cll]

I'll have to roof mount the hustler where the imax is. The only thing I have is a ground plane kit that has eight, two ft. radials. I just don't have the room for anything else. How poorly will it perform with a compromised ground plane?

It will not work!! GP kits, better coax nor magic beans will make it work.

 

[RatsoW8]

I'll have to roof mount the hustler where the imax is. The only thing I have is a ground plane kit that has eight, two ft. radials. I just don't have the room for anything else. How poorly will it perform with a compromised ground plane?

What's your budget like for an antenna? Cushcraft makes a restricted space vertical. I have no experience with it but it gets pretty good reviews on eHam.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/csh-ma5va

 

[fourstringburn]

I wasn't too sure whether to post this question here or in the cb antenna posts. I'm curious if anybody has tried to use there NV4K or sigma 4 on 20 meter with an antenna tuner. Right now I'm using a Imax with my ts-440s. Problem is this antenna seems to be deaf on 20. I have a sirio gpe 27 that hears way more signals than the Imax. I'd use it but it is rated 250 watts continuous. I would put up a dipole or an ocf, but I don't have the room to do that. I do have plenty of vertical room so I thought about trying the NV4K. steve 73

You're basically tuning a rain gutter...

Take a look at the 43 ft ground mounted vertical antennas by MFJ or DX engeering. These require a at least one 1/4 wavelength ground radial per band but the more radials the better. 20 meters will be 16.5 ft long so you need to put the antenna in the middle of the yard to stretch them out.

I know one guy who has a 43ft. vertical on his roof with multi band radials stretched out and works just fine.

 

[Needle Bender]

The A99 seems to work well on 20m according to many operators reports, perhaps you could install an A99 then simply add a 17' wire on the mounting bracket to create a 20m quasi-1/2 wave center fed...?

...and add your eight 2' radials on it for decoupling 10-11m.

 

[doctor]

Just get a MFJ vertical mfj 2982 149 bucks, I have a eagle1 vertical about the same works like a champ but MFJ works on 80, if not wanting 80 get the vertical 6-40 $99. Don't use a CB antenna for other frequencies, finals on your radio do not like it either.
DOCTOR
PACTOR/ROBUST PACKET/ALL DIGITAL MODES

 

[w9cll]

You are getting very good advice here

 

[rumblefish]

What's your budget like for an antenna? Cushcraft makes a restricted space vertical. I have no experience with it but it gets pretty good reviews on eHam.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/csh-ma5va

My budget is about $200. Looks like a decent antenna, but the radials on the ma5va would make contact with the roof. The feed point for my current antenna is below the apex of the roof line and I can't go any higher without using guy lines. The mast is on the side of the house so guy lines won't work.

 

[rumblefish]

Just get a MFJ vertical mfj 2982 149 bucks, I have a eagle1 vertical about the same works like a champ but MFJ works on 80, if not wanting 80 get the vertical 6-40 $99. Don't use a CB antenna for other frequencies, finals on your radio do not like it either.
DOCTOR
PACTOR/ROBUST PACKET/ALL DIGITAL MODES

I'm unable to ground mount an antenna. It would have to go in the dog pen and that's a no no. The 2982 uses four 12 ft. radials that I don't have room for.

 

[rumblefish]

You're basically tuning a rain gutter...

Take a look at the 43 ft ground mounted vertical antennas by MFJ or DX engeering. These require a at least one 1/4 wavelength ground radial per band but the more radials the better. 20 meters will be 16.5 ft long so you need to put the antenna in the middle of the yard to stretch them out.

I know one guy who has a 43ft. vertical on his roof with multi band radials stretched out and works just fine.

I just don't have the space to do that. fourstringburn, You play bass??