gordo’s short circuits

Many hams upgrading from Technician Class to General Class (no FCC $35 administrative fee for an upgrade!) may want to start antenna “small,” with a multi-band HF vertical. While there are over 10 models of multi-band verticals, with all sorts of appendages going up the mast, the Hustler series of 4-, 5-, and 6-band verticals are stout and sleek in appearance.

Also, many seasoned General class hams, ready to go with a three-element, multi-band beam, will literally give away their trusty vertical, as we will read below.

Father and son new ham operators Malachi and Escher Clark, KN6SUZ and KN6TMP, were given a slightly-used Hustler 5-band trap vertical (). The plan was to mount it on a convenient cast-iron roof vent pipe. The ground system counterpoise would use the iron vent pipe,