A Very Simple Base for Portable Use of a Vertical Antenna
In My Case a Hustler 6BTV.

There are a number of advantages to using a vertical antenna for portable operation. They are light-weight, can easily and quickly be taken down in pieces of managable size, and can operate on several bands with a low take-off angle. The only thing you need is a vertical mount of the appropriate size and strength, and a good ground plane.

I have used my Hustler 6BTV with mounts ranging from 1/2 inch pipe to 1-1/4 inch pipe. 1 inch pipe is easily strong enough to support the antenna if held firmly. Since many sites that would otherwise be good places to operate portable from are not a place you can drive pipes into the ground, I wanted a self- supporting base that I could put anywhere. Since I have a number of pieces of used lumber available, I like to use re-use them when I can. I also only have access to normal hand tools and basic power tools, so anything requiring metal working equipment, or skills, are beyond my hobby activities. So working with common hardware and wood wins out over welding, machining, etc. I used three peices of 2X4, each about three feet long, and a floor flange to support an 18-inch-long 1-inch pipe nipple.

By bolting the floor flange to a 2X4 and then bolting two more 2X4 pieces at the ends, I have an "H" shaped base that is pretty stable. I like to use fender washers with bolts holding wood, to distribute the force over a larger area, and lockwashers to keep them in place.
While the 6BTV doesn't weigh a lot, it is 25 feet tall. So I decided to add a couple of bolts to stablize barbell weights on each side to help it stay upright if the wind blows. Adding guy ropes above the 20 meter trap also helps keep the antenna stable and straight upright. (Not shown in the photo above.)

Since the antenna needs a good ground plane to work well, I use radial wires laying on the ground to help. I use twelve radial that are sixteen feet long and four radials that are approximately 30 feet long. This combination gives good results on all six bands the antenna is designed for: 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 80 meters over average ground. More may be better, but I this is what I have tested in actual use and found to give good results. Total time to set up is about 30 to 40 minutes, including re-assembling the antenna from six pieces, which I had match-marked before disassembly. A quick check with an antenna analyzer after assembly to make sure the antenna is tuned to the part of the bands I want to work, and it was ready for Field Day.