SteppIR DB18 Yagi, Assembly Manual

Page 1: ...e 1 EA3PW DB18 Yagi Assembly Manual REV 10 2 02 25 2014 2112 116th Ave NE 1 5 Bellevue WA 98004 Tel 425 453 1910 email sales steppir com This assembly manual is intended to be printed in full COLOR If the manual is printed in black and white many im portant details could be lost ...

Page 2: ... 57 m Weight 96 lb 43 5 kg Wind load 10 1 sq ft 0 93 sq m Wind rating 100 mph Adjustable elements 3 Power Rating 3000 watts continuous Feed points 3 Frequency coverage 6 8 MHz 54 MHz Control cable 16 conductor shielded 22AWG Frequency Gain dBi Front to rear dB 40M 6 2 20 30M 5 4 NA 20M 7 4 25 17M 8 3 25 15M 8 5 20 12M 8 8 15 10M 9 0 11 6M 6 2 4 6M w passive opt 10 1 30 DB18 Yagi Specifications DB1...

Page 3: ...inless steel and potential for galling 19 CHAPTER ONE BOOM ASSEMBLY 20 23 Section 1 0 Boom layout 20 Boom bolt detail 21 Section 1 1 Connecting the EZ Eyebolt to the boom 22 23 CHAPTER TWO MOUNTING THE BOOM TO THE MAST PLATE 24 26 Section 2 0 Mast plate to boom overview 24 Preparing the mast plate for the EZ Eyebolt 25 Section 2 1 Attach the boom to the mast plate 26 CHAPTER THREE MAST PLATE AND T...

Page 4: ...Driven element 36 Section 3 5 Reflector EHU return tube assembly drawing 37 Secure mounting plate EHU to boom Reflector element 38 Section 3 6 Return tube mounting Reflector EHU 39 CHAPTER FOUR COAX SWITCH HOUSING 40 43 Section 4 0 Mounting the coax switch assembly 40 Section 4 1 Coax switch wiring 41 Section 4 2 Sealing securing the coax switch housing 42 Attach the coax jumpers and feed line 43 ...

Page 5: ...F 54 55 Section 6 1 Attach the sweep couplers and fiberglass spreaders to the sweep tubes 56 57 Section 6 2 Attach the fiberglass telescoping poles to the sweeps 58 Section 6 3 Attach the foam plug housings to non loop telescoping poles 59 CHAPTER SEVEN ATTACH THE ELEMENTS TO THE EHU S 60 62 Section 7 0 Prepare the CPVC inner guide tube diverter cone 60 Section 7 1 Securing the element support tub...

Page 6: ...ment to the boom 68 CHAPTER TEN INSTALLING THE OPTIONAL BOOM TRUSS 69 72 Section 10 0 Installing the boom truss support 69 Section 10 1 Phillystran truss installation 70 72 CHAPTER ELEVEN SECURE CABLES MOUNT ANTENNA ON TOWER 73 75 Section 11 0 Secure the cables to the boom 73 Section 11 1 Mount the DB18 onto the tower mast 74 75 CHAPTER TWELVE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS 76 78 Section 12 0 Troubleshootin...

Page 7: ...rst thing to do is to unpack the antenna and do a complete inspection Make sure nothing is missing or has been damaged in shipment 3 Do a complete inventory of every part nut and bolt Yes it takes time but it also allows you to notify SteppIR if anything is missing and allow time to get it to you before you start assembly of the antenna There is nothing more frustrating than realizing that somethi...

Page 8: ...nna on the default frequency and tune the analyzer to see where the dip occurs It will be somewhere below the lower band edge on each band with the antenna 3 or 4 feet above the ground on horsesAlso don t expect to see a 1 1 SWR here just look for a good indication of resonance Once it has been determined this part of the antenna is working correctly do the following Se lect the lowest band and es...

Page 9: ...ot 1 5 x 1 25 connect poles to EHU 30 10 1059 01 Polyolefin heat shrink waterproof telescoping pole joints 1 20 6208 01 25 pin dSub connector only used if no dsub splice purchased 1 20 6209 01 Backshell for 25 pin dSub connector 4 10 1156 01 Plastic sweeps for 40 30 loop elements 1 10 1610 23 11 5 x 11 5 Mast plate 2 10 1608 01 Return plate for 40 30 loop 4 10 1503 21 Fiberglass sweep supports bla...

Page 10: ...are kit 1 72 0042 11 Coax antenna switch hardware kit 1 72 0042 01 Coax antenna switch cable kit 1 72 0041 01 Glue tape and anti seize kit use anti seize on ALL stainless fasteners ANTENNA OPTIONS 6m Passive Element OPTION 1 70 1001 91 6m Passive element 1 72 1001 71 Hardware kit for 6m option Voltage suppressor lighting arrestor OPTION 1 20 8052 51 16 pin voltage suppressor 40 30 Loop Element Tru...

Page 11: ...2 x 2 SS Pan head screw 8 halves 10 1155 01 Glass filled plastic sweep couplers 40 30 Loop Hardware Kit 72 0030 61 QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 9 60 0029 20 X 3 Stainless steel hex bolt 30 60 0041 1 4 Stainless steel washer 1 60 0037 21 5 16 x 4 Eyebolt S S 2 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nut 9 60 0030 1 4 20 Nylock nut 1 60 0103 3 x 5 16 Hex head bolt 3 60 0033 5 16 Flat washer Boom Assembly Kit 72 0035 02 ...

Page 12: ...it 72 0037 02 QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 10 60 0017 10 32 X 3 4 Stainless steel machine screw 10 60 0018 10 SS washer 10 60 0019 10 32 Nylock nut 4 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nuts 4 60 0065 5 16 X 3 1 2 Stainless steel hex head bolt 4 10 1601 22 2 Aluminum saddle half Driven Element Hardware Kit 72 0038 01 QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 10 60 0017 10 32 X 3 4 Stainless steel machine screw 10 60 0018 10 SS ...

Page 13: ...ead bolt 1 60 0049 3 8 Stainless steel nut 2 60 0050 3 8 Nylock nut 4 60 0034 3 8 Stainless steel washer 4 60 0113 10 32 X 5 8 Stainless steel machine screw 50 60 0112 10 32 SS set screw use one set screw per pair of saddles Mast Plate Hardware Kit 72 0040 01 QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 1 72 0009 03 Glue kit 2 09 0001 66 PVC electrical tape 2 10 1028 01 Anti Seize 4 10 1509 02 Diverter cone Glue T...

Page 14: ...1 QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION 1 70 3001 01 Antenna switch w gasket hardware and relay board 1 10 1619 01 Coax switch bracket 2 10 1601 22 2 Aluminum saddle half 2 60 0065 5 16 X 3 1 2 Stainless steel hex head bolt 2 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nut 3 60 0113 10 32 X 5 8 Stainless steel machine screw 3 60 0019 10 32 Nylock nut Coax Antenna Switch Hardware Kit 72 0042 01 ASSEMBLY KITS BILL OF MATERIALS conti...

Page 15: ...10 1601 03 1 3 4 Aluminum saddle half 8 10 1510 01 Element truss clamp 2 60 0083 4 Stainless turnbuckle 2 60 0158 1 8 Thimble 4 60 0157 1 8 Wire clip 1 60 0110 1 4 x 1 1 4 Hex Bolt 1 60 0030 1 4 Nylock Nut 2 60 0065 5 16 x 3 1 2 Hex head bolt 2 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nut 2 60 0033 5 16 Flat washer 1 21 7001 01 75 1 8 Dacron Rope uncut 16 60 0014 6 32 Nylock Nut 16 60 0014 01 6 32 x 7 8 Pan head machi...

Page 16: ...e 4 60 0044 Phillystran cap 2 10 1607 01 Truss attachment plate 4 10 1601 02 1 3 4 Aluminum saddle half 4 10 1613 01 1 Aluminum Spacer 4 60 0115 5 16 x 4 1 2 Hex head Bolt 5 60 0046 5 16 Nylock Nut 2 60 0083 4 Stainless steel turnbuckle 1 60 0093 5 16 x 2 3 4 Hex head bolt 2 60 0033 5 16 Flat washer 12 FT 60 0035 00 Phillystran 1200i 1 10 1618 11 1 3 4 x 30 Boom Truss Mast BOOM TRUSS KIT 72 0043 0...

Page 17: ...ing on the following page so that you can fully understand how the antenna operates In addition the configuration drawing identifies EHU placement which is important as you progress in your installation of the antenna Use of a level for adjusting the Element Housing Units EHU s is highly recommended This is a surprisingly accurate and consistent method When all the EHU s are level secure the boom ...

Page 18: ...The control of the antenna and coax switch is integrated into the SDA100 controller for effortless tuning The DB18 is a 2 element Yagi on 40m It has two elements on 30m as well but because of the wide spac ing between elements the antenna performs more like a high gain dipole on this band The DB18 has 3 ele ments on 20m 6m An optional 6m passive element kit is available The drawing below shows the...

Page 19: ...strong bond between the bolt and nut can prevent removal of fasteners Unfortunately little is known on how to control it but here are two ways to minimize this effect Decreasing installation RPM speed will cause less friction and decrease heat generation Lubrication used prior to assembly can dramatically reduce or eliminate galling Recommended lubricants should contain higher amounts of molybdenu...

Page 20: ... correct bolts and washers onto the boom as shown in figure 1 01 Repeat this for each sec tion until the boom is completely assembled Note that boom piece 10 1202 52 has two 1 4 drill holes on the end that connects to the 1 3 4 boom section and 5 16 drill holes on the end that the EZ eyebolt at taches to The rest of the bolts are 1 4 Figure 1 10 in Chapter One Section 1 1 shows a detailed draw ing...

Page 21: ...ead bolt will require only two washers placed between the Nylock nut and the aluminum tube as shown in figure 1 03 CHAPTER ONE SECTION 1 0 BOOM ASSEMBLY continued BOOM BOLT DETAIL Inserting the boom bolts into the boom See prior page for the specific bolt lengths required for each boom section QTY 3 60 0041 1 4 Flat washers QTY 1 60 0030 1 4 Nylock nut QTY 2 60 0041 1 4 Flat washers Bolt head faci...

Page 22: ... pipe and a set of 5 16 drilled holes on the other end which accommodates the EZ Eye assembly Because of this the center splice that is used to join the two pieces of 2 boom section also has a set of two drilled 5 16 holes on one side and a set of two 1 4 drilled holes on the other side as shown in figure 1 10 Be sure to match the correct hole sizes on the center splice to the proper sections of 2...

Page 23: ...0 0103 5 16 washers PN 60 0033 and 5 16 Nylock nut PN 60 0046 as shown in figure 1 12 When inserting the EZ Eyebolt onto the boom as shown in figure 1 13 use a mallet and a piece of wood as shown in figure 1 14 Using the mallet directly on they eyebolt can damage it There is a 5 16 washer and nut on the eyebolt when you receive it remove the regular nut and replace it with a 5 16 Nylock nut but ke...

Page 24: ... system called the EZ Eye for both mounting and leveling the boom The EZ Eye is also used in preventing the boom from shifting during high winds Figure 2 01 shows an exploded drawing of the boom and mast plate assembly along with the EZ Eye sys tem This parts explosion is a useful referral tool as you complete the steps in this section Key QTY Part Description A 1 60 0085 3 8 x 4 Threaded EZ Eye b...

Page 25: ...own in figure 2 04 You are doing this so that the end of the Nylock nut the por tion that has the nylon in it is manually threaded Remove the nut turn it around so that the nylon portion of the nut is facing downward and tighten as shown in the second photo in figure 2 04 The reason for doing this will be more apparent on the next page Tighten the Nylock nut until there is ap proximately 3 4 of cl...

Page 26: ...he 2 aluminum saddles apply anti seize to the bolts and thread on the 5 16 Ny lock nuts PN 60 0046 Tighten the nuts until the boom is snug but you can still rotate it Place the re maining two 3 8 flat washers onto the threaded bolt used for the EZ Eye and thread on the last 3 8 Ny lock nut until it is close to the 3 8 washers as shown in figure 2 13 Use a short level and attach a wrench on each of...

Page 27: ...ssly switches in and out the correct EHU behind the scenes Because of this the EHU s can have many different names this can be confusing For the purpose of building the antenna we refer to the elements as Director Driven and Reflector as shown in figure 3 01 below When operating on 20m 6m this is exactly what the EHU s function as then the antenna is operating in the forward direction All the draw...

Page 28: ...CENTER SPACING MEASUREMENTS It is critically important that the center to center spacing is correct when assembling your SteppIR Ya gi Use figure 3 02 for placement of each of the elements Start from the left edge of the boom and measure from there As you assemble each of the element housing units EHU s refer to this drawing We recommend this sequence 1 Secure the element mounting plates to the bo...

Page 29: ...o control the relays It is critical that the right control cable is used for the respective EHU or the antenna will not function cor rectly and the electronic controller could be damaged This brings up an important note NEVER DO ANY WIRING WHEN THE ELECTRONIC CON TROLLER IS CONNECTED TO THE CONTROL CABLE Even if the power is turned off of the con troller damage can occur This is the number one cau...

Page 30: ...hows the control cable should look like when you are finished with the trimming Dip each of the copper wires into connector protector before inserting into the terminal plug Figure 3 12 shows what the connector protector will look like The terminal header assembly consists of the terminal header and the terminal plug as shown in figure 3 14 The plug is shipped loosely attached to the header Remove...

Page 31: ...e point which the tray starts as shown in figure 3 16 Using the coax seal and cut into 1 inch strips as shown in figure 3 17 You will need 3 strips The re mainder can be used to seal the driven element SO239 connectors should you wish to Apply coax seal on top of the control cable and work it around the cable as shown in figure 3 18 This will help keep water from entering into the EHU Apply the co...

Page 32: ...efore assem bling and mounting the Director and Reflector EHU s Even though the installation of the boom truss does not take place until the DB18 Yagi is nearly completed there are two truss attachment plates PN 10 1607 01 that need to be installed while working in Chapter Three Key QTY Part Description A 10 60 0017 10x 3 4 Machine screw B 10 60 0018 10 Flat washer C 10 60 0019 10 Nylock nut D 12 ...

Page 33: ...l stainless steel fasteners Place the EHU gasket PN 10 1502 01 onto the mounting plate as shown in figure 3 22 Align the gasket with the holes on the mounting plate Place the EHU PN 70 3406 01 onto the mounting plate and attach using the 10 x 3 4 machine screws PN 60 0017 10 flat washers PN 60 0018 and 10 Nylock nuts PN 60 0019 as shown in figure 3 23 Be sure that the flat washer is between the ma...

Page 34: ...an crush the fiberglass tubes if the saddles are too tight Measure 30 inches from the center point of the Director EHU to the center point of the element return tube as shown in figure 3 33 Level the return bracket assembly as shown in figure 3 34 and tighten the saddle bolts firmly Do not forget to use anti seize on all stainless steel fasteners and also remem ber to install a set screw into each...

Page 35: ...tailed instructions follow The DB18 driven element is not a loop so there is no return tube to install Key QTY Part Description A 10 60 0017 10x 3 4 Machine screw B 10 60 0018 10 Flat washer C 10 60 0019 10 Nylock nut D 4 60 0065 5 16 x3 1 2 Hex head bolt E 4 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nut F 1 70 3403 01 Driven Element EHU G 1 10 1502 01 Element housing gasket H 1 10 1015 11 Element mounting plate J 4 10...

Page 36: ... Place the EHU PN 70 3406 01 onto the mounting plate and attach using the 10 x 3 4 machine screws PN 60 0017 10 flat washers PN 60 0018 and 10 Nylock nuts PN 60 0019 as shown in figure 3 43 Be sure that the flat washer is between the machine screw head and the EHU housing as shown in figure 3 44 Tighten the Nylock nuts enough to compress the gasket material but do not over tighten or you can crack...

Page 37: ...installation of the boom truss does not take place until the DB18 Yagi is nearly completed there are two truss attachment plates PN 10 1607 01 that need to be installed while working in Chapter Three Key QTY Part Description A 10 60 0017 10x 3 4 Machine screw B 10 60 0018 10 Flat washer C 10 60 0019 10 Nylock nut D 12 60 0065 5 16 x3 1 2 Hex head bolt E 12 60 0046 5 16 Nylock nut F 1 70 3403 01 Dr...

Page 38: ... is inserted be tween the top of the hex head bolts and the element mounting plate If you did not purchase the boom truss option disregard this note Place the EHU gasket PN 10 1502 01 onto the mounting plate as shown in figure 3 52 Align the gasket with the holes on the mounting plate Place the EHU PN 70 3406 01 onto the mounting plate and attach using the 10 x 3 4 machine screws PN 60 0017 10 fla...

Page 39: ... inches away from the aluminum saddle edge on each side as shown in fig ure 3 63 Tighten the saddles to a maximum of 7 ft lb 9 5Nm This is very important The aluminum saddles can crush the fiberglass tubes if the saddles are too tight Measure 30 inches from the center point of the reflector EHU to the center point of the return tube as shown in figure 3 64 The center point of the return tube shoul...

Page 40: ... in the mounting plate as shown in figure 4 02 Insert two 10 x 5 8 machine screws PN 60 01130 through the holes and secure with two 10 Nylock nuts PN 60 0019 as shown in figure 4 03 A nut drive works well if you have one available Be sure the coax switch is level before tightening Do not forget to use a set screw on the exposed portion of the aluminum saddle Figure 4 04 shows the mounted coax swit...

Page 41: ... USE TERMINAL PIN R4 AS SHOWN IN figure 4 11 This is the green wire was in the earlier step Always dip your bare copper wire ends into the provided connector protector before securing to the terminal connections Insert wires as shown in figure 4 12 Form a knot in the control cable as shown in figure 4 13 This will serve nicely as a strain relief SHIELD BLACK DO NOT USE WHITE RED J5 COM R4 R3 R2 FI...

Page 42: ...n figure 4 21 There is plenty of material and you will need to trim it as shown in figure 4 22 Lower the top half of the enclosure and position so that the flathead threaded screws included in the baggie are lined up with the holes as shown in figure 4 23 The screws will be inserted from the bot tom of the housing as shown in figure 4 24 Tighten so that the lid is firmly in place You will likely n...

Page 43: ...jumpers and control cable to the boom should be one of the last items done before mounting the DB18 onto the mast The coax jumpers will need to be disconnected dur ing the wiring testing covered in Chapter Five Figure 4 31 shows how the coax jumpers should be routed to each EHU NOTE The drawing shows the coax jumpers as being below the boom this is for illustration purposes only The coax jumpers s...

Page 44: ...nas While we try to make sure this does not happen if it does the fix is an easy one Unscrew the 6 Nylock nuts as shown in figure 5 01 You will need a Phillips screwdriver for the other end of the screw located inside the junction box enclosure Be careful to avoid damaging the circuit board that the screw rests on when removing the screw Detach the mounting plate from the junction box and reposi t...

Page 45: ...o dip each of the exposed wires into the included connector protector before inserting into the ter minal strip inside the junction box Figure 5 15 shows in detail the diagram for connecting the 16 wire control cable to the P1 and P2 plugs inside the junction box Figure 5 16 shows in detail the diagram for connecting the control cable from the coax switch to the junction box When connecting the wi...

Page 46: ... 12 13 S 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 J2 PLUG DIR J3 PLUG REF P2 Plug 16 WIRE CONTROL CABLE BLACK RED GREEN WHITE SHIELD 4 wire control cable key BLACK RED GREEN WHITE BLUE BROWN SHIELD 6 wire control cable key S C R3 R2 R1 SHIELD S BLACK C WHITE R3 RED R2 NOT USED R1 Coax switch wiring key CHAPTER FIVE SECTION 5 1 WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTION BOX continued WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTION BO...

Page 47: ... WHITE BROWN BLUE ORANGE YELLOW VIOLET GREY PINK CRÈME WHITE WITH ORANGE STRIPE SHIELD WIRE 16 WIRE CONTROL CABLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 S P1 PLUG LOCATED INSIDE CONNECTOR BOX NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED WHITE WITH RED STRIPE WHITE WITH BLACK STRIPE WHITE WITH GREEN STRIPE NOT USED 16 WIRE CONTROL CABLE 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 P2 PLUG ...

Page 48: ...Black Shield White DO NOT USE DO NOT USE NOTE When wiring the control ca ble from the coax switch to the connector junction box the green wire is not used Be sure to trim the green wire on each end of the con trol cable and tape over it to avoid potential electrical shorts Red CHAPTER FIVE SECTION 5 1 WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTION BOX continued CONNECT CONTROL CABLE FROM COAX SWITCH TO JUNCTION BO...

Page 49: ...propriate terminal as shown in figure 5 22 Consult figure 5 27 on the next page for the correct wiring sequence Insert the two stainless steel screws into the circuit board Slide the two plastic spacers onto the screws 4 Insert the first half of the strain relief clamp onto the two screws half round cutout facing upward on the two screws as shown in figure 5 23 Be careful not to pull the wires out...

Page 50: ...ONTROL CABLE BLACK RED GREEN WHITE BROWN BLUE ORANGE YELLOW VIOLET GREY PINK CRÈME WHITE ORANGE STRIPE NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED NOT USED WHITE RED STRIPE WHITE BLACK STRIPE WHITE GREEN STRIPE NOT USED SHIELD WIRE SHIELD WIRE CAN GO HERE TOO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 G G FRONT ROW TERMINAL STRIP MIDDLE ROW TERMINAL STRIP ...

Page 51: ...y will be approximately 3 inches of cop per strip protruding out of each side of the EHU as shown in figure 5 30 This will allow you to put an ohm meter probe on the copper tapes during the tests Clarification of the abbreviations on the screen of the SDA 100 controller REF is the reflector DVR is the driven element 6 20m and D1 is the director CHAPTER FIVE SECTION 5 3 WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTIO...

Page 52: ...e elements on 6 20m CHAPTER FIVE SECTION 5 3 WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTION BOX continued WIRING TEST continued 14 The next test is to verify the Coax Switch Box has selected the proper coax line 15 On the antenna Coax Switch Box use the ohm meter to verify there is very low resistance less than 3 ohms has Continuity between the center conductor of the SO 239 connector labeled IN and the center con...

Page 53: ...ECT the control cable and repeat the above procedure except now REF is the driven element and should measure less than 3 ohms has Continuity between the EHU coax connect or center pin and the EACH of the copper tapes The Driven EHU is still not used on 30 40m D1 EHU should now measure as an OPEN circuit no continuity very high resistance from the center pin of the coax connector to EACH of the cop...

Page 54: ... as shown in figure 6 02 The drawing in figurer 6 03 shows the proper angle to chamfer to Be sure to clean out the interior of the fiberglass poles before continuing Debris inside the telescoping poles can lead to failure of the EHU Secure polyolefin heat shrink to the telescoping pole joints On all the telescoping fiberglass elements we now include double wall polyolefin heat shrink PN 03630 Each...

Page 55: ...on this is very important Try to make the silicone tape wrap so that it is flush with the electrical tape as shown in figure 6 08 Step 3 Firmly pull the silicone tape as you go around the pole The silicone tape will stick only to itself This tape is used to form the seal between the pole tip and the plastic sweep tube The silicone tape will deform as you pull it to about half it s original width t...

Page 56: ...of the screw is facing downward BE SURE THAT THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE PLASTIC SWEEP TUBE ARE POINTING DOWNWARD BEFORE INSTALLING THE COUPLERS Apply anti seize to the threads and place the Ny lock nuts on Tighten nuts until there is approximately a 0 25 gap between the two coupler halves as shown in figure 6 12 Repeat for other side of sweep tube The couplers are designed to re form the plastic swee...

Page 57: ...own in figure 6 15 This is done on purpose to ensure plenty of fiberglass material is on each side of the screw Insert 10 x 2 pan head machine screw PN 60 0156 through each of the coupler halves and the fi berglass rod This screw must be placed so that the Philips head of the machine screw is seated inside the concave groove on the top coupler as shown in figure 6 15 and the Nylock nut PN 60 0014 ...

Page 58: ...he pole until it butts up against the plastic coupler as shown in figure 6 22 It is acceptable for a small amount of blue silicone wrap to pro trude outside of the joint as shown in figure 6 23 Finish tightening the four screws on the outside corners of the plastic coupler Tighten evenly in an automobile X type pattern as shown in figure 6 24 If you do not tighten evenly you could potentially brea...

Page 59: ...amfering is re quired for the 20m 6m telescoping poles used for the driven element The fit of the plastic housing on the pole tip is purposely very tight so that the foam plug assembly will stay in place Before attaching the plastic housing spread a small amount of dish soap around the in side edge of the plastic housing as shown in figure 6 31 This helps the housing slide on easily and the soap w...

Page 60: ...the tube as shown in figure 7 03 Be sure you get even coverage all the way around the tube Cover about 3 4 of an inch deep as shown in figure 7 03 Firmly push the 39 7 8 CPVC tube into the diverter cone end as shown in figure 7 04 Let the glue dry at least 20 minutes before moving it Apply glue evenly around the outside diameter of the 39 7 8 CPVC tube as shown in figure 7 05 Apply ap proximately ...

Page 61: ... is the same for the Director element The parts required in the table below are shown for EACH complete loop assembly Key QTY Part Description A 4 10 1006 22 Quick disconnect boot B 4 10 1013 02 Telescoping pole C 2 NA Inner guide tube assembly consisting of diverter cone 39 7 8 and 49 CPVC Plastic tube glued together They are only used on the EHU side of the 40 30 loop D 4 NA Quick disconnect boo...

Page 62: ...s shown in figure 7 15 There may a small portion of unpainted pole protruding This is OK as it is shielded from the sun by the quick disconnect boot Align the telescoping pole on the return tube side of the loop Insert the end firmly into the return tube as shown in figure 7 16 There is a raised area called a locking ring that is molded onto the base section of each of the telescoping poles These ...

Page 63: ...ween the EHU center point and the return tube center point The overall length between the two center points is 30 inches so the half way point is 15 inches Make a mark on the boom 15 inches between the two center points as shown in figure 8 01 Locate the truss support PN 10 1054 01 and two 1 3 4 aluminum saddle halves PN 10 1601 03 Place the saddles so that the edge of the saddle is on the edge of...

Page 64: ...gure 8 13 Only the outer four holes of the truss coupler are used for attaching it as shown in figure 8 14 Note that the top portion of the coupler the portion facing skyward has a hole but this is also not used as shown in the second picture of figure 8 14 Align the truss coupler so that it is parallel to the telescoping pole and tighten each nut The Dacron truss cord is provided in a single piec...

Page 65: ...cord through the truss coupler refer to prior page for instructions pulling the cord tight so that there is no slack on either side of the cord The procedure for securing the Dacron truss cord on this end of the loop is exactly the same as the truss coupler you prepared initially At this point of the installation of the 40 30 loop element it is important to assemble the truss couplers and Dacron t...

Page 66: ...le frame as shown in figure 8 27 Be sure to do this with ALL turnbuckles as this will prevent the turnbuckle from unwinding As a secondary measure we recommend looping rope or wire through the eye and frame of the turnbuckle as shown in figure 8 28 In addition to the leveling of the elements it is also important to ensure that the loops at the tip of the telescoping poles are parallel to the boom ...

Page 67: ...ions of polished aluminum a single 58 long x 1 2 OD cen ter piece with plastic insulator and two 36 long x 3 8 OD sections that telescope into each side of the 1 2 OD aluminum The 1 2 aluminum has slotted ends so that a stainless steel hose clamp can se cure the two sections firmly together Using a measuring tape as shown in figure 9 02 measure the 3 8 aluminum pieces and mark with a permanent ink...

Page 68: ... hex head bolts PN 60 0065 At tach the 6m mounting plate with the bolt holes for the aluminum saddles facing towards the director ele ment as shown in figure 9 12 Secure with 5 16 Nylock nuts PN 60 0046 but leave loose enough for lev eling of the element Figure 9 14 shows pertinent data for this step Place a level on the 6m passive element as shown in figure 9 13 When the position is correct tight...

Page 69: ...s are on the boom side of the mast plate Insert the 1 aluminum spacers PN 10 1613 01 onto the hex head bolts followed by the first half of the 1 3 4 aluminum saddle PN 10 1601 22 as shown in figure 10 02 Fig ure 10 03 shows the orientation of the spacers Position the truss support mast so that it is resting on the alu minum saddle then slide the other half of the saddle onto the hex head bolts as ...

Page 70: ... over the bolt Place two 5 16 flat washers against the outside turnbuckle Attach the 5 16 Ny lock nuts PN 60 0046 Figure 10 11 shows the Phillystran layout with appropriate fasteners A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A B B F F F F C C D D H E D D Key QTY Part Description A 16 60 0045 3 16 Wire rope clip B 2 10 1607 01 Truss attachment plate C 2 60 0083 4 Stainless turnbuckle D 4 60 0044 Phillystran en...

Page 71: ...hown in figure 10 13 Figure 10 14 shows how to position the two pieces of Phillystran cable into the wire clip saddle Position the first of the four wire clips PN 60 0045 so that the wire clip is as close to the thimble as possible as shown in figure 10 15 Tighten the wire clip alternating between each nut so that the tightening force is evenly distributed Hold each portion of the Phillystran in p...

Page 72: ... knife While holding the Phillystran so that it remains tight position the first of the four wire clips PN 60 0045 so that the wire clip is as close to the thimble as possible as shown in figure 10 23 Tighten the wire clips al ternating between each nut so that the tightening force is evenly distributed Hold each portion of the Phil lystran in place while tightening to ensure that a good mate is f...

Page 73: ... for most control cable three wraps for coax jumpers As a general rule applying tape approximately every two feet is adequate Other methods include the use of tie wraps Be careful when using tie wraps Be sure to purchase high quali ty UV rated tie wraps that are recommended for cable Most of the standard off the shelf tie wraps are not properly rated and will become brittle and may fail within a s...

Page 74: ...ch the antenna to the tower mast as shown in figure 11 10 In most cases the tower mast is 2 inches in diameter but occasionally the mast size may be different depending on the customers situation SteppIR offers saddle sizes in 1 3 4 2 2 1 4 2 1 2 and 3 Since the vast majority of installations of the DB18 will be utilizing the standard 2 inch saddles that is the verbiage used in the instructions th...

Page 75: ...se bad sounds occur try to locate the area where the problem is happening and in vestigate Repeat these steps again If all is OK proceed to step 6 6 Check all fasteners on the antenna to be certain that they are tight This may seem redundant but the time to discover a loose fastener is NOW not when that part it was supposed to hold falls out of the sky 7 Be sure that you have set screws in all the...

Page 76: ...hing that should be done is a calibrate It is always a good idea to calibrate the antenna if you are having trouble It is best to set the DB18E to 20M before doing the calibrate function You only need to calibrate once To be certain that the antenna was indeed out of calibration check the SWR before you calibrate and check it again after you calibrate to see if there are any improvements If the SW...

Page 77: ... basis There is a defective coax jumper cable from the coax switch relay box output to the Director or the Reflector our coax jumpers are manufactured by a company that specializes in these products so a defective jumper is relatively rare but it has happened To check the coax jumper cable measure the resistance between the center conductor of the PL 259 on the each end of the coax The coax jumper...

Page 78: ...uct design specifications SteppIR Antenna s responsibility is strictly limited to repair or replace ment of defective components at SteppIR Antennas discretion Step pIR Antennas will not be held responsible for any installation or remov al costs costs of any ancillary equipment damage or any other costs in curred as a result of the failure of our products In the event of a product failure a return...

Page 79: ...com Information and questions about our products sales steppir com Phone Fax Phone 425 453 1910 9 30am to 4 30pm Pacific Standard Time Fax 425 462 4415 Tech Support 425 891 6134 10 00am to 5 00pm Eastern Standard Time Address Fluidmotion Inc SteppIR Antennas 2112 116th Ave NE Suite 1 5 Bellevue WA 98004 SteppIR Contact Information Manual written by John Mertel WA7IR with key contributions from Ada...

Page 80: ...Tech Support www steppir com support Tel 425 891 6134 support steppir com Page 80 ...