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SteppIR MonstIR Installation Instructions Manual

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MonstIR
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
SteppIR Antennas
2112 - 116th Ave NE, Suite 2-5 - Bellevue, WA 98004
Tel: 425-453-1910
Fax: 425-462-4415
Tech Support: 425-891-6134
www.steppir.com
Revision 08/04/08

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  • Page 1 MonstIR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SteppIR Antennas 2112 - 116th Ave NE, Suite 2-5 - Bellevue, WA 98004 Tel: 425-453-1910 Fax: 425-462-4415 Tech Support: 425-891-6134 www.steppir.com Revision 08/04/08...

  • Page 2: Abbreviations

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Abbreviations Element Housing Tube Element Housing Unit Element Support Tube (pole) Flexible Connection Coupler (rubber) SteppIR Antenna Information Web Sites (as of 4/09/07) http://steppir.com/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steppir/...

  • Page 3: Why Compromise

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR SteppIR - Why Compromise? The SteppIR antenna was originally conceived to solve the problem of covering the six ham bands (20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m and 6m) on one tower without the per- formance sacrifices caused by interaction between all of the required antennas.

  • Page 4: Steppir Design

    Optimal perform- ance is then possible on all frequencies with a lightweight, compact antenna. Also, since the SteppIR can control the element lengths, a long boom is not needed to achieve near optimum gain and front to back ratios on 20 - 10 meters.
  • Page 5 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR JÜRG DR. REGLI (HB9BIN) SWITZERLAND...

  • Page 6: Table Of Contents

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Table of Contents Topic Page Abbreviations Why Compromise SteppIR Design Table of Contents Parts List Word of Caution Installing Boom to Mast Boom Assembly Element Bracket Assembly Install the Boom Truss Element Truss Assembly Assemble 70’ Elements...

  • Page 7: Parts List

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR DESCRIPTION ITEM SIZE 36x19x12 ELEMENT BOX BOX 1 19x19x6 MASTER PLATE BOX BOX 2 60x3x6 TELESCOPING POLE BOX BOX 3 81x11x7 BOOM BOX BOX 4 108x6x4 FIBERGLASS POLE BOX BOX 5 108x6x4 FIBERGLASS POLE BOX BOX 6...
  • Page 8 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR PART DESCRIPTION ITEM NUMBER IN BOX 1 MAST PLATE ASSEMBLY BAG 1 72-0010-01 60-0085 3/8-24 x 3” SS THREADED BOLT 60-0050 3/8-24 SS NYLOK NUT 60-0034 3/8" SS WASHER BAG 2 72-0010-02 60-0007 2-3/4" U-BOLT & SADDLE...
  • Page 9 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR PART DESCRIPTION ITEM NUMBER IN BOX 1 POLE ASSEMBLY HARDWARE BAG 1 72-0012-01 10-1114-01 COUPLER (3/4" CPVC) BAG 2 72-0012-02 10-1429-21 ELEMENT TRUSS CLAMP HALF 60-0027 1/4-20 x 1” SS BOLT 60-0030 1/4-20 SS NYLOK NUT...
  • Page 10 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR PART DESCRIPTION ITEM NUMBER 20M ELEMENT HOUSING UNIT (PASSIVE) IN BOX 2 CONTROLLER POWER SUPPLY (FOR CONTROLLER) “T” SHIRT (FOR YOU) BRACKET HARDWARE BAG 1 72-0011-01 10-1406-11 2-1/8” SADDLE (MACHINED SOLID-SHORT) 60-0067 3/8-16 x 4-1/4” SS BOLT...
  • Page 11 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR PART DESCRIPTION ITEM NUMBER IN BOX 4 BOOM ASSEMBLY 72-0024-05 BOOM ASSEMBLY (6 PRE-ASSEMBLED SUB-SECTIONS) NOTE: MOST HARDWARE BELOW IN PRE-ASSEMBLED SUB-ASSEMBLIES 10-1425-01 2.75" x 72” SECTION 10-1426-01 2.5" x 72” SECTION (END) 10-1426-11 2.5" x 72” SECTION 10-1426-21 2.5"...

  • Page 12: Word Of Caution

    Methods to Raise the Antenna The MonstIR is to be raised with the boom to mast plate attached. To facilitate easy attachment to the mast on the tower the 2” u-bolt saddles are bolted to the mast plate so all you have to do is slip on the four u-bolts and install the nylock nuts.

  • Page 13: Installing Boom To Mast

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Installing Boom to Mast ● Erect a temporary mast that is about 4 feet tall to build the antenna on. shows one of many Picture 1 ways to tempo- rarily mount the mast during assem- bly. We strongly rec-...
  • Page 14 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Locate: 4 - 2” aluminum saddles • 4 - #6-32x1” machine screws 4 - #6-32 Nylok nuts Mount the saddles as shown in Picture 2. Be aware that the mast saddles mount on the opposite side from the boom.

  • Page 15: Boom Assembly

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Picture 4 Picture 4.1 Boom Assembly The boom was completely assembled and drilled and marked at the factory to assure precision element alignment. You may notice in some cases that on a given splice ( Picture 4 .5) the holes on each side of the splice are at 90 degrees with each other.
  • Page 16 3/8-16 x 4-1/4 SS Bolts New Element Bracket Mounting We have modified the hardware securing the (3) 40m element mounting brackets to the boom on your new MonstIR antenna (Figure 1.2) as of August 2007. Counter-Weight Bracket (1): Standard Bracket (2):...
  • Page 17 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 35.00 103.0 Director 1 Reflector Director 2 MAST 69-6 feet 6M option 6M option DIR 3 DIR 4 112" 104.5" Turning Radius = 39.8 Feet 07/14/06 Revised for 112" 6m passive Figure 2 Refer to Table 1 for selecting proper bolt sizes for each respective connection. A socket wrench is a better choice because the Nylok nuts can’t be hand turned so it’s a lot more labor...

  • Page 18: Element Bracket Assembly

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR NOTE: The boom section with the number “1” engraved on it has two 3 lb. counter weights in the end of it to make the weight center and provide zero mast torque near the same point on the boom.
  • Page 19 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 2. Picture 5.5 shows how the element will look when complete and right side up. 3. Mount the three large element plates oriented as shown in Figure 2 using six ¼” x 20 x 1” flat head bolts. Tighten securely.
  • Page 20 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 5. When assembling the element housings: Before mounting the 40m element housings (Figure 3) make sure each one has two rubber • boots installed as shown in Picture 7.4. The 20m housing (Figure 4) rubber boots will be installed with the 18’ telescoping poles •...
  • Page 21 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Picture 7.4 6. At this time complete the assembly of the Ez-eye by first installing a 3/8” Nylok nut then two 3/8” flat washers on the 3/8”x3” Ez-eye bolt, as shown in Picture 4.1. 7. Then loosen the two 2 ¾” u-bolts and rotate the boom to its right side up orientation (element housings are on the underside of the boom).

  • Page 22: Install The Boom Truss

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Install the Boom Truss Locate: ● Four ¼ in. galvanized thimbles ● Sixteen ¼ in. galvanized cable clips ● Two galvanized turnbuckles ● Two 5/16 x 18 x 4 galvanized eye bolts with Nylok nuts ● One 5/16 x 18 x 3 ½ bolt and Nylok nut ●...
  • Page 23 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Picture 9 Picture 10 The two truss cable halves are different lengths, one is 142” and the other is 129”, both are to be plus or minus .5” for the tolerance. They are measured from the ends of the thimbles, not the ends of the captivated eye bolt or turnbuckle.
  • Page 24 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Picture 11 The boom truss halves should look like Picture 12 when completed. The cable in the picture is shortened for photographing ease. Picture 12 3. Attach the two 3/8” x 16 x 6” turnbuckles of each truss half as shown in Picture 13 us- ing a 5/16”...

  • Page 25: Element Truss Assembly

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 1 Flat Washer 3 Flat Washers Picture 13 Picture 14 Safety wire each turnbuckle as shown in Picture 14 to prevent the turnbuckles from loosening in the wind. Element Truss Assembly The three 70’ elements have trusses. Each truss consists of two halves just as the boom truss does.

  • Page 26: Assemble 70' Elements

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Attach the two 1/4” x 20 x 4” turnbuckles of each truss half as shown in Picture 14 using a 1/4” x 20 x 2 ½” bolt, a 1/4” x 20 Nylok nut, and two 3/8” flat washers. Adjust both turn- buckles for maximum length.
  • Page 27 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 2. Route the CPVC tube through the bracket saddles and a Mission rubber boot as shown in Picture 18 & Picture 21.5. Make sure you engage the CPVC tube completely into the coupler on the element housing tube (Picture 19) and install a # 2 x .25 (Picture 18.5) coupler housing screw...
  • Page 28 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR There are two different kinds of rubber couplers (Picture 21.5) for the MonstIR Antenna. Below shows the location for the two different rubber couplers. 1. Mission- These are smaller rubber boots that are designed to fit to the 40m element housing.
  • Page 29 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR 4. Slide the 1 ¾” O.D. second element support tube extension section over the CPVC tub- ing and mate it with the aluminum coupler on the 2” OD section 1 tube. Make sure the male coupler “bottoms out” so only 3” is left exposed, see Picture 22. Install a 2” U-bolt as shown in Picture 22 and tighten.

  • Page 30: Wiring Elements

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Wiring Elements Each of the EHUs has a four conductor control cable at- tached to it using a waterproof strain relief fitting. These fit- Picture 24 tings were properly tightened at the factory and should not Picture 25 be disturbed.
  • Page 31 (8 pairs of wires, each pair with colored wire and one black wire) that goes to the shack is connected. WARNING: Do NOT connect the 16 conductor cable to the SteppIR controller until in- structed to do so. The control cable connector has live voltages present even if the power “off”...
  • Page 32 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Note: If you ordered the 16 conductor control cable, it is included in your antenna kit. The required 25 pin connector has been installed on one end and the factory has stripped and tinned the wires on the other end. If you did not order this cable you must supply your own 16 conductor cable and DB-25 pin connector.
  • Page 33 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Tighten the set screws as each wire is inserted, but be careful not to over-tighten these screws. Repeat this procedure for the first director, reflector and second director cables. Twist the four bare ground wire from the four control cables together, dip them into the con- nector protector and insert them into one end of the signal position terminal strip.
  • Page 34 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Warning: If you choose to cut the individual 4 conductor element cables to a custom length eliminating the excess loop you must first: • Know where you will mount the terminal enclosure (Picture 27) • Measure ACCURATELY before you cut the cables •...

  • Page 35: Prepare The Telescoping Fiberglass Element Support Tubes (Est)

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Prepare the Telescoping Fiberglass Element Support Tubes Locate: Eight dark green fiberglass telescoping poles (Figure 29) * • Eight black rubber boots with clamps (Fernco) • Six black rubber boots with clamps (Mission) • Roll (s) of black electrical tape ** •...
  • Page 36 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR At the factory when we quality check the poles to verify that they meet minimum length we hold the butt (large) end and whip it like we were casting a fishing pole with considerable force. This procedure can produce a significant difference in the extended length of some poles as a last resort if nothing else works.
  • Page 37 Refer to Figure 6 for proper lengths for each joint. In the event you require more silicone wrap, you can order more from SteppIR. Sometimes it can be found at a hardware store or a marine supply store.

  • Page 38: Installing The Fiberglass Element Support Tubes (Est)

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Installing the Fiberglass Element Support Tubes (EST's) The butt ends of the green fiberglass poles may vary slightly in outside diameter. Some of them may have been sanded, while others were not. The colors at the ends will be either beige, or black.

  • Page 39: Installing Element Trusses

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR The remaining six EST’s are used as the last section of the 70’ elements. The EST slides into the end of the 1 ¾” O.D. second section of the big elements (Picture 32b). The EST’s are attached as described in the previous paragraph covering EST attachment to the Director 1 EHT.

  • Page 40: Passive Element Installation (Optional)

    SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Picture 34 Finally adjust the turnbuckles as you did on the boom truss to get the elements reasonably straight and level with each other. Again, don’t go overboard with having the elements “arrow” straight. The tension goes up dramatically once the element is very nearly straight.
  • Page 41 SteppIR Antennas — MonstIR Note: Verify that the long element measures 112.0” and the short element measures 104.5”. Securely fasten the pieces together with the 6-32x3/4” machine screws and Nylok nuts. Install the U-bolt on the center bracket as shown in Picture 36.

  • Page 42: Steppir Performance Topics

    It is this ability to move the performance peak that makes the SteppIR actually outperform a mono-bander over an entire band – even when the boom length isn’t what is classically considered "ideal". Bear in mind that a Yagi rarely has maximum gain and maximum front to back at the same time, so it is always a compromise between gain and front to back.
  • Page 43 The SteppIR has a matching system that is included in the 2 element, 3 element, 4 element and MonstIR Yagi (a balun is available as an option on the dipole). Our antenna designs are all close to 22 ohms at all frequencies, so we needed a broadband matching system that would transform 22 ohm to 50 ohm.
  • Page 44 SteppIR Notes...

  • Page 45: Steppir Warranty

    (2) years from date of sale. Do not modify this product or change physical construction without the written permission of SteppIR Antennas Inc. This limited warranty is automatically void if the following occurs: improper installation, unauthorized modifications, physical abuse or damage from severe weather, beyond the manufacturer's control.
  • Page 46 Yagi Dipole Vertical...

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