DX Engineering DXE-VA-PIVOT-4 User manual

DX Engineering

Super Duty+ Pivot Base for Four Inch

Base Section Vertical Antennas

DXE-VA-PIVOT-4

US Patent No. 8,130,168

DXE-VA-PIVOT-4-INS Revision 0

Shown with Customer Supplied Mounting Pipe

P.O. Box 1491 ∙ Akron, OH 44309-1491 USA

Phone: (800) 777-0703 ∙ Tech Support and International: (330) 572-3200

Fax: (330) 572-3279 ∙ E-mail: [email protected]

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Introduction

Congratulations on obtaining your DX Engineering Four Inch Super Duty+ Base Pivot Assembly

DXE-VA-Pivot-4. Now you can have a high-performance pivot base for a vertical antenna with a

four inch base section. This is the same super duty pivot base assembly used on the DXE-

7580FSVA-3 sixty-seven foot tall vertical antenna.

Features

High Strength Super Duty Plus Pivoting Fixture - US Patent No. 8,130,168

Ultra-rugged construction for vertical antennas starting with 4 inch OD heavy wall tubing

Massive Extren® channel insulator

Laser-cut high strength Stainless Steel brackets

All Stainless Steel Hardware

The optional DXE-VRW-1 Manual Winch for easy one-person raising and lowering of your

vertical antenna is available from DX Engineering. You can move the DXE-VRW-1 winch

between similar antennas in a multi-antenna installation.

This heavy duty pivot base system requires a heavy duty mounting pipe. Recommended installation

should provide up to 3" OD heavy wall galvanized steel pipe set in concrete. Schedule 80 pipe that

is called 2-1/2" has an outside diameter of 2.875" is recommended. 36" of the mounting pipe should

extend above ground level. Depth of the mounting hole and amount of concrete is dependent on

your antenna design, local soil type and antenna guying.

WARNING!

INSTALLATION OF ANY ANTENNA NEAR POWER LINES IS DANGEROUS

Warning:Do not locate the antenna near overhead power lines or other electric light or power

circuits, or where it can come into contact with such circuits. When installing the antenna, take

extreme care not to come into contact with such circuits, because they may cause serious injury or

death. Keep your distance! Remember the 10-foot rule: When carrying and using ladders and other

long tools, keep them at least 10 feet away from all overhead lines - including any lines from the

power pole to your home.

Tools Required

Two 9/16" wrenches, (one of them should be open-end)

One 7/16" open end wrench

One 1/2” wrench

Two 3/4" wrenches

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Manual Updates and Information

Every effort is made to supply the latest manual revision with each product. Occasionally a manual

will be updated between the time your DX Engineering product is shipped and when you receive it.

Please check the DX Engineering web site (www.dxengineering.com) for the latest revision manual.

Please - Take the time to read the entire manual before you start assembly. There are plenty of

pictures and drawings to see, and if you read the entire manual first, you'll get a better feel for the

overall construction methods described. Assembly is not difficult, but there are a number of parts

that must go together in a certain sequence to make assembly easier.

Installation Sequence

1. Site Selection

2. Mounting Pipe

3. Coaxial Cable to Mounting Pipe

4. Radial System Suggestions

5. Pivot Base Assembly (US Patent No. 8,130,168)

6. Mounting Pivot Base to Mounting Pipe

7. Optional DXE-VRW-1 Manual Winch installation and use

Site Selection

Select a mounting location clear from power lines, structures and other antennas by a minimum of

78 feet (68 + 10 ft safety rule). Consider overhead power lines, utility cables and wires. The

further away the vertical is mounted from local noise sources or other metallic objects, which can

re-radiate noise and affect the tuning, radiation pattern and SWR, the better. Determine the direction

you want the antenna to pivot and make sure there is adequate clearance (at least 80 feet).

Mounting Pipe

Use a customer supplied 2-1/2" schedule 80, which has an outside diameter (OD) of 2.895",

galvanized steel thick-walled mounting pipe at least 7-1/2 feet long. This will allow approximately

4-1/2 feet below ground and 37 inches above ground.

Some manufacturers use the term DOM (drawn over mandrel) which will give you a true OD

dimension. Other types of mounting pipe may be used but due to lateral strength needed ensure the

mounting pipe is strong enough. The material most available is ASTM A513 Type 5 which is a

1020 material. Some pipe suppliers list the material as either 1020 or 1026. Type 1020 has the

following properties:

ASTM A513 (1020): Up to 2-3/4" OD with maximum wall thickness of 0.25"

Tensile: 80,000 PSI. Yield: 70,000 PSI. Elongation in 2": 15%. Rockwell Hardness: B80

ASTM A513 (1020): Over 2-3/4" OD with wall thickness heavier than 0.25"

Tensile: 70,000 PSI. Yield: 60,000 PSI. Elongation in 2": 20%. Rockwell Hardness: B80

3.00" OD x 0.25" wall thickness (or more) of 65,000 PSI yield tubing may also be used.

- 3 -

Depending on your geographic location, various dealers should be able to supply the mounting post

you specify. The following dealers can supply DOM tubing: (Other dealers in your area may be a

better choice.) Industrial Tube & Steel, Corp.: www.industrialtube.com

On Line Metal Store: www.onlinemetals.com

Speedy Metals: www.speedymetals.com

Metals Depot: www.metalsdepot.com

Note: DX Engineering does not recommend or endorse any specific vendor.

This mounting pipe must be permanently mounted in the

ground, preferably in a concrete base 2 feet by 2 feet by 4

feet deep (with gravel below for drainage). The antenna

system requires this type of mounting to help withstand the

lateral forces present on the antenna during wind

conditions and when operating the pivot function. Make the

hole deep enough to accommodate at least 4 feet of pipe

and 4 to 6 inches of gravel at the bottom for drainage. Set

the mounting pipe on the gravel, use the concrete to fill

around the pipe per the concrete instructions. Fill the hole

until the concrete is level with the ground around it. Use a

level on the mounting pipe as you fill the hole to be sure

the mounting pipe is vertically straight.

Your location, landscape and ground conditions may

require different mounting solutions in order to have the

steel mounting pipe and the vertical antenna in a secure

position.

Coaxial Cable to Mounting Pipe

The coaxial cable should be routed to the base of the antenna system and be buried below the radial

system. PVC Conduit pipe may be used to house the coaxial cable. Bury the cable 6" to 12" below

ground level.

Radial System Suggestions

The use of a radial system is a key requirement for any high performance quarter wave vertical

antenna system. With a vertical antenna system, the radials are the second half

of the antenna. The radials contribute to the radiation efficiency of the entire

vertical antenna system.

At a minimum, 32 radials, each 65 feet long, should be used with most low

band vertical antennas. DXE-RADW Radial Wire, a 14 gauge stranded copper

with a black relaxed PVC insulation wire is suggested for the best results.

The wire radials should placed as symmetrically as possible straight from the

- 4 -

feedpoint around the vertical antenna and spaced evenly, regardless of how many radials are used.

Do not cross or bunch any radial wires as this nullifies their effectiveness. If you have limited space,

put in as many straight radials as you can. The radials must be connected to the shield of your

feedline. The DXE-RADP-3 Stainless Steel Radial Plate is an ideal optional item which provides

an excellent system for attaching radial wires to your vertical antenna system feedpoint.

Radial wires can be laid on the roots of the grass using DXE-STPL Radial Wire Anchor Pins to

hold them down. Using enough staples will ensure the wires will not be snagged by mowers,

people, or animals. Grass will quickly overgrow the radials and it will be virtually impossible to see

them. An article describing this process is available on the DX Engineering website. Radials can

also be buried just under the surface by using a power edger to make a slit in the soil.

Note: UMI-81343 Never-Seez® or DXE-NSBT8 Anti-Seize should be used on all stainless

steel threaded hardware to prevent galling and to ensure proper tightening.

Note: The following assembly instructions are based on using a customer supplied

2.895" OD Mounting Pipe (referred to as 3” OD), with the optional DXE-

VRW-1 Manual Winch, optional DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate with one

optional DXE-SSVC-3P V Clamp and the optional DXE-112 Chassis Mount

Coaxial Cable Fitting.

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Radial Plate to Mounting Pipe

Place the optional DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate over the 2.895" OD mounting pipe. Connections to

the antenna will be made via the optional DXE-363-SST bulkhead fitting SO-239 socket connector.

The DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate comes with 20 sets of stainless steel hardware for mounting the

radial wires. It is suggested that 32 radial each 65 feet long be used, therefore additional DXE-

RADP-1HWK Radial Plate Wire Attachment Hardware Kits will be required.

Optional DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate Mounted to a customer supplied 3" OD Mounting Pipe

Attaching Ground Radial Wires to the Optional Radial Plate

Using the 20 sets of supplied 1/4" stainless steel hardware (Bolt, Star Washer, Flat Washer, Split

Washer, Nut) connect the optional ground radial wires to the DXE-RADP-3 Radial Plate as shown

in Figure 2. Additional hardware kits are available (DXE-RADP-1HWK) that contain 20 sets of

Radial Plate Hardware.

There are optional DX Engineering Radial Wire Kits available. DXE-RADW-500K/BD contains a

500 foot spool of 14 gauge copper stranded wire with black PVC insulation, 20 Terminal Lugs and

100 Steel or Biodegradable Lawn Staples. The DXE-RADW-1000K/BD Radial Wire Kit contains

a 1,000 foot spool of 14 gauge copper stranded wire with black PVC insulation, 40 Terminal Lugs

and 200 Steel or Biodegradable Lawn Staples. RADW-20RT, -32RT or -65RT contain 20 each

radial wires with 1/4" terminal attached. These kits come in 20 Ft, 32 Ft or 65 Ft lengths.

Depending on the number of radial wires used, space them out evenly around the Radial Plate. The

Radial Plate will accommodate up to 60 radial wires (60 laser drilled holes), or up to 120 radials if

doubled up.

- 6 -

Overall Super Duty+

Pivot Base

(US Patent No. 8,130,168)

Assembly

Reference

Drawing

The 3” Mounting Pipe

and 4” Antenna Base

Section are Customer

Supplied.

Feedpoint hardware shown for

reference only

- 7 -

Pivot Base and Lower Antenna Assembly

1. Locate the heavy duty Extren®insulated channel.

There are 14 holes drilled in the insulated channel.

The top of the insulated channel is identified by the two

wide spaced holes located very near the top end.

2. Locate the stainless steel bottom hinge plate, backing plate, four carriage bolts, four 3/8" flat

washers, four 3/8" split lock washers and four 3/8" hex nuts. Assemble the bottom hinge to the

bottom of the heavy duty Extren®insulated channel as shown below. Tighten the hardware.

3. Locate the three 4” Cast Saddle Clamps, three 4” x 3/8” x 6.813” long stainless steel U-Bolts,

six Saddle Backing Plates, six 3/8” washers, six 3/8” split lock washers and six 3/8”-16 stainless

steel hex nuts. (Note: The U-Bolts and their hardware may be packaged separately). Loosely

assemble the U-Bolts to the heavy duty Extren®insulated channel as shown below. These will

be tightened after the base is mounted and you are ready to insert your 4” OD base element.

- 8 -

4. Locate the stainless steel pivot base locking plate, backing plate, four carriage bolts, four 3/8"

flat washers, four 3/8" split lock washers and four 3/8" hex nuts. Assemble the pivot base

locking plate to the top of the heavy duty Extren® insulated channel as shown below. Tighten

the hardware.

5. Locate the stainless steel base side bottom hinge, two 1/2"-13 x 1-3/4" long stainless steel hex

head bolts, two pivot bushings, four 1/2"x1/4" stainless steel flat washers, two 1/2" stainless

steel split lock washers, and two 1/2"-13 stainless steel hex nuts. Assemble the base side hinge

plate to the bottom hinge plate as shown below. Tighten the hardware.

- 9 -

6. Locate two 3” cast saddle blocks, two stainless steel 3”x3/8”x5.25” U-Bolts, four stainless steel

3/8" flat washers, four stainless steel 3/8" split lock washers and four stainless steel 3/8"-16 hex

head nuts. (Note: The U-Bolts and their hardware may be packaged separately). Loosely

assemble (one or two threads beyond the end of the hex nuts) the two U-Bolts to the stainless

steel base side bottom hinge as shown below. The U-Bolts will be tightened in a later assembly

step.

7. Locate the stainless steel Pivot Base Winch Mount, two stainless steel Pivot Base Plate

Brackets, four 3/8"-16 x 1-3/8" long stainless steel hex bolts, eight stainless steel 3/8" flat

washers, four stainless steel 3/8" split lock washers and four stainless steel 3/8"-16 hex nuts.

Assemble the Pivot Base Plate Brackets to the Pivot Base Winch Mount as shown below.

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