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Site Selection
Select a mounting location clear from power lines, structures and other antennas.
Consider
overhead power lines, utility cables and wires
. The vertical wire element should be mounted
away from local noise sources or other metallic objects which can re-radiate noise and affect the
tuning, radiation pattern and SWR.
When installing the unit, the four ground spikes
must
be pushed into the soil to provide a
good ground.
If your soil is not a good ground (sandy, real hard dirt, etc.), adding a customer supplied
ground rod which is connected to the unit at one of the radial connection points will help
provide a good ground.
Radial System
The use of a radial system is a key requirement for a 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.
Included with the
DXE-SMBA-2
is one 500 foot roll of radial wire, a 14 gauge stranded copper
with a black relaxed PVC insulation wire. At a minimum, 20 radials, each 25 feet long, should be
used with this antenna. Using extra radials may help overcome unknown poor-soil conditions,
improve bandwidth, and ensure the best performance possible from the vertical antenna.
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 feedpoint around the
DXE-SMBA-2
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 will
automatically be connected to the shield of your feedline
when connected to the tuner.
Radial wires can be laid on the roots of the grass using the
included
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 in the
Tech Info
section. Radials can also be buried just under the surface by
using a power edger to make a slit in the soil.
