Datron ABB1000 User guide

ABB1000

BROADBAND ANTENNA

ABB1000-MS

Datron World Communications Inc.
Manual Ref. ABB1000-MS
Publication Date: December 2002
Revision: C

TECHNICAL MANUAL

:JI_I~

3030 Enterprise Court
Vista, CA 92083, USA

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

www.dtwc.com

© 2001 Datron World Communications Inc. (Datron)
All rights reserved.

Datron World Communication Inc.

This manual, as well as the software described in it is
furnished under license and may only be used or c;pied

in accordance with the terms of such license. The infor-
mation in this manual is furnished for informational use

only, is subject to change without notice, and should not
be construed as a commitment by Datron. Datron
assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or
inaccuracies that may appear in this book.

~xc~pt as permitted by such license, no part of this pub-
licatIOnmay be.reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or trans~lltted, m any form or by any means, electronic,

mechamcal, recording, or otherwise without the prior
written permission ofDatron.

Software License Agreement and Warranty

This software is licensed to the user (licensee) under the
express terms and conditions ofDatron's software

lice~si.ngpolicies and agreement as outlined below. By
re.ceIvmg and mstalling this software package the user

(licensee) has indicated acceptance of the terms and con-
ditions of this agreement presented herewith.

As used in this document, the term "Software" shall
mean the application or control software in machine-

re~dable format and the hardware protection key, along
WIthany or all supporting documentation, as well as all

updated or enhanced versions of the program supplied to
the user at later date(s). This software license does not

in~lude source code, and therefore, no license is granted
wI~hr~spect ~osource code of any kind utilized directly

or mdIrectly many Datron or Datron supplied third party
~roduct. .Note,in some cases, covered software may be

mcluded m Datron products in RAM or ROM, and/or
forms of machine readable code, not readily accessible

to the user or licensee.
In consideration ofthe terms and conditions of this
agreement, Datron grants the user a non-exclusive, non-

transferable license to install and operate one copy ofthe
pro~ram. Licensee agrees not to attempt, aid, authorize,

or dIrect any effort, either directly or indirectly to reverse
engineer or reverse compile the Software. Licensee fur-
ther agrees they or their agents are not authorized to
make derivative versions or changes to the Software.
Title to and ownership of the Software shall at all times
remain with Datron and/or its licensors. Further, no
license is granted to copy or reproduce in any form what-
soever the Software supplied without the express written

per!ilission of Datron, prior to any such contemplated
actIOn.

Datron may terminate this agreement and discontinue
further warranty coverage at any time due to failure to
comply with the terms and conditions of this agree-
ment. In such an event, Datron will provide the user
with written notice of such a "failure-to-comply" and the
user will have 10 days to demonstrate that a remedy has
been implemented. If the user fails to perform, the
agreement will be terminated by further written notice

from Datron. Upon termination, the user shall immedi-
ately return all original Software, documentation and
any copies of each to Datron. '

This Software is licensed "AS IS" and Datron provides a
warranty that covers the media upon which the Software
is embedded for a period of 30 days from receipt of the
product. Under this warranty policy Datron's sole obli-
gation shall be to replace or repair, at Datron's discretion,
any such media that in Datron's opinion proves defec-
tive. The user is obligated to provide Datron with a
detailed description of possible defects along with sam-
ple material such that Datron can reproduce the identi-

fied defects.
By receipt and use, user (licensee) acknowledges that

certain software developed or distributed by Datron is

controlled by one or more governmental agencies. The
user (licensee) herewith acknowledges they will take all
necessary actions to comply with applicable regulations
concerning the use oflicensed software. Further, Datron
is under no obligation to supply source code or docu-
mentation of its software for any reason.

Datron makes no representation, express or implied, with
respect to any Software licensed under this document as
to its fitness for any particular purpose or intended use.
Furthermore, Datron shall have no liability under this
agreement for any incidental, special, or consequential
damages arising out of the use of any supplied software
programs. Datron reserves the right to make periodic
changes in it's software for any purpose without any
obligation to notify users.

One Year Limited Warranty and Remedies

Datron warrants that its equipment is free from defects in
design, materials, and workmanship for a period of 12

mo~ths from the date of installation ofthe equipment,
but m no event later than 15months from the date of

ship~ent. If the equipment does not provide satisfactory
se:VIce due to defects covered by this warranty, Datron

WIll,at its option, replace or repair the equipment free of
charge.

Should it be impractical to return the equipment for
repair, Datron will provide replacements for defective
parts contained in the equipment for a period of 12

mo~ths from the date of installation of the equipment,
but m no event later than 15months from the date of

shipment.
This warranty is limited to the original purchaser and is

not transferable. Repair service performed by Datron is
warranted for the balance of the original warranty or 90
days, whichever is longer.

Exclusive Warranty There are no other warranties
beyond the warranty as contained herein. No agent,

em~loyee, or representative of Datron has any authority
to bmd Datron to any affirmation, representation, orwar-

ranty concerning the equipment or its parts that is not in
conformity with the warranties contained herein.

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH ABOVE NO
OTHER WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR

IMPLIED, ARE MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE
EQUIPMENT OR THE PARTS CONTAINED

.~ ..

THEREIN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-

ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PUR-
POSE, AND DATRON EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS

ALL WARRANTIES NOT STATED HEREIN.
Limitations of

cover:
Physical damage to the equipment or its parts that does

not involve defects in design, material, or workmanship,
including damage by impact, liquids, temperature, or
gases.

Damage to the equipment or its parts caused by light-
ning, static discharge, voltage transients, or application
of incorrect supply voltages.

Defects or failures caused by unauthorized attempts to
repair or modifY the equipment.

Defects or failures caused by Buyer abuse or misuse.

Return of Equipment - DomesticTo obtain perfor-
mance of any obligation under this warranty, the equip-
ment must be returned freight prepaid to the Technical

Support Services. Datron World Communications Inc.,

3030 Enterprise Court, Vista, California 92083. The

equipment must be packed securely. Datron shall not be
responsible for any damage incurred in transit. A letter
containing the following information must be included
with the equipment.

a. Model, serial number, and date of installation.
b. Name of dealer or supplier of the equipment.
c. Detailed explanation of problem.
d. Return shipping instructions.
e. Telephone or fax number where Buyer may be con-

tacted.
Datron will return the equipment prepaid by United Par-

cel Service, Parcel Post, or truck. If alternate shipping is
specified by Buyer, freight charges will be made collect.

Return of Equipment - International: Contact Datron or
your local Representative for specific instructions. Do
not return equipment without authorization. It is usually
not possible to clear equipment through U.S. Customs
without the correct documentation. If equipment is
returned without authorization, Buyer is responsible for
all taxes, customs duties, clearance charges, and other

associated costs.
Parts Replacement The following instructions for the

supply of replacement parts must be followed:
a. Return the parts prepaid to "Parts Replacement"

Datron World Communications Inc., 3030 Enterprise
Court, Vista, California 92083; and

b. Include a letter with the following information:

1. Part number

2. Serial number and model of equipment

3. Date of installation

Parts returned without this information will not be

replaced. In the event of a dispute over the age of the

Warranty This warranty does not

replacement part, components date-coded over 24
months previously will be considered out of warranty.

Remedies Buyer's sole remedies and the entire liability
of Datron are set forth above. In no event will Datron be

liable to Buyer or any other person for any damages,
including any incidental or consequential damages,
expenses, lost profits, lost savings, or other damages
arising out of use of or inability to use the equipment.

1/95

Safety Considerations

This product and manual must be thoroughly understood
before attempting installation and operation. To do so
without proper knowledge can result in equipment fail-
ure and bodily injury.

Caution Before applying ac power, be sure that the
equipment has be properly configured for the available
line voltage. Attempted operation at the wrong voltage
can result in damage and voids the warranty. See the
manuals section on installation. DO NOT operate equip-

ment with cover removed.
Earth Ground All Datron products are supplied with a

standard, 3-wire, grounded acplug. DO NOT attempt to
disable the ground terminal by using 2-wire adapters of
any type. Any disconnection of the equipment ground
causes a potential shock hazard that could result in per-
sonal injury. DO NOT operate any equipment until a
suitable ground has been established. Consult the man-
ual section on grounding.

Servicing Trained personnel should only carry out ser-
vicing. To avoid electric shock, DO NOT open the case
unless qualified to do so.

Various measurements and adjustments described in this
manual are performed in ac power applied and the pro-
tective covers removed. Capacitors (particularly the
large power supply electrolytics) can remain charged for

a considerable time after the unit has been shut off. Use
particular care when working around them, as a short cir-

cuit can release sufficient energy to cause damage to the
equipment and possible injury.

To protect against fire hazard, always replace line fuses
with ones of the same current rating and type (normal
delay, slow-blow, etc.). DO NOT use higher value
replacements in an attempt to prevent fuse failure. If
fuses are failing repeatedly this indicates a probable
defect in the equipment that needs attention.

Use only genuine Datron factory parts for full perfor-
mance and safety of this product.

Made in the USA

CONTENTS

ABB1000 Broadband Antenna

Description 1-1

Unpacking and Inspecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-2

Operating Characteristics 1-3

Installing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-6

Replacing the Transformer Coax 1-9

Figures

ABBlOOO Antenna Components 1-2
ABBI000B Configuration 1-4

ABB lOOOAConfiguration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-4

Diamond Antenna Configuarion for Model ABB lOOOA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-5

Rectangle Antenna Configuration for Model ABB lOOOA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-5

Positioning the Transformer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-7

Attaching Cable to Transformer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-8

•

Attaching Cable to Terminating Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-8

Replacement of Transformer Coax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-9

ASS 1OOO-MSc

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iv

ABB1000 BROADBAND ANTENNA

Description

The Datron World Communications Inc. (DWC) ABB1000 antenna
system is a broadband antenna having a VSWR of less than 2: 1
throughout the majority of the frequency range. The ABB1000 will
operate continuously at 1000W of RF power from 2 to 30 MHz.

This manual provides you with all of the information necessary for
effectively installing and operating the ABB 1000 antenna. Included
are unpacking and installation instructions, operation recommenda-
tions, and replacement information.

The following models of the ABB 1000 can be purchased from DWC.

ABB 1000A Broadband antenna 2 to 30 MHz, 1000W, supplied

with a 30m RG213 coaxial cable and PL-259 (UHF)
connector. Extended length model for increased effi-
ciency in the 2 to 10 MHz range (antenna length is

43.3m).

ABB 1000B Broadband antenna 2 to 30 MHz, 1000W, supplied

with a 30m RG213 coaxial cable and PL-259 (UHF)
connector (antenna length is 34.1m).

ABB1000AN Broadband antenna 2 to 30 MHz, 1000W, supplied

with a 30m RG213 coaxial cable and PL-259 (UHF)
connector (antenna length is 34.1m).

ABB 1000BN Broadband antenna, 2 to 30 MHz, 1000W, supplied

with a 30m RG213 coaxial cable and type N connec-
tor. Extended length model for increased efficiency in
the 2 to 10 MHz range (antenna length is 43.3m).

The supporting masts are not supplied as part of any ABB1000
antenna. However, DWC does offer a portable mast kit, the AMX, for

the antenna.

Note: Before unpacking and assembling, carefully read all instruc-
tions.

ABB1000-MSc

1

Unpacking and Inspecting

When unpacking the ABB 1000, carefully remove the equipment from
its container and inspect it for any damage. Notify DWC if anything is
damaged.

Note: Do not unwrap wires or cables at this time.

You should have the following parts:

• 1-

30Am RG-213 coax cable with transformer

• 2 - 37m stainless steel wire with hooks and lugs

• 1 - Terminating network mounted on large heat sink

• 2 - 7.6m nylon guy line

• 4 - Cable hooks

• 1 - .Sm RG-213 coax cable with transformer

• 2 - Insulators
See Figure 1 for an illustration of all parts .

30Am RG-213 coax cable

with transformer

.5m RG-213 coax cable

with transformer

37m stainless steel wire

with hooks and lugs

4 cable hooks

~ 2 - 7.6m nylon guy lines

-----~~!!ii~:J"!!!l"

Figure 1

ABB1000 Antenna Components

2

CIU1J()-.-2Jnsulators

ASS 1OOO-MSc

Operating Characteristics

The ABBIOOOcan be mounted in many different configurations
depending on your available space and communication requirements.
The best mounting configuration for most installations is the Delta
loop which has a large aperture for convenient installation. The stan-
dard version of the antenna is the ABBIOOOB, while the ABBIOOOA

is an extended length version for increasing efficiency in the 2 to 10
MHz range. The mounting arrangement for those configurations are
shown in Figures 2 and 3. These are only suggested mounting config-
urations; because of the flexibility of the antenna system, you can tay-
lor the final installation for any site restrictions while maintaining
good communications.

Figure 4 shows the ABBIOOOAmodel in a diamond configuration,
and Figure 5 shows the same model in a rectangle configuration. Two

additional insulators are included to aid in the construction of these
alternative configurations. There is very little change in performance

if you change the dimension or shape, providing the total wire length
is maintained and the aperture of the antenna is kept as large as possi-

ble.

In order to maintain efficiency and matching, it is recommended that
the antenna not be erected with shorter masts than those shown in Fig-
ures 2 and 3. However, if there are space restrictions, smaller configu-
rations can be used with some degradation in matching of some
frequencies and radiation efficiency (especially at low frequencies).
This performance degradation will be minimal as long as the base sec-
tion of the antenna is at least 26m to 28m in length and is kept 2m
above the ground.

ABB1000-MSc

3

9.1m

3m //

* P

k

/,1/

Insulator 9.1m

(on two sides)

i

il

~ Termination

34m

/

To transceiver
antenna port

Figure 2

ABB1000B Configuration

4

12.2m

3m

J_

----------44m

/

Totransceiver
antenna port

~ Termination

Figure 3

ABB 1OOOAConfiguration

Insulator

(on two sides)

12.2m

1

'I

1

ABB1000-MSc

Insulator-+

/1

Insulator

44.2m

..••../ :

./ 1

..,./ :

Guy wire :

.••../ :

.'

./ I

./ I

...../ l

Diamond Antenna Configuarion for Model ABB1000A

......... / :

./ 1

./ I

I

:..

To transceiver
antenna port

,

13.7m

Figure 4

\ Ii

\\I

~ Termination

UV Resistant

Nyl9n support wire

Insulator /

(Dn fDur cDmers)

Guy wire

"'.

.....

.......

'.

".

" .

....

15.5m

ABB 1OOO-MSc

---------- 33m

To transceiver
antenna port

.- Termination

Figure 5

Rectangle Antenna Configuration for Model ABB1000A

15.5m

5

Installing

The following steps are for mounting the ABBIOOO antenna using the
standard Delta loop model which needs a center support and two end
supports. Mount the antenna clear of all metal objects and power
lines. It should be as high as possible and as much in the clear as pos-

sible.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Carefully unwind the
from the center support tower. The cable should be free and
straight. Do not allow kinks in the coaxial cable.

Attach the pull-up cable to the eyebolt on the transformer and
pull the transformer up to an easy working height (1.5m to 1.8m
above the ground). See Figure 6.

Very carefully unwind the stainless steel cables. This cable will
twist badly if not done carefully. As you layout the wire,

unwind and walk away from the free end. This cable must NOT
be kinked. Lay each stainless steel cable out and away from the
center support structure in a direction towards the intended mast

locations.

30Am coax cable and lay it straight out

Vsing the cable hooks, attach the end of the stainless steel cable

to the eyebolts on the side of the transformer. Install the solder
lug onto the #10 bolts located on each side of the transformer.
Tighten the nuts securely. See Figure 7.

5.

Located on each stainless steel wire is a slip insulator. Slide this
insulator to the approximate center of each stainless steel wire.

6.

Vsing the V-bolts mounted on the terminating network (large
heat sink), mount the terminating network on the support struc-
ture at the same height as the end mounting supports. Connect
the transformer with the short coax to the matching network.
Screw on the coax connector and tape the connector for envi-
ronmental protection.

7.

Carefully bring each end of the stainless steel cable that was
laid out from the center support and attach it to the transformer
mentioned in step 6 (see Figure 8). Attach each end as in Figure

7.

8.

Raise the top transformer to the top of the support structure and
secure. Tie the nylon cords to each of the sliding insulators on
the outside of the stainless steel wires. Pull the nylon lines and
attach to the end support structures. Pull these fairly tight as to

remove most of the slack in the stainless steel wires.

6

ABB1000-MSc

9.

The distance between the top transformer and the bottom trans-
former should be no less than 9m and no greater than 15m. The

bottom stainless steel wire should be a minimum of 3m above
the ground or roof of the building.

10. Connect the long coax to your communications system antenna
output. Your system is now ready to operate.

Central support

Eyebolt

Transformer

.r

30 to 48m coaxial cable

Figure 6

Positioning the Transformer

c

ABB1000-MSc

7

Cable hook

\-. Solder Lug

Figure 7

Attaching Cable to Transformer

Eyebolt

It"

Transformer

Figure 8

Attaching Cable to Terminating Network

8

ABB1000-MSc

Replacing the Transformer Coax

The transformers are built so that the coax can be replaced if neces-

sary. To replace the coax to the transformer:

1. Loosen the nut on the strain relief and pull the coax through the
strain relief. This exposes the lead-in wires used to attach the
coax to the balun inside the transformer assembly.

2. Cut the coax off at the end of the lead-in wires (cutting off as lit-
tle of the lead-in wires as possible).

3. Prepare and reattach the coax to the lead-in wires.

4. Stuff the lead-in wires and coax back through the strain relief.
Tighten the nut on the strain relief.

Transformer body

r

Strain Relief

Assembly

Replacement of Transformer Coax

+-- Splice

___ Bushing

.-- Washer

+-- Knurled Nut

Figure 9

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ASS 1OOO-MSc