DX Engineering DXE-UWA-KIT Instructions manual

EZ-Build® Universal Wire

Antenna Hardware Kits

DXE-UWA-KIT

DXE-UWA8X-KIT

DXE-UWA213-KIT

DXE-UWA-KIT-INS Rev 6

No Soldering

DXE-UWA-KIT DXE-UWA8X-KIT

Shown with optional parts Shown with optional parts

© DX Engineering 2020

1200 Southeast Ave. - Tallmadge, OH 44278 USA

Phone: [phone] ∙ Tech Support and International: [phone]

Fax: [phone] ∙ E-mail: [e-mail]

Required

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Introduction

EZ-BUILD® Universal Wire Antenna Kits offer an easy, high quality route to building your own

design wire antennas.

The kits are lightweight yet rugged in design that will allow construction of single band resonant
dipoles, folded dipoles or any center or off-center fed wire antenna you select. If fed with ladder
line, it is usable with a tuner for multi-band operation on all the HF bands. It’s ideal for portable or
tactical use, and permits you to build antennas which can be easily installed in attics, small lots or
Covenant Condition Restricted (CCR) locations.

The Universal Wire Antenna Center Support and End Insulators are made of light weight, high
strength UV-protected material. The Center-T is designed to serve as a feedpoint and strain relief
for antennas made with either wire or ladder line, which may be fed with either ladder line or
coaxial cable. They feature an exclusive serpentine wire grip for insulated DX Engineering Antenna
Wire and high strength, high power 300 Ω Ladder Line. The serpentine connection’s grip is strong
enough to permanently support the antenna wires without the need for looping or wrapping the wire
ends. This allows fast and easy field adjustments of antenna length without soldering. Each kit also
includes crimp-on ring terminals for ladder line and antenna wire and connection hardware. The DX
Engineering DXE-UWA8X and DXE-UWA213 kits include a strain relief bracket and P-Clamps
with neoprene cushions that grip the coaxial cable without deforming it, taking the weight of the
hanging cable off of the connector.

The ladder line feed configuration can be used successfully with the balun incorporated in most
high quality antenna tuners to obtain a low SWR across the entire frequency range. Using a DX
Engineering external current balun may provide better performance and permits converting to
coaxial cable prior to entering the operating position which will reduce RFI. DX Engineering
Baluns, Antenna Wire, 300 Ω Ladder Line and Support Rope are optional items that are available to
make a complete antenna package.

Refer to the end of this assembly manual for information on construction of a few simple dipole
antennas using these kits. For more complete antenna theory and for construction of the many
different types of wire antennas possible with the DX Engineering EZ-BUILD® Universal
Wire Antenna Kits, refer to textbook materials such as the "ARRL Antenna Book" which is also
available from DX Engineering.

Optional Parts Shown

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You have purchased one of the following DX Engineering Universal Wire Antenna Kits:

Qty

Description

1

Center-T

2

End Insulator

2

10-24 x 3/4” Stainless Steel Carriage Bolt

6

#10 Stainless Steel Flat Washer

6

#10 Stainless Steel Split Washer

6

#10 Star Washer

8

10-24 Stainless Steel Hex Nut

4

10-24 x 5/8 “ Stainless Steel Hex Head Bolt

8

Ring Terminal 18-22

2

Ring Terminal 14-16

Qty

Description

1

Cable Strain Relief Bracket

4

#10 Star Washer

2

10-24 Stainless Steel Nyloc Nut

1

10-24 x 1” Hex Head Stainless Steel Bolt

1

10-24 x 5/8” Stainless Steel Carriage Bolt

1

Aluminum Spacer

1

UHF Female to Female Adapter, 1”

2 *

Cushioned Loop P-Clamp 1 Large, 1 Small

1 **

Pigtail with Ring Terminals installed

 DXE-UWA-KIT: EZ-BUILD® Center-T and End Insulators and hardware for wire and

ladder line antennas or for feedpoint-mounted DX Engineering Baluns.

 DXE-UWA8X-KIT: EZ-BUILD® Center-T and End Insulators, Medium/Low Power

connector assembly with SO-239 for PL-259 feedline, plus coaxial cable strain relief bracket,
clamps and hardware. The DXE-UWA8X-KIT will handle low and medium power levels
and tolerate medium SWR levels.

 DXE-UWA213-KIT: This is a special high power model of DX Engineering’s EZ-BUILD®

versatile insulator kit for building a wire antenna of almost any design. It includes a
completely unique coaxial cable connector and feedline strain relief system. When using a
high power amplifier or high duty cycle modes of operation such as AM, RTTY or FM, this
kit should be used. It will handle higher power levels and tolerate higher SWR levels than
the DXE-UWA8X-KIT.

* P-Clamp size is smaller for the 8X-KIT than the 213-KIT

** The pigtail for the DXE-UWA8X-KIT uses RG-8X coaxial cable
The pigtail for the DXE-UWA213-KIT uses RG-213 coaxial cable

Tools Required

3/8” Wrench, Pliers, 3/8” Socket and Drive or 3/8” Nut Driver, and Wire Stripper
11/32" Wrench and Phillips Head Screwdriver - Used for mounting a balun to the Center-T

Plus all the parts listed in the DXE-UWA-KIT

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Note: JTL-12555 Jet-Lube SS-30 Anti-Seize is recommended to be used on all clamps, bolts and
stainless steel threaded hardware to prevent galling and to ensure proper tightening.

Basic Assembly

Assembling the Center-T Support

This initial assembly is common to all models.

Holding the Center-T, insert a 3/4” Carriage Bolt through the hole shown in Figure 1. The head of
the carriage bolt will be on the same side as the “DXENGINEERING.COM”. This is done so the
element wires (dipole legs) will be routed though the wire restraining holes correctly.

Figure 1 - Carriage Bolt Installation

Holding the carriage bolt in place, turn the Center-T over and install a flat washer, hand tighten the
10-24 hex nut in place. Using a 3/8” wrench tighten the hex nut. As you tighten the nut, the
carriage bolt will draw itself into the support. Tighten the nut until the carriage bolt head is flush to
the support as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 -

First Carriage Bolt Flush

Install the second 3/4” carriage bolt, washer and nut using the same sequence as above.

Figure 3 – Second Carriage
Bolt Installed

If you are feeding your antenna with Ladder Line, skip the Coaxial Strain Relief Assembly,

Pigtail Installation, Weatherproofing and P-Clamp Strain Relief instructions and go to page 8.

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If you purchased the DXE-UWA-KIT and would like to add the coax strain relief, order DXE-

CSR8X-1 for RG-8X, or DXE-CSR213-1 for RG-213 from DX Engineering.

Coaxial Cable Strain Relief Bracket Assembly

Both the DXE-UWA8X-KIT and DXE-UWA213-KIT contain the parts found in the DXE-UWA­KIT, (minus the #8 hardware) plus a cable/connector pigtail and cable strain relief. The pigtail for

the 8X-KIT uses RG-8X coaxial cable. The pigtail for the 213-KIT uses RG-213 coaxial cable.

Place the 5/8” carriage bolt through the hole in the bottom of the Center-T assembly as shown in
Figure 4. To fully seat the carriage bolt, use a flat washer and hex nut. Hand tighten the nut in
place and then use a 3/8” wrench tighten the hex nut. As you tighten the nut, the carriage bolt will
draw itself into the support. Tighten the nut until the carriage bolt head is flush to the Center-T.

Remove the nut and washer that were used to fully seat the carriage bolt. Install the star washer
followed by the Cable Strain Relief Bracket, then a Nyloc nut onto the carriage bolt (Figure 5).
Securely tighten the Nyloc nut using a 3/8” wrench or 3/8” nut driver.

Figure 4 - Bottom Hole - Carriage Bolt Installed

Figure 5 - Strain Relief

Bracket Installation

Pigtail Installation

Firmly attach the UHF Female to Female Adapter to the Coaxial Cable Pigtail. Place the pigtail
terminal lugs over the bolts in the Center-T (Figure 6). Use hex nuts to temporarily hold the pigtail
in place on the carriage bolts. Later, when you add the antenna wire, additional hardware will be
added as needed and then tightened.

Figure 6 - Pigtail Installed

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