HEXXAGONAL BEAM
Mark 2
DXE-HEXX-5TAP-2, DXE-HEXX-1TAP-2
DXE-HEXX-BEAM-MARK2-INS Rev. 2
© DX Engineering 2010
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: DXEngineering@DXEngineering.com
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 Features 5
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Kits 5
Parts Lists
DXE-HEXX-1HBP - HEXX HUB (US Patent No. D605,184) 6
DXE-HEXX-1SCP-2 - HEXXAGONAL BEAM Spreader & Center Post 6
DXE-HEXX-5FFP HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid
Feeder System (patent pending)
6
DXE-HEXX-5WRP-2 - HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-band Wire Element & Wire Guide 6
DXE-HEXX-1WRP-2 - HEXXAGONAL BEAM 1-band Wire Element & Wire Guide 7
Parts Required but not supplied 7
Tools Required 7
Manual Updates 7
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Construction 8
Hexxagonal Hub Assembly Instructions 9
Working with Fiberglass 10
Center Post Assembly 11
5-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon
®
Rigid Feeder System (patent pending) 13
Installing the Center Post Rope Hub 14
Installing the optional Feedline Current Choke 16
Spreader Assembly 17
Installing the Wire Elements 22
Installation on a Mast and Rotator 26
SWR Testing 27
Single Band Wire Element and Wire Guide Package Instructions 28
Optional Items 32
Technical Support 36
Warranty 36
Introduction
The DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM KITS provide a fast,
economical way to build the hottest new design of an antenna concept
that has been around since the 1980’s. HEXXAGONAL BEAM
component kits are available for an easy, step-by-step approach to
designing your own antenna or to upgrade an existing installation.
2
The DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 Five Band Hexxagonal Beam Antenna
Package is a complete build-it-yourself system, including pre-assembled wire element kits,
assembled wire guide and rope attachment clamps and a revolutionary new Five-Band Stainless
Steel/Teflon
®
Rigid Feeder System (patent pending) which operates all bands, 20 thru 10 meters
with a single feedline. All hardware is high quality stainless steel. The
pre-cut wire elements are 14 gauge stranded copper with black PVC
insulation with special black wire guide tubes and ring terminals
factory assembled. The rope supplied is a double-braided
Dacron/Polyester, not weakened by decay or mildew and provides
excellent resistance to abrasion. The color sealed black polyester yarn
used in the braided jacket also protects the cord from damage due to
ultra-violet light. The fiberglass spreaders are measured and cut to
length with pre-cut slits on one end for proper tightening using the
stainless steel band clamps. Also included is the complete DX
Engineering Hexx Hub (patented). The cast aluminum Hexxagonal
Beam Hub provides a superior mounting platform with built-in vsaddle clamping channels and all stainless steel v-bolts and hardware
are included.
The DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 can offer gain
and front-to-back performance that exceeds your expectations for a
multi-band two element
beam, as its unique shape is
much smaller, better
balanced and has been
reported to receive less
noise than typical beams.
This lighter, easier to
handle antenna can be
rotated with a light duty
rotator, and it performs
well, even when it is not
mounted very high above
the ground. With the DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM
Mark 2 and kits you can build your antenna with a broadband,
u-shaped reflector for better coverage of the bands with low SWR.
This is only one of the dramatic improvements of the G3TXQ
broadband design over the "classic" dual-w hex beam antennas.
The Five Band Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid Feeder System is a
revolutionary breakthrough for Hexagonal Beam Antennas!
This new patent pending Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid Feeder System
eliminates vulnerable coaxial cable feedpoint sections - providing a
weatherproof, low-loss, high power balanced connection to all bands
for optimum antenna pattern control. This revolutionary Rigid Feeder
3
attaches directly to the outside of the full-size 1-1/4" fiberglass Center Post. It is no longer
necessary to drill or slice up a center post - weakening it - to attach or protect older coaxial cable
feeders with homebrew or terminal strip connections.
The integral center insulators with the unique serpentine wire grip assure long, reliable
performance. The pre-assembled and tested Five Band Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid Feeder System
is also ideal for retrofitting to other, older hexagonal beam designs using the DX Engineering wire
element dimensions - or with your own hex antenna with appropriate testing and modifications.
At the center of the new HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 is the exclusive DX Engineering cast
aluminum HEXX Hub (US Patent No. D605,184). Specially designed and mechanically superior to
available home-made base plate designs, the HEXX Hub has integral V-saddles and Stainless Steel
V-Bolt hardware to firmly attach the fiberglass
spreaders in proper alignment without drilling or
crushing. The upper and lower mast mounts are
integrally cast into the hub, eliminating the need to find
separate mounting flanges, reducing assembly time,
improving mast alignment and providing a far stronger,
heavy duty attachment for the mast. For the rest of the
antenna frame, high quality stainless steel element
clamps rigidly hold the telescoping fiberglass sections
at the correct lengths without drilling holes. Exclusive
DX Engineering stainless steel element clamps with
studs provide secure attachment points for the Five Band Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid Feeder
System without drilling. The unique Floating Element Wire Guides allow independent movement of
the radiating wire elements and flexible fiberglass spreaders in the wind without creating breaking
stresses. These special Wire Guides are attached to the spreaders without drilling, for a stronger,
longer lasting antenna.
The DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 is a directional beam antenna made with
fiberglass spreaders and wire elements that looks like a very large inverted umbrella frame. Even at
22 feet wide and approximately 5 feet tall, it has a smaller turning radius than a two element 20
meter Yagi, and offers several enhanced operating characteristics. It may be mounted at the top of a
rotatable mast or directly into a light to medium duty rotator. This antenna is fed at the top of the
center post with a single 50 ohm feedline. This top fed feedline arrangement has been tested and
proven to function better than a bottom feedpoint connection.
4
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Features
The DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 design has a number of important
advantages over a yagi:
● Small turning radius - the HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 has a turning radius of 11'
● Gain - 5 dBi (3 dBd), depending on band - similar to 2 element Yagi, far exceeding
performance of multi-band mini-beams
● Front-to-Back - >20 dB, depending on band
● Balanced in the wind - Hexxagonal symmetry reduces torque on the rotor
● Light weight - fully assembled - less than 25 pounds
● Wind load - less than 5 square feet
● Can be turned with a light duty rotator - no need to spend big dollars
● Performs well at low heights - good results at 20 to 30 feet above ground
● Five Band gain and front-to-back - can meet or exceeds other small antennas
● Handles full legal limit power – no power restriction as on competing antennas
● Low Noise results - approaches performance of closed loop antennas
● Has full length pre-cut elements - no lossy coils or traps
● Five-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon
● Requires no matching network - direct single 50 ohm coax feed
● New, easier and faster assembly - fewer parts to speed completion of the antenna project
®
Rigid Feeder System (patent pending)
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Kits
DXE-HEXX-5TAP-2 - The DX Engineering HEXX BEAM Mark 2 - Five-Band Total Antenna
Package consists of these four kits:
DXE-HEXX-1HBP HEXXAGONAL BEAM Hub package (US Patent No. D605,184)
DXE-HEXX-1SCP-2 HEXXAGONAL BEAM Spreader & Center Post package
DXE-HEXX-5FFP HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon
Feeder System (patent pending)
DXE-HEXX-5WRP-2 HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-band Wire Element & Wire Guide
package
DXE-HEXX-1TAP-2 - The DX Engineering HEXX BEAM 1-Band Total Antenna Package
consists of these three kits:
DXE-HEXX-1HBP HEXXAGONAL BEAM Hub package (US Patent No. D605,184)
DXE-HEXX-1SCP-2 HEXXAGONAL BEAM Spreader & Center Post package
DXE-HEXX-1WRP-2 HEXXAGONAL BEAM 1-band Wire Element & Wire Guide
package
®
Rigid
5
Parts Lists
DXE-HEXX-1HBP - HEXX HUB
Qty Description
1 Cast Aluminum Hexxagonal Hub (US Patent No. D605,184)
12 1.5" short Stainless Steel V-Bolt
12 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hardware Kit for V-Bolts
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hex Head Bolt 1.5" long
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hex Nut
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Flat Washer
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Split Washer
DXE-HEXX-1SCP-2 - HEXXAGONAL BEAM Spreader & Center Post
Qty Description
1 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 1.25" OD x 58" Long, .120 Wall (for the Center Post)
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 1.00" OD x 58" Long, .120 Wall with slits
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.75" OD x 43" Long, .120 Wall with slits
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.75" OD x 5" Long, .120 Wall
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.50" OD x 48" Long, .120 Wall
1 Tube, Antenna, Aluminum, 1.375" OD x 14" Long, Slit one end (for the Center Post)
6 DXE-ECL-10SS - Element Clamp for 1" and 1.125" OD tubing
6 DXE-ECL-060 - Element Clamp for .75" and smaller OD tubing
1 DXE-ECL-16SS - Element Clamp for 1.375" and 1.5" OD tubing
1 Vinyl End Cap, Black
2 STI-DBR-94-100 - Dacron/Polyester Rope, 100 Foot Roll
6 Spreader Rope Connection Assembly w/cushioned P-Clamps mounted on Stainless Steel Band Clamps
1 Center Post Rope Connection Assembly - includes the following parts:
1 DXE-MPH-1 Multi-Purpose Hub 1.5"
3 1/4-20 x 1.25" Stainless Steel Hex Head Bolt
DXE-HEXX-5FFP - HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon®
Rigid Feeder System (patent pending)
Qty Description
1 Five Band Stainless Steel/Teflon® Rigid Feeder (patent pending)
1 Coaxial cable feedpoint pigtail
1 UHF Female-to-Female Adapter (dual SO-239 type)
DXE-HEXX-5WRP - HEXXAGONAL BEAM 5-band Wire & Wire Guide
Qty Description
15
12 Floating Wire Guides for 1/2" Spreader
18 Floating Wire Guides for 3/4" Spreader
3 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Nut
3 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Square Nut
3 1/4" Stainless Steel Split Washer
3 1/4" Stainless Steel Flat Washer, 18-8
2
1
20/17/15/12/10 Meter Wire Driven Element Sets - #14 Copper Stranded Wire with Black PVC
Insulation with Ring Terminals attached and Wire Guides installed
20/17/15/12/10 Meter Wire Reflector Element Sets - #14 Copper Stranded Wire with Black PVC
Insulation with Ring Terminals attached and Wire Guides installed
#10 hole, 16-14 Wire Gauge Ring Terminal (Spares for various bands and/or adjustment in element
lengths)
6
DXE-HEXX-1WRP HEXXAGONAL BEAM 1-band Wire & Wire Guide
Qty Description
2
1
6
1 UHF Female-to-Female Adapter (dual SO-239 style)
1 Coax Wire Assembly, 10" with PL-259 and Ring Terminals
1 Single Band Feeder Insulator Clamp Assembly
6 Floating Wire Guides for 3/4" Spreader.
20 Meter Wire Driven Element - #14 Copper Stranded Wire with Black PVC
Insulation with Ring Terminals attached and Wire Guides installed
20 Meter Wire Reflector Element - #14 Copper Stranded Wire with Black
PVC Insulation with Ring Terminals attached and Wire Guides installed
#10 hole, 16-14 Wire Gauge Ring Terminal
(Spares for various bands and/or adjustment in element lengths)
Parts Required but not supplied
DXE-81343 - Anti-Seize, 1 oz. Squeeze Tube - or -
DXE-NSBT8 - Never-Seez, 8 oz. Brush Top - or -
DXE-NMCBT8 - Never-Seez, 8 oz. Brush Top, Mariner's Choice
The above products are limited to domestic UPS Ground shipping only
Note: Anti-Seize or Never Seez should be used to prevent
galling (seizing) of stainless steel hardware.
DXE-3M2155 - 3M Temflex™ 2155 Rubber Splicing Tape
DXE-33PLUS - Scotch® Super 33+ Tape
The DXE-FCC050-H05-A - Feedline Current Choke and the DXE-BMB-1P Balun Mounting
Kit for a .750 in. thru 1.50 in. Boom - are suggested options and this manual describes their
installation.
Tools Required
1/4", 5/16", 3/8" and 7/16" Deep Well Nut Drivers and/or Open End Wrenches
Tape Measure, 50 ft
Step Ladder, 6 ft. Use proper precautions for step ladder safety
Screwdriver
Pliers
Scissors
Lighter or flame source (to slightly melt the cut rope ends to keep them from fraying)
Use proper safety precautions for a lighter or flame producing item
Marking Pen or Pencil
Three foot Tripod and three foot mast pipe - To hold the antenna while under construction.
Manual Updates
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.
7
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Construction
This manual for the DX Engineering HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2 is written in sections for
the various assemblies. Each section of assembly instructions is titled with the HEXXAGONAL
BEAM Mark 2 kit name and model number for easy reference.
The typical build sequence is:
1. Assemble the patented HEXX HUB
2. Center Post assembly
3. 5-Band Stainless Steel/Teflon
4. Install the Center Post Rope Hub
5. Installation of the optional DXE-FCC050-H05-A Feedline Current Choke
6. Spreader assembly
7. Wire Element installation
8. Installation on a Mast and Rotator
9. SWR Testing
An outdoor area of about a minimum 30 foot square is required for assembly of this antenna.
The use of a three foot tripod and a three foot mast pipe makes construction of the antenna easier
(see Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Using a temporary tripod and mast for assembly at ground level
Sufficient space is required for the installation of the antenna on your mast or tower. The finished
antenna is approximately 22 feet in diameter.
®
Rigid Feeder System (patent pending) Installation
8
Hexxagonal Hub Assembly Instructions
DXE-HEXX-1HBP - HEXXAGONAL HUB (US Patent No. D605,184) Parts List
Qty Description
1 Cast Aluminum Hexxagonal Hub (US Patent No. D605,184)
12 1.5" short Stainless Steel V-Bolt
12 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hardware Kit for V-Bolts
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hex Head Bolt, 1.5" long
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Hex Nut
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Flat Washer
6 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Split Washer
Insert the twelve Stainless Steel V-Bolts over the cast V-Saddles as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2
Anti-Seize or Never Seez should be used to prevent galling (seizing) of stainless steel hardware.
Install a flat washer, a split washer and a 1/4-20 nut on each V-Bolt leg, snug the nuts partially.
Install six 1/4 -20 bolts, six flat washers, six split washers and six nuts, into the top and bottom castin flanges of the hub, as shown in Figure 3. These will be adjusted to fit the center post for the
HEXXAGONAL BEAM.
9
Figure 3
The DX Engineering Hexxagonal Hub is now ready for use as the solid foundation for your
HEXXAGONAL BEAM Mark 2.
Working with Fiberglass
NOTE: Extra effort during production is accomplished to clean fiberglass dust from the
fiberglass parts. However, some fiberglass dust may remain. As a precaution, gloves,
a dust mask and eye protection should be worn when unpacking, handling and
cleaning (with a damp cloth) the fiberglass spreader tubes. This should be done
outdoors so fiberglass dust will not collect indoors.
10
Center Post and Spreader Assembly Instructions
DXE-HEXX-1SCP-2 - HEXXAGONAL BEAM Spreader & Center Post Parts List
Qty Description
1 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 1.25" OD x 58" Long, .120 Wall (for the Center Post)
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 1.00" OD x 58" Long, .120 Wall with slits
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.75" OD x 43" Long, .120 Wall with slits
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.75" OD x 5" Long, .120 Wall
6 Fiberglass Tube, Gray, 0.50" OD x 48" Long, .120 Wall
1 Tube, Antenna, Aluminum, 1.375" OD x 14" Long, Slit one end (for the Center Post)
6 DXE-ECL-10SS - Element Clamp for 1" and 1.125" OD tubing
6 DXE-ECL-060 - Element Clamp for .75" and smaller OD tubing
1 DXE-ECL-16SS - Element Clamp for 1.375" and 1.5" OD tubing
1 Vinyl End Cap, Black
2 STI-DBR-94-100 - Dacron/Polyester Rope, 100 Foot Roll
6 Spreader Rope Connection Assemblies with cushioned p-clamps installed
1 Center Post Rope Connection Assembly - includes the following parts:
1 DXE-MPH-1 Multi-Purpose Hub 1.5"
3 1/4-20 x 1.25" Stainless Steel Hex Head Bolt
3 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Nut
3 1/4-20 Stainless Steel Square Nut
3 1/4" Stainless Steel Split Washer
3 1/4" Stainless Steel Flat Washer, 18-8
Center Post Assembly
Assemble the one 1-1/4" OD x 58" long fiberglass center post tube into
the one 1-3/8" x 14" long aluminum tube, with the slit end of the
aluminum tube oriented toward the middle of the center post. The other
end of the aluminum tube is aligned flush with the end of the fiberglass
center post. Secure the two parts together using the DXE-ECL-16SS
Element Clamp over the slits with a 3/8" spacing between the end of
the slit end of the aluminum tube to the element clamp as shown in
Figure 4.
Figure 4
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