Hy-gain EXP-14 INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Model EXP-14

Broadband Tribander 10, 15,
20 Meter

Hy-

Hy-

Hy-

308 Industrial Park

tarkville, MS 39759 USA

323-9538 FAX: [phone]

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ain

Ph: (662)

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Conten tsTable of Conten ts

Page CHAPTER

1............. ...... .. ... ...... ………….. …. ..... ..... .. ...... ... ...... .. ... ...... .. ...... .. ... ...... .. ..... .... ..... ... .. ...... ... ........... .. .... .... 1-1

General Description... ..... ...... …..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ......... ..... ..... . ...... .......... . ... ... .1 - 1

Driven Element Description….…………………………………………………………………..1-1

Specifications .....................................................................................….................:................................ 1-2

CHAPTER 2......: ..... ..... .:.... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... .:... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... ....... ...... ..... ........... ... ... ..... ... .2 -1

Preparation for Asse mbly ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... .. ......... ..... ..... ...... .…. ......... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........... .. ..2- 1

Option QK-710........ .... ....... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........ …. ....... ..... ...... ..... .............. .... ...2 -1

Assembly of the Boom-to-Mast Br acke ts and Boom..... ...... ..... ..…. .....… .. ......... ........ ...... ..... ...... ... ....2-2

Element-to-B oom Brac kets.... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... …....... .... …. ......... ..... ...... ..... ...... .........2- 2

Installation of Tubing Clamps .. ...... ..... ..... -..... ..... ...... ..- ..-....... .... ...... ...... .... ….. .......... ...... ..... ........... . ...2 -4

Element Assembly ... .... ....... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ...... ........ ..... ..... ...- -. -. ............. .... ….. .......... ...... ....... ......... ..2 -5

10-15-20 Me te r Dir ec tor E le me n t.... ... .. ... ... ... .. .. .... ... .. ... ... .. ... ... …. .... ... ... .. ... ... . … . . ........ ... .. ... ... ... .. ...... .2- 6

Front Sleeve Element...............................................................….........................…...............................2 -7

Center Driven El emen t..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... …. ......... ..... .:.... ..... ...…. ....... ...... ........... .. ..2 -8

Rear Sleeve El eme nt.... ....... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... .... ....... .… .. .......... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... …. ......... ................ .2 -7

10-Meter R efl e c tor Ele me n t.. ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... .. ... ... ... . …. . ........ .. ... ... .. . ..... ... .. ... ... … . . ...... ... .. ...........2- 9

15-20 Meter R eflec tor Ele men t..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... ……. .............. 2-10

Element Alig nment... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... --. .......... ..-. ....... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...…............. 2-10

Final Assembly Para-Sleeve Driven Element System ............................................................……..... 2-13

Beta Match Assembly... ....... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ........ ...... ..... ...... ..... ........... .... 2 -1 3

Para-Sleeve S pa c er Asse mbl y .. ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ..... ... 2 -1 3

Final Assembly Rope Dampening................................................................................................... 2-15

Final Assembly Chec kli st...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... ....... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........ ... .. .. 2 - 1 5

CHAPTER 3..................................................--..................................................................................... ..... 3- 1

Installation........ ... ..... ... ...... .. ... ..... ... ...... .. ... ...... .. .... .... ...... ... .. ...... ... ..... ... ... ..... ... ..... ... ........... ... ..... ... .. ...... 3- 1

Installation on a Crank- Up Towe r....... ..... ...... .... ....... ..... ..... ......... ..... ...... ... ....... ...... ..... ...... ..... ........... 3- 1

Attaching the Antenna to the Ma st ....... ..... ..... ...... ..... ......... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........... .. .3- 1

Other Types of Towers.... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........ ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .............. ..3- 1

Lightning Protection.............................................................................................................................3-1

Attachment of Feedli ne ....... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... .... ....... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ...... ....... ...... ..... ...... ........... ..... 3- 2

VSWR Curves.... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... .... ....... ..... ...... .... ....... ..... ...... .......... ... ... ..... . 3-2

CHAPTER

4............. ... ..... ... ... ..… …. ..... ...... .. ... ..... ... ...... .. ... .... .... ... ...... .. ... ..... ... ...... .. ... .... .... ... ..... ........... ...... .. 4- 1

Operation………... ...... .. ... .... .... . ....... ... ...... .. ... ...... .. ...... .. ... ...... .. ... ...... .. ...... .. ... ...... .. ... ...... .. ...... ... .4- 1

Maintenance .............................……............................................................................................4-1

CHAPTER 5....... ... .. ... .. .... .. ... .. …………... ... ...... .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. ... ... . .. ... ... .. ...... . .. ..- 5 - 1

Troubleshooting .......... ... ... .. ... ... ... .. ...... .. ... ... . .... .. .... ... .. ... ... ... .. ... ... .. ...... ... .. .. .... ... .. ... ... .. ..5-1

CHAPTER 6....... ..... ..... ...... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... .... ....... ...... ..... .............. ... ...6 - 1

Service Inform ation ...... .. .... ...... ..... ...... ..... -..- ...- -. .......... ...... ........ ...... ..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ........... ..... ... 6- 1

Parts List.............………….................................................................................................................6-1

Converting America n Mea sureme nts to Metr ic..... ..... ...... ..... ...... ..... ..... .... ....... ...... ..... ...... ..... ...... ...6 -3

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure

e

1 Overall View ................. ... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .... ... ... ...... .... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .... .......1-1

2 Boom-to-Mast Bracket....... ...... .... ... ...... .... ... ...... ... .... ...... ... ... .... ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ...2 -2

3 Assembly of Boom .......... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....2-3

4 Element-to-Boom Brackets ........ ... .... ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... 2-3

5 Tubing Clamps .......... ... .... ... ...... .... ... ... ...... .... .... .. ...... .... ... ... ...... .... ... ...... .... ... ... ...... .... ... ....2-4

6 10-15-20 Meter Director Element........ .... ... ...... .... ... ...... ... .... ...... ... ... ....... .... .. ....... ... ... ..2-6

7 Front Sleeve Element............ ...... ... .... ...... ... .... ...... ..... . ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... 2-7

8 Rear Sleeve Element ............. ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .... ... ...... ... .... ... ...... .... ... ...2 -7

9 Center Driven Element ............ ... ...... .... ... ...... ... .... ..... .... ... .... ...... ... .... ...... ... ... .... ...... ... ... .2-8

10 10 Meter Reflector Element ............... .... ... ...... .... ... ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ....2-9

11 15-20 Meter Reflector Element......... ...... .... ... ...... ... ....... ..... . ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .... ~ 2-10

12 Element Assembly and Antenna Dim e nsions ... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .... ... ...... ... . 2-11

13 Para-Sleeve Driven Element Connection s.. ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ...... ... .... ...... ... 2-12

Pag

Detail A Beta Support Clamps and Insulator Assembl y ...... .... ...... ... ... ....... ... ...... .... .. 2-12

Detail B Beta Shorting Clamp Assembly ....... ... ... .... ...... ..... .. ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ... 2-12

14 Para-Sleeve Spacer Detail....... ...... ... ... ....... ... .... ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .. 2-14

Detail A 5/8" Clamp on Open-Sleeve Spa cer Insu lator.. ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ...... ... .... . 2-14

Detail B 11/4" Clamp on Open-Sleeve Spacer I nsulator. ... ....... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... ..... .... 2-14

15 Rope Dampening .......... .... ...... ... ... ....... ... ... ... ........ .. ... ....... ... ... ... ....... ... ... ........ .. ... ... ...... 2-15

16 VSWR Charts ............... ..... .... ... ... ...... .... ... ... ...... ..... .. ...... ... .... ... ...... .... ... ... ....... ... ... ...... .....3-

2 Attachment

1 VSWR Record................. ... .... ... ...... ... .... ...... ... .... .... ..... ... .... ...... ... ... .... ...... ... .... ...... ..... .6 -4

Insert Element Assembly and Antenna Dimensions

CHAPTER 1

General Description

The Hy-Gain Explorer 14 is a very unique 4-ele­ment, three band beam antenna designed for
broadband, high performance, high efficiency
operation on the Amateur 10, 15, and 20 meter
bands. The boom length of 14 feet 11/2 inches
(4.17 m) and a longest element of 31 feet 6 inches
(9.6 m) combine for a modest 17 foot 3 inch
turning radius, small enough for most city lots.
Broadbanding is accomplished through the use of
a monoband reflector on 10 meters, a duoband
reflector on 15 and 20 meters and a very unique
driven element system called the Para-Sleeve

Stainless steel hardware and clamps are used on
all electrical and mechanical connections. Hy­Gain's 50 ohm BN-86 balun and new Beta Multi­Match are supplied. Add-on kits for a 30 or 40
meter driven element are available as option QK-

710. The antenna is designed to fit masts from 2"
to 2 1/2" in diameter and can be rotated with Hy-

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Driven Element

The Explorer 14 utilizes a new concept in driven
element design, called the Para-Sleeve System
(Patent No. 4,604,628). Basically, the design con­sists of on *open-sleeve dipole that has been op­timized for maximum bandwidth and directivity
within a Yagi-Uda configuration of parasitic ele­ments. The open-sleeve dipole has evolved from
the coaxial sleeve dipole; however, it is much
easier to tune and exhibits less wind loading. The
ParaSleeve System consist of a trapped driven
element for 15 and 20 meters, electrically
connected to the balun and Beta-Match; and a set

This driven element system allows half element
lengths of 0.209 wavelength on 20 meters, 0.242
wavelengths on 15 meters and 0.241 wavelength on

of two parallel sleeve element for 10 meters.

For more information on the open-sleeve dipole, see H.E. King and

*

J.L.

of a Balun-Fed Open-Sleeve Dipole in Front of a Metallic Reflector", IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagation,

Vol. AP-20,201-204,

March

1972. Also

see: Roger

Cox,

"The Open-Sleeve Antenna", CQ Magazine,

Figure 1

Wong, "An Experimental Study

Vol. 39,

CHAPTER 6

p

361/

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Preparation For Assembly

FOR OUR OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS: If you
use the Metric System, see American-to-­Metric Conversion Table in the rear of this
manual. The United States uses American
units of weights and measures.

Choose a large, clear area to assemble the
EX14. The area must be at least 14' x 32' (4.3
m x 9.7 m). You may wish to use sawhorses or
chairs to support the boom during assembly.
An alternate method involves driving a 5' (1.5
m) leng th of mas t ma te ri al in t o th e gr ound
and attaching the boom and boom-to-mast
bracket to this mast temporarily during
assembly. This permits eye level installation
of parts and allows easy alignment of
elements after assembly. If you assemble this
antenna over a grassy area, precautions
should be taken so that hardware is not
accidentally lost during assembly. A concrete

The assembly of this antenna will be easier if
you read this manual completely through at
least three (3) times before beginning
assembly. Allow at least 5 hours for assembly.
Double and tri

NOTE: An

in this manual for use when assembling the

Option QK-710

The Hy-Gain Model QK-710 is an optional kit
that will allow you to add 30 or 40 meter
operation to your Explorer 14 antenna. The
kit supplies all the necessary hardware and
instructions to add an extension onto the
Para-Sleeve driven element for either 30 or 40

If you anticipate adding this kit to your
Explorer 14, you may make the following
adjustments before adding the QK 710.

le check ALL dimensions

extra Figure 12 has been inserted

Whenunpackingyou antenna, check inside of
all tubing parts (traps, smaller tubing, etc.).
To conserve space, these smaller articles are
sometimes put inside larger pieces. Check all
parts against the Parts List to make sure no
parts are missing. The hardware supplied
with this antenna is bagged by thread size for

All tubing supplied with the EX-14 telescopes
together. Make all measurements to the given
dimensions, plus or minus, no more than 1/8

- Disassemble the Para-Sleeve spacers from
the sleeve elements (FS-1 and RS-1).

Figure 14.

Increase the distance between the central
driven element and both sleeve elements
from 6" to 7" . This wil l redu ce th e
distance to the director and 10 meter
reflector by 1" each. See Figure 12.

Increase the length of the DE-2 from

2" to 37 1/2"

Slide the 15 meter DE trap all the way

Adjust FS-2 to 48" and RS-2 to

Remove DE-3 and the 1/2" element
tubing clamps from the center driven
element. Save the compression clamps.

An extension to the spacers

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See

Assembly of the Boom-to-mast Brack-

tighten the bolts unt

ucted to do so.

g

Select the boom-to-bracket clamp parts (Item
Nos. 2 and 3). Loosely assemble them on the
boom ends (Item No. 20), as shown in Figure 2.
Line up the holes on both brackets and both
boom ends. Secure the two brackets together
with four (4) 1/4"-20 x 3/4" bolts, lockwashers
and nuts. Secure the brackets to the boom ends
using the 5/16"-18 x 2 3/4" bolts, lockwashers
and nuts. Tighten these six (6) bolts securely.

Assemble the two cast aluminum brackets (Items
No. 1) on the mast at the desired height above
your tower. Secure the two brackets together
using the two (2) 5/16"-18 x 3" bolts,
lockwashers and nuts. You may wish to drill a
hole through your mast so that a 5/16"-18 x 3
1/2" bolt may be inserted through the cast
brackets and the mast and tightened. This bolt
will prevent the antenna from twisting on the
mast in high winds. See Figure 2. The four (4) 5­inch bolts will be installed when the antenna is
installed on the mast.

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To save time, loosely assemble all of the
elementto-boom brackets and their appropriate
hardware before beginning further installation of
the antenna. See Figure 4. The different size
brackets can be identified by a number stamped
into the surface of each bracket half DO NOT

il instr

NOTE: Bracket size #14 is used on the center
driven element. Bracket size #13 is used on the
driven element sleeves and on the director and
15/20 reflector. Each size number is stamped into

At this time, slide each el ement-to-boom bracket
over a boom end and position all of the brackets
close to their final attachment points. See Fi gure
3 and Fi

Hand-tighten the hardware on each element-to­boom bracket to prevent losing small parts, and
to prevent bracket movement on the boom.

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ure 12.

Ite Item

No. Description No. Description

1 Bracket, Cast Aluminum 20
2 Bracket, Casting-to-Boom 24 Caplug, 2", black
3 Clamp, Boom-to-Bracket

Tube, aluminum, 2"x 83

Figure 3 Assembly

of Boom

Driven/Sleeve Detail

NOTE: The #4, # 13 and # 14 brackets use the same size
bolts, lockwashers and nuts - in identical locations.

Item Item
No. Description No. Description

4 Bracket, Element-to-Boom, #4 43

5 Bracket, Element-to-Boom, #13 44

6 Bracket, Element-to-Boom, #14 48 Lockwasher, internal, 1/4", stainless steel

25 Insulator, Front & Rear Sleeves, 5/8" I.D. 49 Nut, hex, 1/4"-20, stainless steel
28 Insulator, Driven Element, 11/4" I.D. 50 Nut, square, 1/4"-20, stainless steel

Bolt, hex head, 1/4"-20 x 3/8", stainless
Bolt, hex head, 1/4"-20 x 3/4", stainless

Figure 4

Element -T o- Boo m B ra ck ets

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48

Installation of Tubing Clamps

Select the proper size tubing clamp as shown
in the chart. When installing the clamps, place
the clamp near the tube end with the top of the
clamp over the slot in the tube as shown in
Figure 5.

After adjustment of the tubing length, tighten
the clamp with a 5/16 inch nut driver, socket,
or open end wrench until the tubing will not

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