Maco Flatsider,6 User guide

UPARTU UQTYU UODU USIZEU ULGTHU UDESCRIPTIONU UCHECKLISTU

T52P 2 2” .050” 80” Aluminum Tubing Slotted One End _____
T31P 2 2” .050” 80” Aluminum Tubing Slotted One End & Swaged One End _____
T53 1 1.845” .060” 80” Aluminum Tubing _____
T11P 7 5/8” .050” 72” Aluminum Tubing Slotted Both Ends _____
T57P 2 2” .050” 36” Aluminum Tubing Swaged One End to 1.875” _____
T01 10 ½” .050” 72” Aluminum Tubing _____
T58P 2 3/8" .035" 11-7/8" Aluminum Tubing - Hard
WD2P 1 25’ 3/32" x 7 Strand Steel Guy Cable _____
V03P 1 1”x1” 24’ Vertical Guy Support _____
P03P 1 ¼” x 6” 8” 2” Boom to 2” Mast Plate _____
W05P 7/14 90’ Stranded Copper Wire _____
FA2P 4 48” Multi-Screen Fiberglass Rods _____
2600 1 5kw Gamma Match _____
S42 1 Coax Connector W/Plastic Washers _____
Z08P 2 Gamma Straps For Coax Connectors _____

BAG #1
U01 20 2” Plated U-Bolts _____
N03 40 5/16” Lock Nuts _____

BAG #2
S01 20 2” Plated Saddles _____

BAG #3
EG3 4 Egg Insulators _____
EZ-55 10 1/8” Cable Clamps _____
N18 2 5/16” Eye Bolts w/2 NO1 each _____
C02 2 1/2" Metal Hose Clamps _____
PL1 2 3/8” Plastic Caps – Black _____
PL2 10 .437" Plastic Caps – Black _____
PL5 1 2” Plastic Cap - Black _____
PL5R 1 2” Plastic Cap – Red _____
Z02P 2 4” Gamma Slider Straps _____
N11 21 10-24 Square Nuts _____
S21 21 10-24 ½” Machine Screws _____
W58P 14 5/8” Extruded Aluminum Clamps _____
N26 4 No. 10 Flat Washers _____
FHK1 3 Fiberglass Rod Kit (4 screws) _____
1 Tip Sheet _____
1 Warranty Sheet ____
1 Instruction Sheet _____
1 Maco flyer _____

BAG #4
BE2P 7 2” Boom to Element Mounts _____

YOU CAN ALSO ORDER MACO® PARTS & ACCESSORIES ONLINE AT WWW.ANTENNAPARTSOUTLET.COM

Please note: In an effort to keep the price on Maco Antennas down, we have decided not to clean up all the burrs and rough edges
on the parts. We recommend that you deburr and clean up each part with files, sandpaper, etc. so that they go together easily. We
are aware this needs to be done but have elected not to do it to save you the money we would have to add to the price of the kit for
this service.

Rev: 09/15/2015

FLAT 6

PACKING LIST

WHEN ORDERING PARTS, ALWAYS GIVE PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION.

PL5

BLACK

PLASTIC CAP

REFLECTOR
(SEE FIG.

I-DRIVEN ELEMENT

GA

(SEE FIG. 4)

MATCH

1 st DIRECTOR

2nd DIRECTOR

(16’

6”)

3rd DIRECTOR

(16’ - 6”)

4th DIRECTOR

(16’

2”)

RED

PLASTIC CAF

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

FLATSTDER 6

2

FLATSIDER

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

FIGURE 1

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

This drawing depicts an overall view of what the antenna should look like upon completion of
assembly. Refer to Figures 2 thru4 for specific assembly details. All hardware should be coated with a silicon
rubber sealant or similar compound to insure that wind vibration does not cause it to work loose.

Upon completion of assembly, install the red plastic cap

on the director end of the antenna,
and the black cap (PL5) on the reflector end. This will allow you to determine at a glance the direction of
transmit and receive.

FIGURE 2 BOOM

GUY ASSEMBLY

To assemble the boom, first mark the center of the boom coupler (T53) and slide the unslotted ends
of the center boom sections (T52P) over the each end of the coupler so that they butt in the center. Next attach
the boom-to-mast plate (POlP) and the vertical guy support

at the boom center using 2” U-bolts,

saddles and hardware as shown. (Refer to Detail 2A.)

Now, slide the swaged ends of the intermediate boom sections (T3

into the slotted ends of the
center boom sections. Secure with 2” U-bolts, saddle and hardware as shown. (Refer to Detail 2B.) Next,
slide the swaged ends of the boom sections and secure in the same manner. (Refer to Detail 2B.)

The first step in assembling the guy cable is to cut four lengths of 2 feet each off the roll of cable.

Take two 2 foot lengths and attach one end of each to an egg insulator

and the other end to an eyebolt
(N18) so that the distance between the eyebolt and the insulator is 1 foot. Attach both eyebolts to the vertical
guy support with

6”

as shown in detail 2C. Run the outside hex nuts only a couple of turns onto
the ends of the eyebolts and leave the inside nuts loose so that you can take the slack out of the cable later.
Now take two 2 foot lengths and attach an egg insulator to one end of each in the same manner. (At this point,
it is necessary to go on to element assembly and mounting, before completing the guy cable assembly.

Take both 2 foot cable lengths with the egg insulators attached and fasten one to the boom and the
driven element and the other at the 3rd director. Wrap as shown in Detail 2D so that the distance between
the boom and insulator is 1 ft.

Now take the remaining cable and allowing approximately 9” at each end for wrapping, stretch it
between the insulators one end of the boom and cut it off. Leaving as little slack as possible, wrap each end
of the cable around the insulators as shown in details 2C and 2D.

Do the same thing for the cable on the other end of the boom. Take the rest of the slack out of the
cables by tightening the outside hex nuts on the eyebolts. Lock them in place by tightening the inside hex
nuts. This antenna is designed for mounting on a 2” O.D. heavy duty mast. Mount using 2” U-bolts, saddles
and hardware as shown in Detail 2E.

FIGURE 3

Prior to assembling elements slide a boom-to-element mount (BE2P) onto each

determine dimensions for each element. Install a black plastic cap (PL2) onto both ends of each element.

ELEMENT ASSEMBLY

(6) element center sections

Assemble the

reflector elements in the same manner, sliding the fiberglass arms approximately 6 inches into the ends of the center

sections (TllP).

the reflector wire.

3

Snug the clamps but don’t tighten at this time because the arms will have to be adjusted after installing

FLATSIDER 6

FIGURE 3B ELEMENT MOUNTING

Mark each element at the center and be sure that the boom-to-element mounts
elements before tightening hardware.
bolts, saddles, boom-to-element mounts and hardware as shown. Refer to Figures 1
dimensions.

(At this point go back and complete the guy cable assembly.)

Starting 1” from the director end of the boom, mount each element using 2”

are centered on the

3B for element spacing

FIGURE 3C

The length of the reflector wire is very critical.

so.

The easy way to get the correct length for the reflector loop is as follows:

1.

Drive 2 nails in a board or fence

2. Stretch the wire around the nails by hand as tightly as possible and splice ends together. Solder the splice. Remove
one nail and remove the loop. Cut any excess wire off.

3.

Loosely assemble the machine screws (S2

onto the lugs of the fiberglass arms, adjusting the length as shown.

4. Tighten 3 of the 4 clamps that hold the fiberglass rods.

5. Install the wire as shown.

6.

Tighten the wire by pulling the fourth fiberglass rod until the wire is the same tightness as it was
around the nails. The wire loop is now the correct length. Note the total length of the loop is critical, and also is the
length of each side. REMEMBER: Reflector dimensions are only preliminary. Change to get equal sides of 9’
4” . Fiberglass length is not critical, however the equal wire length of 9’

7. Take the remaining reflector wire and thread it through the drill holes in the four spreaders pulling stung and splicing
each piece. This completes the reflector assembly.

FIGURE 4

Mount the gamma match (GO
attaching hardware as shown. Attach your 52 ohm coaxial cable to the connector (S42) and dress along boom and down
the mast.

REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY

the length of the loop apart --which is 22% l/2” between them.

flatwashers

GAMMA MATCH MOUNTING

to the horizontal driven element, using the gamma strap

It must be the correct length to operate correctly.

Pull the wire until it stretches an inch or

lo&washers

is very critical.

and hex nuts

Take the wire

and

ADJUSTING STANDING WAVE RATIO

Refer to Figure 4.
instructions cover the adjustment of one gamma match. To adjust the second gamma match, simply repeat this
procedure.

The gamma match has 2 adjustments.
a S W .R bridge to the coax between your transmitter and the antenna and check the S .W
loosen the clamp on the gamma match and the screws holding the slider (Gamma Straps
adjustment first in one direction then the other until a minimum S.W.R. reading is obtained. If S.W.R. is not yet
satisfactory, move the slider out 2” away from the boom.
position and then 2” toward the boom. Now readjust the capacitor for minimum S.W.R. you should now be able to
determine which direction to move the slider.
a satisfactory S.W.R. reading is obtained. Tighten all hardware. Disconnect the S.W.R. bridge and reconnect your

coaxial cable.

The dimensions given are approximate and should be used as a starting point. The following

First is the capacitor adjust and the second is the slider adjust. Connect

If adjustment is required

Next move the capacitor

reading has gone up, move the slider back to the original

Repeat the above procedure moving the slider in smaller increments until

6

I

3P -VERTICAL

Y SUPPORT

PO1 P

TO-MAST PLATE

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, SLOTTED

BOOM

SECTION

I

2” U-BOLT & SADDLE

NO2

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(TYPICAL 4 PLACES)

HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS ONLY ARE SHOWN FOR REFERE

DRIVEN ELEMENT

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NO1

4”

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All

VERTICAL

GUY SUPPPPORT

GUY CABL

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\

DETAIL

INSULATOR

__________

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(TYPICAL 2 PLACES)

DETAIL

INSULATOR

BOOM-TO­ELEMENT MOUN

DETAIL 2D

-------------

COUPLER

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A

(TYP 5 PLACES)

3rd DIRECTOR

OOM WITH BOOM-TO-

MAST PLATE ATTACH&

2”

O.D. MAST

(CUSTOMER FURNISHED)

DETAIL

N02.

a SADDLES

------

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5

FLATSIDER 6

CLAMP WITH
SCREW NUT

\

P
FIBERGLASS
ARM

SQ. NUT

A

DIMENSION

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R I

TUBING

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SO1

U-SOL-r 8 SADDLE

NUTS

I

>-------

WASHERS

VERTICAL ELEMENT MOUNTING

_____________-___-

I

0.

\

\

“A”-

ELEMENT ASSEMBLY (FIGURE 3A)

E
MOUNT

NO2

SADDLE

NUTS

HORIZON

WASHERS

AL ELEMENT MOUNTING

FIGURE

end of this instruction booklet before assembling elements.

--

VERTICAL
ELEMENT

ELEMENT SPACING

at the

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4EQ

VERY
CRITICAL

P--

W

ENDS T

SOLDER)

ELEMENT ASSEMBLY

FLATSIDER 6

u-24

FLT WSHR

NUT

FIBERGLASS ARM

MOUNTING

REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY

(FIGURE

6

* NOTE: THESE DIMENSONS ARE APPROXI-

MATE. REFER TO THE INSTRUCTIONS ON
ADJUSTINNG THE S.W.R. TO DETERMINE EX­ACT SETTINGS. THERE ARE 2 SEPARATE
GAMMA ADJUSTMENTS, 1. CAPACITOR AD­JUSTMENT, 2. SLIDER POSITION.

DO NOT MOVE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

MOVE THE CAPACITOR FIRST, THEN, IF NEC­ESSARY MOVE THE SLIDER, AND GO BACK TO
THE CAPACITOR.

HORIZONTAL SLIDER ADJUST: 23”
VERTICAL SLIDER ADJUST: 17”

GAMMA STRAPS
(INSTALL FLUSH AGAINST
BOOM-TO-ELEMENT MOUNT)

GAMMA STRAPS
(SLIDER)

LK. WSHR.

HORIZONTAL DRIVEN
ELEMENT

I

SQ. NUT

24 NUT

N12

\

.

‘CUSTOMER

COAXIAL CABLE

STARWSHR.‘-

\

PLASTIC

WASHER

HORIZONTAL CAPACITOR ADJUSTMENT: 1”
VERTICAL CAPACITOR ADJUSTMENT: 1

L

GO1 P HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL
GAMMA MATCH

GAMMA MATCH MOUNTING

FLATSIDER 6