Radio Shack U-75R User Manual

Outdoor

15-2160

Thank you for purchasing your Outdoor HDTV/UFH Antenna from RadioShack. Please read this user’s guide before installing, setting up, and using your new product.

HDTV/UHF Antenna

Before You Begin

Before you begin installation, read this manual and the separate Consumer Product Safety Commission information sheet. For your safety and convenience, plan each step of the installation and purchase the necessary hardware in advance. The hardware required and the order in which you perform the steps depend on the mounting and connection method you choose.

Warning: When you install your antenna, use extreme caution. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go! It could contact overhead power lines. If the antenna touches the power line, any contact with the antenna, mast, cable, or guy wires can cause electrocution and death. Call the power company to remove the antenna. Do not attempt to remove it yourself.

Step 1: Assemble the Antenna

1. Thread a matching transformer’s (not supplied) spade

terminals through the antenna’s strain-relief tab.

Assemble the entire antenna on the ground.

(Matching transformers are available at your local RadioShack store or at www.RadioShack.com.)

U-Bolt

Mast Clamp

2. Slide the spade terminals around the antenna’s lead-in terminals (on both sides of the boom), then secure them with the supplied ﬂat washers and large wing nuts.

Main Boom

3. Screw the cable’s F-connector onto the matching transformer.

Backup Plate

Lock Nuts

1. Use the supplied hardware to loosely attach the mast

4. Slip the weather boot over the connection. If you

use a rebuilt cable without a weather boot, cover the connection with weather-resistant tape.

clamp assembly to the main boom, as shown.

Note: To access slots or holes during assembly, move the antenna’s elements out of the way as needed.

2. Press the large end plugs into the main boom.

Step 3: Unfold the Antenna’s Elements

1. Hold the main boom’s elements near the pivot points

and pull them away from the boom until they snap into the self locking plastic support insulators.

Step 2: Connect Coaxial Cable to the Antenna

We recommend RG-6 cable and, if you prepare your own cable, a quality F-connector. (RadioShack carries a variety of suitable cables and connectors.)

Note: If you prepare your own coaxial cable, be sure to slide the matching transformer’s (not supplied) weather boot onto the cable before you attach the F-connector.

Main Boom

Strain-Relief Tab

Lead-In Terminals

Flat Washers

Large Wing Nuts

Spade Terminals

F-Connector

Weather Boot

Matching Transformer

Caution: To avoid damage to the elements, do not pull them near their outer ends. Once the elements are locked into position, do not attempt to unlock them. Doing so might break the self-locking tabs.

2. Hold each wing boom and turn its elements until they snap squarely into place perpendicular to the boom.

3. Press the small end plugs into the wing booms.

4. Bolt the triangular wing boom brackets onto the main

boom using the 1½-inch screw and small wing nut, as shown.

Wing Boom Brackets

If you plan to add this antenna to a VHF antenna’s mast, refer to Adding the HDTV/UHF Antenna to a VHF Antenna Installation on page 2 for instructions. This type of setup

Small Wing Nut

requires using twin-lead cable to connect the HDTV/UHF antenna to the VHF antenna, but the lead-in coaxial cable must feed from the HDTV/UHF antenna.

5. Insert the top and bottom wing booms into the wing boom brackets. Secure them with the four supplied 1¼inch screws and small wing nuts, as shown.

11/2-Inch Screw

Main Boom

Wing Boom Brackets

11/4-Inch Screws

Step 4: Attach Antenna to the Mast

We recommend that you get help from another person before you put up the mast or attach your antenna to it. How you set up your mast depends on your speciﬁc installation. Refer to the separate Consumer Product Safety Commission information sheet for recommended methods.

If you plan to add this antenna to a VHF antenna’s mast, refer to Adding the HDTV/UHF Antenna to a VHF Antenna

Installation on page 2 for instructions.

1. Slide the antenna’s mast clamp assembly over the end

of the mast.

2. Tighten the mast clamp assembly’s lock nuts to hold the antenna in place. Do not overtighten the lock nuts.

3. Set up the mast, then rotate it so the antenna’s shorter elements point toward the broadcast antennas of the stations you want to receive.

Wing Boom Elements

Mast

Top Wing Boom

Small Wing Nuts

Bottom Wing Boom

Main Boom Short Elements

TowardTV Stations’ Antennas

Main Boom Long Element

08A08

15-2160

Printed in the USA

What’s Included

Antenna U-Bolt (1) Wing Booms (2) Wing Boom Brackets (2) Mast Clamps (1) Mast Clamp Backup Plate (1) Large End Plugs (2) Small End Plugs (2) Large Wing Nuts (2) Small Wing Nuts (5) 1½-inch Screw (1) 11/4-inch Screws (4) Lock Nuts (2) Flat Washer (2) User’s Guide Warning Label

Consumer Product Safety Commission information sheet

Note: Additional small parts may be included in your package.

Speciﬁcations

Impendance ............................................................... 300 ohms

Frequency Range......................................... UHF 470-806 MHz

Average Gain ................................................7.2dB (UHF band)

Average Beamwidth.........................................50° (UHF band)

Average front to back ratios: .....................11.1db (UHF band)

Speciﬁcations are subject to change and improvement without notice. Actual product may vary from the images found in this document.

Limited Warranty

This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.

EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.

In the event of a product defect during the warranty period, take the product and the RadioShack sales receipt as proof of purchase date to any RadioShack store. RadioShack will, at its option, unless otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the defect by product repair without charge for parts and labor; (b) replace the product with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase price. All replaced parts and products, and products on which a refund is made, become the property of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and products may be used in the performance of warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts and products are warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the expiration of the warranty period.

This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse, accident, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, failure to follow instructions, improper installation or maintenance, alteration, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any repairs other than those provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as fuses or batteries; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, shipping or insurance costs; or (f) costs of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation. This warranty gives you speciﬁc legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

RadioShack Customer Relations 300 RadioShack Circle, Fort Worth, TX 76102 12/99

www.RadioShack.com

Step 5: Route the Cable to Your Audio/Video System

Adding the HDTV/UHF Antenna to a VHF Installation

• Use plastic tape or mast standoff insulators to secure the coaxial cable to the mast at about 3-foot (.9 m) intervals. Continue down the roof and the side of the house using roof and wall standoff insulators.

• Use a 75-ohm grounding block at the point where the coaxial cable enters the house. Read the Consumer Product Safety Commission Sheet for grounding instructions.

• Use a wall-through lead-in tube (not supplied) to neatly route the coaxial cable through walls. Loosely bend the cable to form a drip loop before the cable enters the house.

Step 6: Connect to your Audio/Video System

Connect the antenna’s coaxial cable to your audio/video system’s antenna terminals according to the type of connections you

have. RadioShack carries a variety of splitters and other accessories; choose one that best suits your needs. Below are some

sample connections.

If you have:

• Twin-lead UHF terminals

• Coaxial VHF terminal

• Twin-lead FM antenna terminals

Use a RadioShack Splitter

with 75-Ohm Input

UHF 300 Ohm VHF 75 Ohm

If you have:

• Twin-lead UHF terminals

• Twin-lead VHF terminals

• Twin-lead FM antenna terminals

Use a RadioShack

Transformer/Splitter

UHF 300 Ohm VHF 300 Ohm

If you have:

• Combined coaxial VHF/UHF terminal

• Coaxial FM antenna terminal

Use a RadioShack VHF/UHF

Splitter/Combiner

TV VHF/UHF To FM Receiver

There are many methods you could use to add an HDTV/ UHF antenna to an extising VHF installation. This section describes one method, which is to mount your HDTV/UHF antenna below the VHF and connect the two antennas with twin-lead cable. Visit your local RadioShack store to ﬁnd the best method and mounting accessories for your installation.

Note: You could also place your HDTV/UHF antenna above the VHF, but the coaxial cable must feed from the HDTV/ UHF antenna.

Complete Step 1 through Step 3 on page 1 before beginning.

1. Remove the VHF antenna from the mast.

2. Mount your HDTV/UHF antenna about 48 inches (1.2 meters) from the top of the mast. (See Step 4: Attach Antenna to the Mast on page 1.)

3. Attach the VHF antenna to the mast.

4. Use about 5 feet (1.5 meters) of twin-lead cable to

connect your HDTV/UHF antenna to the VHF antenna. Be sure the cable is long enough to reach from the leadin terminals of one antenna to the lead-in terminals of the other.

5. Split both ends of the twin-lead cable for a length of about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters). Then strip about ½ inch (1.2 centimeters) of insulation from all leads.

the hardware. Be sure there is enough slack between the strain-relief tab and the antenna terminals to prevent stress on the cable or the terminals.

VHF Antenna’s Lead-In Terminals

Twin-Lead Cable to UHF Antenna

Flat Washers

Large Wing

Nuts

8. Wrap each lead on the other end of the twin-lead cable around one of the HDTV/UHF antenna’s lead-in terminals (on both sides of the boom).

Twin-Lead from VHF Antenna

To FM Receiver

From Antenna

If you want to:

• Use the antenna in combination with a cable or satellite set-top-box, and

• Your TV has a coaxial (antenna in) terminal.

Use a RadioShack High Isolation A/B Switch.

From AntennaFrom set-top-box

A IN TV OUT B IN

To FM Receiver

From Antenna

If you want to:

• Use the antenna in combination with a cable or satellite set-top-box, and

• Your TV has both a coaxial (antenna in) terminal and A/V terminals (usually red/yellow/white).

Use a RadioShack Gold A/V cable.

From Antenna

Set-top-box

ANTENNA IN TV OUT

CH3 CH4

VIDEO LR

AUDIO INVIDEO IN

CABLE/ANT. IN

RIGHTLEFT

6. Remove the hardware from the VHF antenna’s lead-in terminals.

7. Wrap each lead around one of the antenna’s lead-in terminals (on both sides of the boom) and secure with

9. Secure the leads with the supplied ﬂat washers and large wing nuts.

Optional Accessories

RadioShack carries these and many other antenna mounting accessories:

Outdoor Coaxial Cable

Matching Transformer

To TV

A/V Cable

Antenna Rotator

Grounding Block

Tripod Mount

Antenna

Mast

Radio Shack U-75R User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual