Radio Shack VU-75XR User Manual

15-2151.fm Page 1 Wednesday, April 26, 2000 8:25 PM

VU-75XR VHF/UHF/FM Antenna with Matching Transformer

OWNER’S MANUAL — Please read before using this equipment.

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 inst alla­tion and purchase the necessary hardware in advance. The
hardware required and the order in which you perform th e 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, 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.

ASSEMBLING THE ANTENNA

Assemble the entire antenna on the ground.

1. Use the supplied hardware to loosely attach the supplied
mast clamp assembly to the main boom, as shown.

Note: To access the mast clamp ho les, move the ant enna’ s
elements out of the way as needed.

U-Bolt

Mast Clamp

Using Coaxial Cable

Lead-In Terminal

Main
Boom

Weather Boot

Matching

F-Connector

Transformer

To connect coaxial cable to your antenna:

1. Thread the supplied matching transformer’s spade termi­nals through the antenna’s strain- relief tab.

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.

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

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.

Spade Terminals

Strain-Relief Tab

Flat Washers

Large
Wing Nuts

Main Boom

Backup Plate

Lock Nuts

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

CONNECTING LEAD-IN CABLE
TO THE ANTENNA

We recommend RG-6 cable and, if you prepare your own ca­ble, a quality F-connector. You can also use 300-ohm flat, twin­lead cable. (RadioShack carries a variety of suitable cables and
connectors.)

Note: If you prepare your own coaxial cable, be sure to slide
the supplied matching transformer’s weather boot onto the ca­ble before you attach the F-connector.

Using Twin-Lead Cable

Lead-In Terminal

Main
Boom

Twin-Lead Cable

To connect flat, twin-lead cable to your antenna:

1. Split one end of the twin-lead cable for a length of about 3
inches. Then strip about

1

/2 inch of insulation from both

leads.

2. Thread the stripped leads through the antenna’s strain­relief tab.

3. Wrap each lead around one of the antenna’s lead-in termi­nals (on both sides of the boom). Be sure there is enough
slack between the strain-relief tab and the antenna termi­nals to prevent stress on the cable or the terminals.

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

Strain-Relief Tab

Flat Washers

Large
Wing Nuts

1998, 2000 Tandy Corporation.

©

RadioShack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

RadioShack.com is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

All Rights Reserved.

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UNFOLDING 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 self­locking plastic support insulators.

Caution:

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 supplied small end plugs into the wing booms.

4. Bolt the triangular wing boom brackets onto the main boom
using the supplied 1
shown.

To avoid damage to the elements, do not pull

1

/2-inch screw and small wing nu t, as

Wing Boom
Brackets

11/2-Inch
Screw

the crossover wires to provide at least

1

/2 inch of clearance

between parts.

Crossover Wires

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

Main Boom
Short Elements

Main Boom

Small Wing Nut

5. Insert the top and bottom wing booms into the wing boom
brackets. Secure them with the four supplied 1

1

/4-inch

screws and small wing nuts, as shown.

Top Wing Boom

Wing Boom
Brackets

11/4-Inch
Screws

Small Wing Nuts

Bottom Wing Boom

ATTACHING TO THE MAST

We recommend that you enlist the help of 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.

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.

Caution:

boom, the mast, or each other. If necessary, carefully bend

The crossover wires must not touch the antenna

Toward TV
Stations’
Antennas

Mast

Main Boom Long Elements

ROUTING THE CABLE TO YOUR
TV/VCR/FM RECEIVER

If you use coaxial cable:

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

• Use coaxial cable nail-in clips every few feet to secure the
cable between the mast and where the cable enters the
house.

• 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.

If you use twin-lead cable:

• Be sure the twin-lead cable remains at least 4 inches away
from all metal surfaces.

• Use standoff insulators about every 4 feet. Twist the twin­lead cable about three turns between standoff insulators.

• Read the separate Consumer Product Safety Commission
sheet for grounding instructions.

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