Thank you for choosing the American made, SGC STEALTH
Kit. We are confident that you will be happy with your purchase and
assure you of our full commitment to customer service. Since 1971,
SGC has been designing and manufacturing a wide range of HF SSB
communications products. Our goal is to provide reliable equipment,
which is competitively priced and which fits the need of the radio user.
With the STEALTH Kit, SGC has provided an all-in-one,
convenient antenna solution. The STEALTH Kit is perfect for emergency use, when an urgent communications command center must be
setup in minutes. The STEALTH Kit contains everything a novice or
professional needs to erect an antenna in any location—and provides
performance equivalent to most dipole antennas!
And, in keeping with its’ name, the STEALTH Kit is an ideal
antenna solution for restricted areas, such as condominiums and gated
communities where dipoles and towers are forbidden. Or, use the
STEALTH in city apartments where access to roofs or large open areas
is restricted. The STEALTH Kit is also a great antenna solution when
you are on vacation. Whether in an RV or a hotel room, the STEALTH
Kit is a “Grab and Go” box - filled with everything you need to complete your communications center.
We are proud of the STEALTH Kit as it provides an antenna
system that is automatic, easy to install and easy to use. Any location,
any radio and any situation - the STEALTH Kit is the perfect choice
for a quick and convenient antenna solution.
1. Locate a proper area where you would like to erect your loop
antenna. Initially the system could b e o perated with the antenna
lying on the floor.
2. Connect your coupler to the transceiver and a suitable 12VDC
power supply. This can be the same source as the power supply to
the radio if it is a 12VDC unit. Avoid regulated linear or switching power supplies as they may be susceptible to RF radi ation
and may lose regulation and apply higher voltage than permissible. Power supplies may also lose regulation at peak modulation
and cause intermittent operation.
3. Connect your loop antenna to the two terminals of the coupler;
one hot side, one ground side. Both have a wing nut terminal to
allow easy attachment.
4. If urgent operation is required, transmit on an emergency frequency with the antenna on the ground. Although this setup is not
efficient, it will allow you to easily establish a communication
link in an emergency.
5. Configure your antenna in single or multiple loops (not to exceed
four loops).
6. Elevate your system to any surrounding high points such as a
tree, roof, top of car, ceiling, mast, etc. Attach with 4 ropes and
clips provided. The coupler can also be elevated using the fifth
piece of rope.
7. After your initial contact, you may improve your antenna ins tallation following the guidelines in this manual.
The Smart Tuning, Emergency Antenna Loop, Tactical HF Kit STEALTH - antenna kit is a high-freque ncy antenna for situations
where a full size antenna is not possible. Its main features are:
•
Easily configured to the space available
•
Groundless - no RF ground re quired
•
Easy to install - kit contains all necessary items
•
Automatic operation
•
Easy to use - no meters or lights to watch, no buttons to
push
•
Wide bandwidth - 2.5 (and lower for non-amateur radio
usage) to 30 MHz
•
High performance - can match the performance of a full
size dipole
STEALTH is a loop antenna chosen for its radiation efficiency and
because it does not require an electrical ground. It can be horizontal or
vertical mounted for short and long range communications needs.
An important use of STEALTH is as an emergency antenna.
STEALTH is easy to install and easy to operate. Its small size makes
it easy to transport and quick to install.
But STEALTH was also designed for...
The amateur radio user who is struggling with Homeowners’
“Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions”. A stealth antenna can be
installed with no visible signs of its presence, in developments where
erected antennas are forbidden.
Those living in an apartment or similar limited environment.
STEALTH provides an effective antenna in small spaces. It can be
installed in an area as small as 5 feet by 5 feet.
Use as an effective, ready to go, compact vacation antenna.
Offices, farms, etc. It can be used where other antennas are not practical.
RF Burns can occur if the output terminals or antenna wire of the SG237 are touched while transmitting. Use caution to avoid injury and
burns.
Prolonged exposure to RF should be avoided. Those persons using
heart pacemaker devices should avoid RF exposure.
To avoid injury and damage to equipment: Whenever possible, we
strongly recommend reducing transmit power. Preferably, 10 to 25
watts should be used and will generally provide good communications. If using an outside antenna, 100 watts can be used without any
harmful consequences.
If for any reason a particular setup or frequency does not provide the
expected results, minor changes can significantly improve performance. For example: move the radio as far away as possible from the
coupler or antenna; avoid coiled power or coaxial feed cables; reconfigure setup, etc.
SGC accepts no responsibility for performance or results from the
STEALTH Kit. SGC accepts no responsibility for any unlikely damage or injury resulting from the use of the STEALTH Kit.
2.0 Specifications
• Antenna loop perimeter: 80’ (24m)
• Maximum square configuration - 20’ (6.1m)
• Minimum squa re configuration - 5’ (1.5m)
• Number of turns - 1 to 4
• HF frequency range - 2.5 to 60 MHz.
• Maximum power - 100 watts
• Package size 3.5” x 10” x 15” (8.9cm x 25.4cm x 38.1cm)
Performance and results may vary and SGC does not warrant any installation or any result. SGC reserves the rig ht to change the specifications without notice.
3.0 Supplied Items
•
SG-237 Smartuner HF Antenna coupler and manual.
•
80’ (25m) of loop antenna wire.
•
4 - antenna mounting clips and 20’ (6m) ropes attached
•
30’ (9.14m) of nylon support rope with clip
•
12 - Releasable cable ties
•
2 - spare antenna mounting clips
4.0 Installation
4.1 Advance Preparation for emergency use
Plan your emergency station before you need it! You should consider
things like:
• Equipment - Have you selected the equipment to be used
in an emergency situation? Is that equipment able to
withstand possible abuse? Do you have all power
sources immediately available and, in the case of batteries, are they fully charged?
• Cable extensions - Do you have AC cords long enough
for typical situations? Is your coax long enough or
should you have some exten si ons? If your installation
will be battery powered, do you have cables to reach
them and also the cables needed to maintain the charge
on them?
• Connector installation(s) - Have you installed all connectors on all the cables which might be needed?
• Where are your emergency supplies - Are they in one,
quickly retrievable location? Or do you have them scattered around?
Do not wait for an emergency to happen - be ready. Test
everything including STEALTH. Be fully prepared to react
in the event of an emergency.
4.1 Antenna Installation
There are several factors which need to be considered before installing the antenna and some can affect others.
WARNING!
Never mount any antenna near power lines or utility wires. Any
materials, ladders, ropes, feedlines, etc., which come in contact
with power lines can conduct voltages that can be fatal.
Stay away from all power lines.
4.1.1 Antenna Orientation
Because the signal radiation of a loop antenna is perpendicular to the
plane of the loop, how you orient the antenna should be determined
by your communica tio n need s .
This is called polarization. A loop mounted horizontally is considered
to be vertically polarized as the signal is primarily radiated vertically
and will provide more effective short distance communications. Likewise, a loop mounted vertically is horizontally polarized as its signal
is primarily radiated horizontally and is better for long range communications.
4.1.1.1 Horizontal - for less than 500 miles
(830km)
If your needs are expected to be less than 500 miles (830km), the best
results can be obtained by orienting the antenna so the plane of the
loop is horizontal.
Horizontal triangular plane - f or vertical radiation, the coupler is
supported by rope, approx. 25 ft. in the center of the back segment.
Use this type of antenna when you need to maintain long range communications of 500 to 5000 miles (830km to 8300km).
Vertically mounted two-turn
loop. The coupler is installed in
center of lower section antenna.
4.1.2 Shape of the antenna loop
The ideal shape of the antenna for
this situation would b e a single turn
circle. However, this would require
complicated mounting.
Most needs can be fulfilled with a
one-turn square, rectangle or triangle shape. When there are limitations on what the size and shape of
the loop can be, it might be necessary to reduce the size by making
the loop two, three or four turns.
4.1.3 Antenna directivity
Like any antenna, a loop antenna is directional. As the size of the loop
is reduced, by configuring it as two, three o r four turns, the directivity
becomes more significant.
As is the case with all antennas, the rule of thumb is “the higher the
better”. You should attempt to make the lowest point of the loop at
least 10 feet (3mtr) above ground.
4.1.5 Inside or outside
If possible, the antenna should be located outside and clear of any
structures for maximum effectiveness. If you find this impossible, and
you must locate the antenna inside, consider the following:
•
Ensure that the antenna will be at least 4 inches (10cm.)
away from any larger metal objects such as a corner
column or window support.
•
Does the ceiling or roof of the room contain metal material? This can have a negative effect on the performance
of the antenna.
•
Is there any metal within the outside wall s o f the building? This can also have a negative effect.
4.1.6 Environment
Your physical environment can influence how you mount STEALTH.
For example, in a rainy area, an outside mounted antenna would need
to be mounted as high as possible to avoid interaction with the wet
ground. In a desert, where it is dry, this would be less of a consideration.
4.2 So what should I do?
The above descriptions are the ideal situations and may not always be
obtainable. You should make every effort to install the antenna in an
optimum way.
Although a square or rectangular antenna loop is generally more effective, a triangular loop can also be used. If necessary, shape the antenna as two-turn or three-turn loop and lay it on an inside floor. It
will not be as efficient as possible but you should be able to conduct
effective communications.
The two turn loop is primarily used for inside situations. It is also a
very convenient installation for vacationing, a small patio, or even a
greenhouse.
The three and four turn loops are almost always indoor antennas and
are very convenient for situations where there is a limited amount of
space available. This will be of significant importance for the office or
apartment user where they can be mounted near a window or door.
Coupler Connection Point
In the case of the triangular configurations above, the coupler is
shown connected at a mid point of one of the legs which is the suggested point. If necessary, it can also be connected at a corner of the
triangle. Testing has sho wn that the corner connection performs better
when the coupler is connected at a midpoint of one of the legs or segments. (Configurations 501, 502 & 503 will perform better than 302
& 402.)
Tip: one drawback when connecting the coupler at a corner of a triangular configuration is that the support ropes for the coupler can
become long and difficult to install p ro perly.
If you have obtained the STEALTH for emergency use, practice
installing the antenna. This will benef it yo u when it comes to an
actual emergency situation.
4.3 Sample installation
WARNING!
Never mount any antenna near power lines or utility wires. Any
materials, ladders, ropes, feedlines, etc., which come in contact
with power lines can conduct voltages that can be fatal.
Stay away from all power lines.
For the limited space available, a three-turn square loop antenna,
mounted vertically, for long range communication needs, is to be assembled with the coupler resting on the floor.
This will show how to construct the antenna so that emergency operations can begin as quic kly as possible. You will then be shown how to
finish the installation for better performance.
In this sample installation, the
support ropes were attached to
2 chairs.
• Attach the coupler to ends of antenna wire and lay it on the floo r .
The antenna has been
raised to its final position and ends have
been connected to the
coupler which is lying
on the floor.
• Attach the cable from the coupler to the radio and connect the
coupler power leads - see section 4.4.
Do not coil any cables! Doing so can make them susceptible to the
radiated signal from the antenna and they can have a negative
effect on the performance of the antenna and radio system.
At this point in the constructio n o f the antenna, which required 15
minutes to accomplish, emergency operation is possible.
When time permits, the installation should be completed to improve
the performance of the antenna by...
• Only in an emergency should coupler be hung by antenna wir e. A
30 foot rope has been provided to support the coupler mechanically and provide relief to the antenna wire. Attach a section of
rope through mou nting holes on each side of the coup ler.
Read the SG-237 manual, which is included, as it provides detailed
information which can be helpful to your installation.
The coaxial connector at the end of the coupler cable can then be securely attached to the radio equipment.
The red wire should be attached to a +12 volt power source and the
black wire to ground.
4.5 Tips, Do’s and Don’ts
• Do notcoil any cables, even those which are not part of the an-
tenna. Doing so can make them susceptible to the signal radiated
by the antenna and could impact the performance of the antenna
and the radio system.
• If an “RF Burn” - it feels like a sting - is experienced by touching
the radio while transmitting, eliminate potential RF by grounding
the radio by attaching one or more 15 to 40 foot wires (not supplied) to the ground terminal of the radio.
• When shaping the wire for a multi -turn antenna, it will be much
easier to accomplish if you can get another person to help. Form
the loops, them alternate shaking and gently pulling the wire until
all of the loops are the same length.
• To verify that the antenna is radiating a signal, any 5 to 100 Watt
fluorescent light tube can be used. By moving the bulb around the
perimeter of the antenna you will find spots where the bulb lights
up indicating the presence of radiated RF power. Intensity of light
increases with power in the antenna and on lower frequencies.
For RF radiation
detection, the fluorescent tube has
been moved
around the loop
until a position was
found where the
bulb glowed.
• Knot the ends of the supplied antenna wire together before at-
tempting to shape or install the antenna. Once the antenna has
been raised into position, the knot can be r emoved and the coupler attached to the ends of the wire.
• Whenever nylon rope is cut, the ends will quickly become unrav-
eled. This can be eliminated by slowly warming the ends with a
small flame until the rope is melted slightly. You may use a
match or a lighter for this p ur pose.
• The coupler should be supported by a section of rope passed
through its mounting holes. Do not
allow it to hang unsupported
from the antenna wire.
• When the installation of STEALTH will be a two-turn or three-
turn configuration, forming the loops first will make the installation much easier to accomplish.
Appendix A (pg. 31) contains photographs of sample configurations
and performance test results.
A small, highly directive, four-turn loop antenna can be constructed
for indoor or outdoor use. The Adjustable Directive Loop Antenna
can be used in a room as small as 10 by 10 feet. It can be hung from
the ceiling with the supplied rope for orientation of the antenna for
the best receiving or transmitting signal. By listening to a station, the
operator can simply rotate the antenna for b e st signal strength or intelligibility.
When used indoors, appliances may cause local interferences or radio
frequency pollution which could substantially impair the incoming
signal. In this situation, the antenna can be oriented to minimize the
interference and enhance the incoming signal. Also, when reaching
the contact station, a test can be performed by asking the contact station for a signal report. Rotating the antenna in 45 degree incre ments
is the best way to determine the be st r a diation direction.
Direction of the angle is perpendicular to the plane of the antenna
with directivity gain varying from 6 to 12db for a 4-turn loop antenna.
This depend s on the operating frequency - the lower the frequency the
higher the directivity.
For this construction, two wooden flagpoles, sticks or plastic plumbing tubes of 6 feet long would be required and a hookup point on the
ceiling, 7 feet or more above the ground.
The following pages describ e this type of installation.
First construct the cross sectio n of the two sticks by using the supplied rope - on the vertical stick by approximately 2 to 3 inches
above the center.
Next, use two of the supplied cable ties at the end of each pole; one
to go around the pole and to hold the other in place. Four sets of two
will be required, one set for each of the four ends of the poles.
Attach the cable ties 2 inches from three ends of the pole. For the
fourth side (the bottom), place the cable ties 14 to 15 inches from the
end of the pole. This will create a 4 by 4 foot loop approximately.
Next, on the bottom below the cable ties, attach the coupler vertically
with rope or more cable ties.
Now, attach the antenna wire to the coupler output and loop the antenna five times through t he loops previously made. When completed,
attach the end of the loop antenna to the couplers ground terminal. If
any wire is left, pass it through an additional cab le tie or just let it
hang from the lowest part of the loop. If the antenna ends up too short
to get to the ground terminal, re move it from the last cable tie and go
directly to the ground terminal.
This setup is an effective way to improve the connections.
Configuration 601
Note: Drawing shows construction details and is not to scale.
Rotate the antenna until the best direction is achieved. Then, secur e it
with an additional rope attached to a nearby object such as a window
or door.
Note: Any materials can be used for this set up with the exception of
metal. Test performances expected are similar to the four loop antenna described on page 35.
The antenna could be mounted on the top of a car or camper using
short plastic mountings of 4” to 8” in length and elevating it from the
roof of the vehicle.
18" PVC
pipe
standoffs
Recreational Vehicle
Antenna Installation
Antenna wire
Coupler
inside coach
mounted
Use a separate ground strap or wire for the body
and the chassis to the ground of the coupler.
Helicopters can also be fitted with a triang ular configuration from the
front to the back of the underside of the aircraft body.
Rotary Aircraft
Isolator
Wire antenna
Strut to space out
antenna with plastic
tubing or fiberglass
rod
This manual is p r oduced a s a gui de li ne f or t he S mart Tuni ng, E mer genc y Ant en na
Loop, Tactical HF Kit - STEALTH Kit. Performance and results may vary and
SGC does not warrant any installation or any result. This manual is subject to
change without notic e. You have purchased an SGC product together wi th a license to use the software installed in that product. Please return the warra nty registration card tha t accompanies this produc t so that we can ensure tha t you receive
proper warranty ser vice and important notices that may af fect the product. This
SGC product is war rant ed to be f r ee from defec t s i n work mans hip and mat eri a l for
a period of days f rom the origina l buyer’s da te of purcha se. In the event of a defect, malfunc tion or fa ilure of which SGC recei ves noti ce during t hat ti me period,
SGC, at its option, will repair or replace the product fr ee of charge to the bu yer.
The buyer must contact SGC for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) and
deliver the product back to SGC with this RMA nu mber and written proof as to
the date of purchase. SGC will ship a new or repaired product to the buyer, reserving the discretionary right to return a newer model that offers at least equal performance. The foregoing warranty extends to the original buyer and does not include (a) buyer’s c ost to return the pr oduct to SGC, (b) b uyer’s cost to remo ve or
reinstall the product for warranty work, or (c) added costs of special expedit ed
shipment that may be requested by the buyer. Except for the limited warranty
stated above, and to the full extent permitted by the law, SGC disclaims any other
express or implied warranties and liability for any incident, consequential, special
or exemplary damages i n connection with its produc t, even if SGC or its agents
are advised that such damages are foreseeable. (Note: some states do not allow
exclusion or li mitation of incidental or consequent ial damages, so t he above exclusion may not appl y to you.) Ther e is no war ranty with res pect t o (a) the product ’s
transmission r ange or ge ographi cal covera ge which c an var y by locati on, (b) nonperformance caused by using an inadequate or improper antenna or grounding
system, or (c) r outine maintenanc e, periodic adjustments and p erformance test ing
of the product or s ystem. S GC c us to mar il y cha rges a flat f ee for r epairs p erf or med
outside of the war ranty coverage. To inquire ab out such charges, please cont act
SGC. SGC warrants tha t t he SOFT WARE i ncl ude d in t his pr oduc t will perform in
substantial accordance with the documentation. SGC grants to the original end
user of its product a non-exc lusive worldwide licens e to operate the software installed therein. This license shall be transferred to any person or entity that subsequently acquir es lawful ownershi p of the product. This lic ense shall be limited t o
the using of the soft ware for contemplated oper ation of SGC’s product. This li cense does not permit any end user to (a) modify or ada pt SGC’s software or
merge it into another program, (b) reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise
attempt to discover SGC’s software source code, or (c) sub license or otherwise transfer SGC’s software for any use other than operating the product
originally purchased from SGC.
Notes: There was a mild RF burn on the
10 MHz frequencies; it was eliminated
by laying 3 wires on the floor as a
ground which was connected to the
ground terminal on the transceiver.
To illustrate and substantiate t he re sults and performance of the
loop antennas described in this book, SGC has established a special
online database describing contacts used with this equipment. This
database will effectively inform any user of the results that they
could expect using the STEALTH Kit. Anyone can add their contacts made to this database for the entire world to see.
For more information on this da tabase go to www.sgcworld.com/
stealth
9.0 Conclusion
The STEALTH KIT can be used in any emergency situation and be
erected in 15 minutes. In an urgent situation, lay the SG-237 Smartuner and the antenna on the floor in a distorted round or square
loop of approximately 20 by 20 feet, and establish communications
immediately. Later, the antenna system can be erected following the
guidelines in this book to provide better and more reliable communication.
The addition of our Global Reference Database
(www.sgcworld.com/stealth) will give first time users a better understanding of the outstanding capabilities of HF Radio Communication in an emergency situation or by simply co ntacting other s
around the world.
The STEALTH Kit can be used throughout the complete HF Spectrum from 2.5 to 60 MHz in any commercial, industrial, marine,
aviation, vehicular, government, militar y or residential app lication.