Alpha Antenna ProMaster User manual

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

UserGuide
forthe

AlphaAntenna
ProMastersystem




Manufacturedby:
AlphaAntenna
1.888.482.3249

Website:http://AlphaAntenna.com





UserGuideVersion2.5.b

March29,2018


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TableofContents

Safety Information ........................................................................................................... 3
Excess RF Exposure Warning ........................................................................................ 4
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5
Product Overview ............................................................................................................ 5
Antenna Parts List ........................................................................................................... 6
Antenna Assembly .......................................................................................................... 7
Primary Connections ....................................................................................................... 9
The NVIS Element ........................................................................................................ 10
The Deployed Antenna .................................................................................................. 11
Support Contacts .......................................................................................................... 12

REPORTING ERRORS AND RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS
You can help improve this manual. If you find any mistakes or if you know of a way to
improve the procedures, please let us know. Mail or email us a marked copy to the contact
information on the last page of this manual.
REPORTING EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS (EIR)
If your Alpha FMJ multiband antenna needs improvement, let us know. You, the user, are
the only one who can tell us what you don’t like about your equipment. Mail or email us an
EIR to the contact information on the last page of this manual. 

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
SafetyInformation
Wheninstallingoroperatingthisantennaoranyotherantenna/tower,pleaseobservethe
followingsafetytips.

NOTE–Highvoltagesarepresentwhentransmitting,nomatterhowmuchorlittlepoweris
applied.Donottouchanypartoftheantennawhiletransmitting.

WARNING:INSTALLATIONOROPERATIONOFTHISPRODUCTNEARPOWERLINESIS
DANGEROUS!FORYOURSAFETY,FOLLOWTHEENCLOSEDINSTALLATIONDIRECTIONS.THOUGH
THISANTENNAISCONSTRUCTEDWITHINSULATEDMATERIALS,PROPERCAREMUSTBETAKEN
DURINGINSTALLATION.INSTALLERASSUMESALLLIABILITYFORPROPERTYANDLIFESAFETY.

YOU,YOURANTENNA,ANDSAFETY
Eachyear,hundredsofpeoplearekilled,mutilated,orreceivesevereandpermanentinjuries
whenattemptingtoinstallanantenna.Inmanyofthesecases,thevictimwasawareofthe
dangerofelectrocution,butdidnottakeadequatestepstoavoidthehazard.Foryoursafety,
andtohelpyouachieveagoodinstallation,pleaseREADandFOLLOWthesafetyprecautions
below.THEYMAYSAVEYOURLIFE!

1.Ifyouareinstallinganantennaforthefirsttime,please,foryourownsafetyaswellas
others,seekPROFESSIONALASSISTANCE.
2.Selectyourinstallationsitewithsafety,aswellasperformance,inmind.REMEMBER:
ELECTRICPOWERLINESANDPHONELINESLOOKALIKE.FORYOURSAFETY,ASSUMETHATANY
OVERHEADLINESCANKILLYOU.
3.Callyourelectricpowercompany.Tellthemyourplansandaskthemtocometakealookat
yourproposedinstallation.Thisisasmallinconvenience,consideringYOURLIFEISATSTAKE.
4.Planyourinstallationprocedurecarefullyandcompletelybeforeyoubegin.Successfulraising
ofamastortowerislargelyamatterofcoordination.Eachpersonshouldbeassignedaspecific
task,andshouldknowwhattodoandwhentodoit.Onepersonshouldbedesignatedasthe
leader/coordinatoroftheoperationtocalloutinstructionsandwatchforsignsoftrouble.
5.Wheninstallingyourantenna,REMEMBER:DONOTUSEAMETALLADDER.DONOTWORK
ONAWETORWINDYDAY.DODRESSPROPERLY:shoeswithrubbersolesandheels,rubber
gloves,longsleevedshirtorjacket.
6.Iftheassemblystartstodrop,getawayfromitandletitfall.Remember,theantenna,mast,
cableandmetalguywiresareallexcellentconductorsofelectricalcurrent.Eventheslightest
touchofanyofthesepartstoapowerlinecompletesanelectricalpaththroughtheantenna
andtheinstaller–THAT’SYOU!
7.IfANYPARToftheantennasystemshouldcomeincontactwithapowerline,DON’TTOUCH
ITORTRYTOREMOVEITYOURSELF.CALLYOURLOCALPOWERCOMPANY.Theywillremove
itsafely.Ifanaccidentshouldoccurwiththepowerlines,callforqualifiedemergencyhelp
IMMEDIATELY. 

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ExcessRFExposureWarning
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission has established guidelines
for human exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. The commission’s
requirements are detailed in parts 1 & 2 of the FCC’s rules and regulations {47 CFR,
1.1307(b), 1.1310, 22.1091, 2.1093}. It is the responsibility of the owner/operator of this
device to follow all applicable warnings and precautions regarding human exposure to RF
fields.
The FCC Office of Engineering Technology (OET) Bulletin 65, Supplement B, Evaluating
Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio frequency Electromagnetic
Fields directly concerns the use and operations of all Alpha Antenna systems. This bulletin
establishes safe operating distances from antennas associated power levels in order to
permit the operator and persons who may be impacted by operation to exist in a safe
environment. Guidelines for Maximum Permissible Exposure, or MPE, are defined in
Supplement B of the bulletin.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Refer to the above mentioned Supplement B along with FCC OET Bulletin 65, Version 97-
01. The information in the supplement provides additional details that are used for
evaluating compliance of amateur radio stations with FCC guidelines for exposure to radio
frequency electromagnetic fields. Supplement B users should, however, also consult
Bulletin 65 for complete information on FCC policies, guidelines, and compliance related
issues. Definitions of terms used in this supplements appear in Bulletin 65. Bulletin 65 can
be viewed and downloaded from the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology’s web
site at: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety
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Introduction
ThankyouforyoursupportoftheAlphaAntennaline.Wehopethatyouwillenjoyusingthis
product,aswecontinuetoreceivewrittentestimonialsfromAmateurRadioOperators(Hams)
onhoweasytheAlphaAntennasystemsaretodeploy,howwelltheywork,andhoweach
antennasystemthatisdeployedhasmadeeachperson’soperatingexperiencespositiveand
enduring.
ProductOverview
Withproperdeployment,theAlphaAntennasystemisdesignedtooperatecontinuouslyfrom
10through80meters.Itwillacceptupto500Watts(PEP)oftransmitterpoweronSSB.

AdditionalProductDetails
 AntennaConfiguration:
o VerticalElement:1Self‐supporting6sectiontelescopicverticalelement
o HorizontalElements:1NVISelement
o GroundWire:1groundwirewithgroundingstake
 MaximumFrequencyCoverage:3.5MHzto29.7MHz
 MaximumPowerRating:500WattsPEPSSB
 Weight:7pounds


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AntennaPartsList
ThefollowingitemsareincludedwiththeProMasterantennasystem.Pleasecontactour
supportlineifyoudiscoverthatpartsaremissingordamaged.

Item Description Qty. Comment
1 MountinghardwarewithAlpha
Match
1 
2 VerticalElement 1 
3 NVISElement 1 
4 Groundwire 1 
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AntennaAssembly
Step1–Prepareyourmountinginstallationwitha)galvanized13/8”fencerailplaced3‐
4feetinground,b)SteeltripodfromAlphaAntenna,orc)anyothersimilarconductive
ornon‐conductivemastthatisnolargerthan13/8”indiameter.
Step2–Laythe6taperedverticalantennaelementsendtoendflatontheground.
Inserteachsectionintothenextuntileachelementpassestheslitoftheotherby¼
inch,andsecureeachsectionwithastainlesssteelclamp.

Step3–PlacealuminummountingplatehardwareontothesupportingiteminStep1&
tightentheU‐Boltsthatarecircledbelow.

Step4–MounttheverticalantennaelementintotheU‐Boltsoppositeofthoseusedto
mountthealuminummountingplate.Hereiswhereyouwillplacetheincludedrubber
offsetscircledaroundtheverticalelementandundertheassociatedU‐Boltsonthe
mountingplatethatarecircledbelow.
Step5–a)Placetheo‐ringconnectorthathasredshrinktube,whichfeedstheVertical
element,overthetopboltontheAlphaMatch.b)Placetheo‐ringconnectorthathas
redshrinktube,whichfeedsthe25footlongNVISelement,overthetopboltonthe
AlphaMatch.c)Securetheringconnectorsinplacewiththeincludednut.

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Step6–a)Attachthe1o‐ringthathasblackshrinktubeontheGroundwiretothe
bottomboltontheAlphaMatch,ascircledbelow.b)Securetheringconnectorinplace
withtheincludednut.
Step7–Mountthealuminumhardwarewithfullyassembledverticalelementontothe
mountinginstallationthatwaspreparedinStep1,thendrivetheGroundwire’sstake
intothegroundatleast4inches.
Step8–AttachyourcoaxialfeedlinetotheSO‐239ontheAlphaMatch.

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PrimaryConnections
Hereishowyourprimaryconnectionsfortheantennashouldbeassembled:




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TheNVISElement

WhenfullydeployedwiththeNVISelement,theantennasystemisconfiguredtoenhanceyour
signalintheoppositedirectiontheNVISelementisrun.Foranomnidirectionalsignalpattern,
youmayremovetheNVISelement,whichmayrequireatuneronsomeofthebands.

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TheDeployedAntenna
Theantennasystemsshouldbeplacedinthemostfreeandclearplaceonyourproperty.This
willgivethetakeoffanglethebestchancetopropagateyoursignalinthemostoptimum
mannerpossible.Youmayalsouseanexternalantennatunerifyourantennaisinstalledovera
poorgroundornotplacedinacleararea.

HereisanexampleofwhatyourdeployedProMastermightlooklikewhendeployedwitha
backgroundoffoliage.

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SupportContacts
Ifyouhavequestionsaboutyourantenna,pleasefeelfreetocontactus.
Email:[email protected]–Phone:1‐888‐482‐3249–WEB:www.AlphaAntenna.com