Hy-Gain KIT-160-88 User manual

308 Industrial Park Road
Starkville, MS 39759 USA Ph:
[phone] FAX: [phone]
KIT-160-88
160-Meter Add-On Kit for
DX-88 Vertical Antenna
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
GENERAL INFORMATION
This kit consists of a 160 meter loading coil
assembly, a tuning capacitor assembly, a base
matching coil assembly, and assembly
hardware. This 160 meter kit can easily be
added to any DX-88 vertical antenna to
provide 160 meter band coverage. This kit
will also improve performance on the 80
meter band by increasing the physical length
of the antenna. Since the 160 meter coil and
tuning capacitor must be manually switched
into and out of the circuit, this kit is only
recommended for ground-mounted
installations.
This 160 meter kit will provide tuneable
coverage of the entire 160 meter band, 1800-
2000 KHz. You may set the tuning capacitor
on the 160 meter kit to any specific operating
frequency or you may set the tuning capacitor
for the middle of the band and use an antenna
tuner or external matching device to match the
antenna when you change frequencies within
the 160 meter band.
The addition of the 160 meter coil at ap-
proximately 5 feet above the base of the
antenna provides greater radiation efficiency
than trying to match the DX-88 without the
160 meter coil, or with base loadin
g
.
The base matching coil will provide a DC
ground for the antenna and will also help to
bring the VSWR down to 1.0 at resonance. It
will need to be replaced or modified to help
the match on the 80 meter band. It will not
affect o
p
eration on 40 throu
g
h 10 meters.
The loading coil is constructed of heavy wall,
high dielectric strength, laminated fiberglass
using #12 AWG insulated copper wire and
enclosed in a weather protective thermofit
cover. The tuning capacitor is made from 2"
aluminum tubing with a large air gap and
Teflon @ spacers to prevent high voltage
flashover. All hardware is stainless steel.
Teflon® is a registered trademark of DuPont de Nemours, I.E., & Co.,
Inc.
SPECIFICATIONS (160 meters
Tuning Range .......................................................................................1800-2000 KHz
Maximum Power ...................................................1500 watts PEP 700 Watts Average*
2:1 VSWR Bandwidth ...................................................................................... 20 KHz
Nominal Impedance ......................................................................................... 50 ohms
Recommended Radials (not supplied) ..........16 each, 24 ft (7.3m) 16 each, 14 ft (4.3m)
*5 min. on, 5 min off

INSTALLATION
IN
S
TALLATI
O
NIN
S
TALLATI
O
N
INSTALLATION
The Omni DX-88 vertical with the 160 MK-88
160 meter kit should be mounted in the clear,
at least 30 feet from buildings, metal fences,
metal masts or flagpoles and other large
metallic structures.
WARNING
Installation of this product near power
lines is dangerous ! For your safety,
follow the installation directions.
Do not install this antenna near any power
line. Not only is it dangerous to put up and
take down, the power lines could cause
excessive noise to be received by the radio
connected to this antenna.
When DX-88 and 160 MK-88 are installed or
the ground, a radial system is normally re-
quired. The minimum recommended radial
system for efficient 160 meter operation from
a city lot consists of 16 radials at 24 feet (7.3
m; long and 16 radials at 14 feet (4.3 m) long.
See Figure 1. These wire radials are not
supplies
Figure 1 DX-88 Ground Mount
Radial S
y
stem

Since the radials of a ground-mounted vertical
are actually on, if not in, the ground, they are
coupled by capacitance or conduction to the
ground, and thus resonance effects are not im-
portant. Basically, the function of ground
radials is to provide a low-loss return path for
ground currents. Longer radials and more
radials will reduce the ground losses and
effectively increase the gain of the antenna.
See the article entitled "Radial Systems for
GroundMounted Vertical Antennas" by Brian
Edward, pages 28-30, QST magazine, June,
1985 for more information.
The radial length of 24 feet (7.3 m) is ap-
proximately 0.1 wavelength at 4 MHz. With
poor earth conditions (dry, rock soil), the gain
of this vertical antenna system will be ap-
proximately 3 dB below the gain from a
perfect earth or 120 radials. With good earth
conditions (agricultural land, low hills), the
gain of this vertical antenna system will be
approximately 2 dB below the gain from a
p
erfect earth or 120 radials.
On 160 meters, a radial length of 24 feet (7.3
m) is approximately 0.05 wavelength. With
poor earth conditions, the gain of this vertical
antenna system will be approximately 4 dB
below the gain of the same antenna on a
perfect earth or 120 radials (0.5 wavelength).
With good earth conditions, the gain will be
approximately 3 dB below the gain from a
p
erfect earth or 120 radials
(
0.5 wavelen
g
th
)
.
If you have already assembled the DX-88 an-
tenna previously, remove the 1 3/8" x 9 3/4"
splice tube (Item 7 in Figure 11 of the DX-88
Manual). Replace this tube with the new 160
meter assembly as shown in Figure 3. Tighten
all hardware on the 160 meter loading coil as-
sembly, but DO NOT tighten the clamps on
the capacitor assembly until instructed to do
so.
ANTENNA TUNING
Adjust dimensions A + B, C, D, E, F, G, H,
and I to the correct dimensions for your
o
p
eratin
g
fre
q
uencies as shown in Gra
p
hs 1-8.
EXAMPLE I - Amateur
The dimensions for the DX-88 with the 160
MK-88 installed to resonate near the center
of each amateur band are: (CW curves)
ANTENNA ASSEMBLY
Select the shorting bars, loading coil
assembly, capacitor assembly, clamps and
hardware as shown in Figure 2. Assemble
loosely as shown. Assemble the two new pairs
of 1 1/8" x 1" clamps just above the base
assembly as shown in Figure 3. Tighten these
clamps securely.

Figure 2 160
Meter Trap

Figure 3 Overall View of DX-88 with Top View Details and 160 MK-
88 Installed

EXAMPLE 2 - SWL
The dimensions for this antenna to resonate
in the center of the 11, 13, 16, 19, and 31
meter SWL bands, and near the 49 and 90
meter SWL bands are:
Tighten the top tubing clamp to hold the large
capacitor tube in position. Refer to the detail
with Graph 9. Select the desired frequency of
operation on the 160 meter band, and adjust
the dimension " X" as shown in Graph 9.
Tighten the lower tubing clamp to maintain
the correct dimension.
NOTE: Due to some variations, minor
capacitor adjustment may be required to
resonate the antenna on the desired frequency.
Incremental changes of 1 inch of dimension
"X" results in a frequency shift of
approximately 12 - 13 KHz.
160 METER MATCHING
30 Meter bracket = at bottom of 30 meter
ca
p
acitors
After assembly for amateur use, check the
VSWR on all of the HF bands, 80-10 m, with
the shorting bars still attached. High VSWR
on 80 meters may be noticed unless the proper
80 meter matching coil is installed at the
antenna base. Adjust the dimensions on each
b
and if necessar
y
.
To achieve low VSWR on 160 meters, replace
the 80 meter matching coil with the 160 meter
matching coil. The 160 meter matching coil
will also provide a DC ground and low VSWR
on 40-10 meters. Install this coil assembly as
shown in Figure 4. The leads may be formed
to suit
y
our installation.
To operate on 160 meters, remove both short-
ing bars (see Figure 2, Item 1), and set the
80/40 meter capacitors to A = B = 1 3/4". Set
the large capacitor tube so that there is a 1
inch gap between it and the lower mounting
b
racket.
NOTE: DC COIL CONSISTS OF
14 TURNS NO.14 INSULATED
SOLID COPPER WIRE. COIL
LENGTH IS 2 INCHES. COIL I.D.
IS 1.25 INCHES.
Figure 4 DC Shorting Coil/160 m
Matchin
g
Coil

Graph 1
80/40 Meter 3.5 -
4.0 MHz
Graph 2 80/40
Meter 6.9 - 7.4
MHz Graph 4 Dimension D 12 Meter
Trap for 24.5 - 26.5 MHz
Graph 3 Dimension C 10 Meter
Trap for 27 - 29.7 MHz

Graph 7 Dimension G 20 Meter
Trap for 13.5 - 15.5 MHz

DIMENSION . DIMENSION
SETTING "H" "I"
HAM - CW 16 in. 18 in.
HAM-PHONE
AND 19 in. 28 in.
SWL 41/75 METERS
SWL 25 in. 46 in.
49/90 METERS
Graph 9
Dimension X 160
Meter Network
Table 1 Dimension H
and I for IIANI and
SW
L
Sett
in
gs

OPERATING
When the 160 meter band is not to be used,
install both shorting bars, replace the 80
meter matching coil, and adjust the 160 meter
capacitor to the minimum dimension "X" (ap-
proximately 5"). This allows all other bands
(
80-10m
)
to be o
p
erational.
WARNING
Keep this antenna away from the reach of
children or pets. When transmitting the
antenna and antenna radials are hot with
rf proportional to the operating power.
NOTE: Always refer to the tuning graphs in
this manual when the 160 meter kit is
installed on
y
our DX-88 antenna.
Adjust the "A + B" dimension to set the 80
meter and 40 meter o
p
eratin
g
fre
q
uencies.
To switch to 160 meters, remove the shorting
bars, replace the 160 meter matching coil, ad-
just the A and B dimensions to their
minimums, and adjust the 160 meter tuning
capacitor. If the A and B dimensions are not
set to their minimums, the antenna may not be
able to resonate near 1800 KHz.

PARTS LIST
Item
2
(
Not Used
)
3 578611 Capacitor - 160 meter ............................................................1
4 878612 Matching Coil 160 meter............................................................1
5 578613 Loading Coil Assembly 160 Meter .............................................1
878609 Parts Pack 00191S .....................................................................1
6 169339 Clamp, 7/S.. .............................................................................1
7 171077 Clamp, upper capacitor ............................................................1
8 (Not Used)
9 179734 Clamp, mast/cap .......................................................................4
10 179789 Standoff, 3/8" x 1/2" .................................................................4
11 179790 Mounting bracket, upper, 2 1/4" x 17/8 .....…............................. 1
12 179794 Mounting bracket, lower, 2 5/8" x 1 7/8".....................................1
13 37520 > Stud, # 10 x 3 3/8", stainless Steel ............................................ 2
14 455625 Caplug, black.............................................................................1
15 500157 Bolt, #10-24 x 2", hex head, stainless steel ............................... 2
16 500158 Bolt, # 10-24 x 1/2", hex head, stainless steel ............................ 6
17 502958 Bolt, 1/4"-20 x 1", hex head, stainless steel ............................... 2
18 (Not Used)
19 551153 Wingnut, #10-24, stainless steel ..............…................................4
20 554071 Nut, #10-24, hex, stainless steel ............................................... 12
21 554099 Nut, 1/4"-20, hex, stainless steel ................................................4
22 (Not Used)
2 3 (Not Used)
24 562961 Lockwasher, 1/4" internal, stainless steel .................................. 4
25 (Not Used)
26 565697 Lockwasher, #10, internal............…..........................................16

Hy-Gain Warrants to the original owner of this product, if manufactured by Hy-Gain
and purchased from an authorized dealer or directly from Hy-Gain to be free from
defects in material and workmanship for a period of 12 months for rotator products and
24 months for antenna products from date of purchase provided the following terms of
this warrant
y
are satisfied.
1. The purchaser must retain the dated proof-of-purchase (bill of sale, canceled check,
credit card or money order receipt, etc.) describing the product to establish the
validity of the warranty claim and submit the original or machine reproduction of
such proof of-purchase to Hy-Gain at the time of warranty service. Hy-Gain shall
have the discretion to deny warranty without dated proof-of-purchase. Any evidence
of alteration, erasure, or forgery shall be cause to void any and all warranty terms
immediately.
2.
Hy-Gain agrees to repair or replace at Hy-Gain’s option without charge to the
original owner any defective product under warranty, provided the product is
returned postage prepaid to Hy-Gain with a personal check, cashiers check, or
mone
y
order for $8.00 coverin
g
p
osta
g
e and handlin
g
.
3. Under no circumstances is Hy-Gain liable for consequential damages to
p
erson or
p
ro
p
ert
y
b
y
the use of an
y
H
y
-Gain
p
roducts.
4. Out-of-warranty Service: Hy-Gain will repair any out-of-warranty product
provided the unit is shipped prepaid. All repaired units will be shipped COD to
the owner. Repair charges will be added to the COD fee unless other
arran
g
ements are made.
5. This warranty is given in lieu of any other warranty expressed or implied.
6.
Hy-Gain reserves the right to make changes or improvements in design or
manufacture without incurring any obligation to install such changes upon any of
the products previously manufactured.
7. All H
y
-Gain
p
roducts to be serviced in-warrant
y
or out-of-warrant
y
should be
addressed to hy-gain, 308 Industrial Park Road,
Mississippi 39759, USA and must be accompanied by a letter describing
the problem in detail along with a copy of your dated proof-of-purchase.
8. This warranty gives you specific rights, and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
LIMITED WARRANTY