Shively Labs 6017 User manual

FM Broadband Multistation
Broadcast Antenna
Model 6017
Instruction Manual
Installation, Operation, &
Maintenance

2
Congratulations! Thank you for purchasing one of the finest FM broadcast antennas on
the market today. The Shively Labs 6017 antenna is widely recognized
as the top-of-the-line in its class for its superior performance and dura-
bility.
Your purchase is backed by the best technical support in the industry.
Shively is a leading manufacturer in the broadcast industry, providing
an extensive range of antennas, transmission line and components.
Our technical staff has a wealth of experience in the broadcast indus-
try and is standing by to serve you in any way.
This manual is intended to give you a good basic understanding of your
antenna: its proper and safe installation, startup, and operation, and
troubleshooting and maintenance information to keep it working satis-
factorily for years to come. Please have everyone involved with the
antenna read this manual carefully, and keep it handy for future refer-
ence.
Meanwhile, please feel free to contact your sales representative at
Shively Labs at any time if you need information or help. Call or write:
Publication No. IM017 (100201)

IMPORTANT
Please read this manual in its entirety before beginning
installation of your antenna!
Failure to follow the installation and operation
instructions in this manual could lead to failure of your
equipment and might even void your warranty!

i
Table of Contents Chapter 1 Preparing for Installation..................................................1
Receiving .............................................................................................1
Unpacking............................................................................................ 1
Check the System ................................................................................. 2
Chapter 2 Installing the Mounts ........................................................3
Before Beginning Mount Installation:......................................................3
Mark Mount Locations on the Mounting Pole ...........................................3
Installing the Radiator Mounts on the Pole..............................................3
Installing the 4-Way Power Divider Mounts on the Pole ...........................4
Installing the Main Power Divider Mounts
(if applicable) ....................................................................6
Chapter 3 Installing the Radiators and Power Dividers.....................8
Before Beginning Radiator and Power Divider Installation: ....................... 8
Installing Radiators ...............................................................................8
Installing Power Dividers ....................................................................... 9
Chapter 4 Installing the Coaxial Feed System.................................10
Before Beginning Feed System Installation: .......................................... 10
Installing the Power-Divider-to-Radiator Cables..................................... 11
Installing the Main Power Divider (if applicable) .................................... 12
Installing the Main Feed Cables............................................................ 12
Chapter 5 Pressurization and Startup..............................................14
Before Beginning Pressurization:.......................................................... 14
Pressurization Procedure ..................................................................... 14
Step 1. Leak Testing....................................................................... 14
Step 2. Purging the System............................................................. 16
Step 3. Leaving the System Pressurized........................................... 17
Before Beginning Intial Characterization: .............................................. 17
Initial Characterization (recommended) ................................................ 18
Step 1. Transmission Line VSWR Reading ........................................ 18
Step 2. Transmission Line TDR Reading........................................... 19
Step 3. System VSWR Reading........................................................ 19
Step 4. Checking Radiator Function ................................................. 19
Checkout............................................................................................ 19
Chapter 6 Operation.........................................................................21
Precautions ........................................................................................ 21
The Antenna....................................................................................... 21
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting ..............................................................22
Precautions ........................................................................................ 22
Internal Arcing.................................................................................... 22
Broad Spectrum RF Noise.................................................................... 23
High VSWR at Startup or during Operation............................................ 23
Erratic VSWR...................................................................................... 24
Change in Coverage............................................................................ 24
Pressure Loss or Excessive Gas Usage.................................................. 24

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Chapter 8 Maintenance ....................................................................26
Precautions.........................................................................................26
Maintenance Log................................................................................. 26
Physical Inspection..............................................................................26
Paint..................................................................................................27
Troubleshooting.................................................................................. 27
Return Policy ......................................................................................27
Sample Maintenance Log..................................................................... 28
List of Illustrations Figure 1 Typical Mount Installation on Pole, top view.........................3
Figure 2 4-Way Power Divider Installation, top and side views............5
Figure 3 Main Power Divider Mount Styles.........................................6
Figure 4 Radiator Installation, top view.............................................9
Figure 5 Feedline Flange Detail ......................................................10
Figure 6 Flange Bolt Tightening Sequences.....................................12
Figure 7 Pressurized Gas Schematic................................................ 15
List of Tables Table 1 Minimum Bending Radii, Semiflex Coax..............................10
Table 2 Torque Specifications, Flange Bolts....................................11
Table 3 Volume of Coax per 1000 Feet of Length...........................17
Table 4 Troubleshooting Internal Arcing .......................................22
Table 5 Troubleshooting High VSWR ............................................23
Table 6 Troubleshooting Pressure Loss or Excessive Gas Usage....... 24
Table of Contents
(continued)

1
Preparing for Installation
1 Preparing for Installation
Receiving As soon as you receive your antenna, BEFORE signing for the ship-
ment:
a. Check to be sure all the material has arrived.
NOTE
The box number and the total number of boxes are marked on
each box; for example, “Box 2 of 5” means “box number 2 of a
total of five boxes.”
b. Check for evident damage to any of the boxes.
c. If any boxes are missing, or if any are obviously damaged, describe
the problem in a WRITTEN note on the shipping papers BEFORE
signing them. Then call Shively right away, and we’ll do everything
we can to correct the situation.
Important!
Never store the antenna system outdoors, boxed or otherwise.
Take pains to keep the antenna components dry. You will need to
purge moisture from the interior of the antenna components
before applying transmitter power, and purging will be much more
time-consuming if the components get wet.
Unpacking a. Find Box 1; it is marked “Open This Box First.” It contains the trans-
former and two copies of the installation drawing. The parts list on
one sheet of the installation drawing shows what box each item is in.
b. Then open the boxes and examine for shipping damages. File any
necessary claims with the carrier immediately.
c. If all the boxes are present and in good condition but material seems
to be missing, please contact Shively Labs immediately, using the
telephone or Fax number on the inside cover of this manual. For the
best service, have our shop order number (S/O) handy; it's in the
block at the bottom right corner of the installation drawing.
d. Along with your antenna you will get a spare parts kit. Place this in a
safe place until it is needed.
CAUTION
All contact surfaces and openings to the interior of the compo-
nents are protected from contamination and from physical dam-
age by caps and plastic bags. Do not remove this protection until
ready to connect the components.

2
Preparing for Installation
Check the System Remember!
It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that your installation meets all
applicable codes and the centerline-of-radiation requirements of
your FCC construction permit.
Shively's factory designer has planned the installation of the antenna
based upon information provided by you. If this information contained
errors, the parts and mounting hardware will have been designed
incorrectly and will cause expensive delays in installation.
Therefore,
we recommend that you recheck the installation parameters during this
planning stage.
Check all the parts to be sure that they will fit the tower and each
other. Study the installation drawings carefully to confirm that the infor-
mation used in designing the antenna and mounts was, in fact, accu-
rate.
Have a reliable tower person, familiar with antennas and coaxial line,
inspect the tower and review the installation drawings before the full
rigging crew arrives.
If design problems are found, contact Shively Labs immediately. Pay
particular attention to:
• Frequency of the antenna.
• Fit of the mounts to the tower members.
• Freedom from interference by gussets, leg flanges, guys and their
attachment points, tower face members, obstruction lights, and
other components.
• Compatibility of transmission line and antenna input terminals.
• Location of the transmission line run relative to the antenna input
terminal.
• Use of non-metallic guy sections on the tower in the region to be
occupied by the FM antenna. Ensure that there are no metal guys
within ten feet (three meters) of any radiator.
• Availability of proper electrical service for deicers, if applicable.
• The adequacy of the tower structure and guys to carry the windload
placed upon them by the antenna.
You gave Shively this information at the time of purchase, but a last
check at this time can catch an error, which will be easier to correct
before installation begins.

3
Installing the Mounts
2 Installing the Mounts
Before Beginning
Mount Installation: CAUTION
Before you begin, study the installation drawing carefully. The
illustrations in this manual show typical details, but antennas vary
due to pattern requirements and tower designs, so you must go
by the installation drawing for the actual configuration of your
antenna.
Mark Mount
Locations on the
Mounting Pole
a. Starting at the top of the antenna, use a steel measuring tape to find
the location of each mount in accordance with the installation draw-
ing. Mark the mount locations on the pole.
b. Also mark the location on the pole of any accessory mounts, such as
for the power dividers or special coax line sections, to make sure
they will fit as planned.
c. If any problems appear during this process, please call Shively Labs
and discuss them with the installation designer.
Installing the
Radiator Mounts on
the Pole
(not to scale)
Figure 1. Typical Mount Installation on Pole, top view

4
Installing the Mounts
Figure 1 is a top view showing how the radiator mount pieces fit
together. Assemble and install the radiator mounts according to Figure
1, your installation drawing, and the following guidelines:
a. Find the marked locations on the mounting pole where the radiator
mounts will be located.
b. To ensure good electrical contact between the mounts and the sup-
port pole, scrape the pole paint away at the mount locations.
c. Install the mounts as shown in Figure 1 and your installation draw-
ing.
d. When all mounts are in place, sight along them vertically to make
sure they are aligned before tightening them.
e. Repaint the pole where you removed the paint in step b.
Installing the 4-Way
Power Divider
Mounts on the Pole
Assemble and install the 4-way power divider mounts according to Fig-
ure 2 on page 5, your installation drawing, and the following guide-
lines:
a. Find the marked locations on the mounting pole where the power
divider mounts will be located.
b. Referring to the installation drawing, mark the locations of the power
divider mounts (generally there will be either two or four mounts per
power divider).
CAUTION
If you don't get good electrical contact between the mounts and
the pole, the antenna may not perform as designed, and may pro-
duce stray signals that will interfere with other services on the
tower.
c. To ensure good electrical contact between the mounts and the sup-
port pole, scrape the pole paint away at the power divider mount
locations.
d. Use band clamps to attach the power divider mounts loosely to the
pole.
e. When all mounts are in place, sight along them vertically to make
sure they are aligned before tightening them.
f. Repaint the pole where you removed the paint in step c.

5
Installing the Mounts
(not to scale)
Figure 2. 4-Way Power Divider Installation, top and side views

6
Installing the Mounts
Installing the Main
Power Divider
Mounts
(if applicable)
If your antenna has more than one level, a main power divider will dis-
tribute the signal among the 4-way power dividers at each antenna
level. Assemble and install the main power divider mounts according to
Figure 3, your installation drawing, and the following guidelines:
(not to scale)
Figure 3. Main Power Divider Mount Styles

7
Installing the Mounts
a. Find the marked location on the mounting pole where the power
divider mounts will be located.
b. Referring to the installation drawing, mark the locations of the power
divider mounts (generally there will be two mounts).
CAUTION
If you don't get good electrical contact between the mounts and
the pole, the antenna may not perform as designed, and may pro-
duce stray signals that will interfere with other services on the
tower.
c. To ensure good electrical contact between the mounts and the sup-
port pole, scrape the pole paint away at the power divider mount
locations.
d. Use band clamps to attach the power divider mounts loosely to the
pole.
e. Repaint the pole where you removed the paint in step c.

8
Installing the Radiators and Power Dividers
3 Installing the Radiators and Power Dividers
Before Beginning
Radiator and Power
Divider Installation:
CAUTION
All electrical contact surfaces and openings to the interior of the
components are protected from contamination and from physical
damage by plastic protectors. Do not remove the protectors until
ready to connect the components.
CAUTION
The interiors of the components must be kept dry during installa-
tion. Avoid assembly during wet weather.
NOTE
Keep the plastic protectors in case you ever need to return com-
ponents for repair.
CAUTION
Do not use silicone grease on an O-ring, as this will soften the sil-
icone O-ring. Use only a light lubricating coat of petroleum jelly
(provided); too much may hamper electrical contact and contami-
nate the interior of the system.
Be sure the O-ring is properly seated in its groove and not
pinched between the flange contact surfaces.
Installing Radiators Attach the radiators to their mounts according to Figure 4 on page 9
and your installation drawing.
a. Fit the holes in the radiator backpalte over the studs on the mount.
b. Attach the radiator to the mount, using the 3/8” hardware provided.

9
Installing the Radiators and Power Dividers
(not to scale)
Figure 4. Radiator Installation, top view
Installing Power
Dividers Assemble and install the power dividers and their mounts according to
your installation drawing and the following guidelines:
a. Check the mount locations against your installation drawing.
b. Attach the power dividers to the mounts as shown in Figure 2 on
page 5.
c. Double-check the tightness of all components.

10
Installing the Coaxial Feed System
4 Installing the Coaxial Feed System
Before Beginning
Feed System
Installation:
Figure 5. Feedline Flange Detail
CAUTION
Semiflex cable has a minimum bending radius, specified by the
manufacturer. Bending it too sharply will damage the cable. See
Table 1 for the various sizes.
CAUTION
Stressing a coax connection after assembly can detune the sys-
tem. Therefore, never make a connection and then bend or twist
the cable.
Likewise, do not use the connector and flange to force the coax
into shape. Form the coax to the desired shape before attaching it
and align the connection properly, then make the connection.
Table 1. Minimum Bending Radii, Semiflex Coax
Cable Size Radius
1/2” 5” (127 mm)
5/8” 5” (127 mm)
7/8” 10” (254 mm)
1-5/8” 20” (510 mm)

11
Installing the Coaxial Feed System
CAUTION
Do not use silicone grease on the O-rings, as this tends to dis-
solve the silicone O-ring. Use only a light lubricating coat of petro-
leum jelly; too much may hamper electrical contact and
contaminate the interior of the system.
Be very careful that each O-ring is seated in its groove and not
pinched between flange contact surfaces, as this will cause a leak
in the system and will be expensive to find and repair.
NOTE
Keep the hardware securing the plastic protectors. It will be used
for the final connections.
Installing the
Power-Divider-to-
Radiator Cables
The semiflex cables have been pre-formed at the factory and marked
for their respective locations. Use the markings to determine which
cables go where. Install the power-divider-to-radiator flex coaxial
cables as shown on the installation drawing. Follow these guidelines:
CAUTION
Be very careful to connect each power divider port to the correct
radiator.
CAUTION
The specific lengths of your flex cables are required to maintain
proper system phasing. Often cables will be longer than needed
merely to reach the antenna inputs. This is normal and necessary.
a. Remove the plastic protector from the coax flange. Don’t lose the
hardware or the O-ring.
b. Lubricate the O-ring lightly and insert it into the groove in the coax
flange.
CAUTION
Be sure each component’s inner conductor fits cleanly over the
mating component’s inner conductor connector. If any of the fin-
gers of the connector are forced outside the inner conductor (a
"split bullet"), this will cause arcing and damage to the antenna.
c. Use the hardware from the protective covers to attach the compo-
nents. Table 2 shows torque specifications for the various size flange
bolts. Figure 6 shows the flange bolt tightening sequence for each
coax size.
Table 2. Torque Specifications, Flange Bolts
Line Size Bolt Size Torque
1/2” 1/4-20 7 ft-lb 9 N-m
5/8” 1/4-20 7 ft-lb 9 N-m
7/8" 1/4-20 7 ft-lb 9 N-m
1-5/8" 5/16-18 12 ft-lb 16 N-m

12
Installing the Coaxial Feed System
Figure 6. Flange Bolt Tightening Sequences
d. After all RF components (ie: power dividers, radiators, rigid coax)
have been connected to each other, tighten the mounting bolts
securing the RF feed system to the pole.
Installing the Main
Power Divider (if
applicable)
If your antenna has more than one level, a main power divider will
feed it, with a cable to the four-way power divider at each level. Install
the power divider in accordance with Figure 3 on page 6 and your
installation drawing.
a. Secure the power divider to the mount saddles using the band
clamps provided (generally, two clamps on a 6"-long saddle and four
clamps on a 12"-long saddle).
b. Connect the flex coax from the main power divider to the four-way
power dividers at the antenna levels.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to power dividers, position the hose clamp
screw housings over the saddles, not against the power dividers.
c. As each feedline section is lifted into place, remove the plastic bags
and protective covers from the flanges and install an O-ring, lubricat-
ing it with a light coat of petroleum jelly (provided with the antenna).
d. Secure each feedline section to its mount before installing the next
section.
Installing the Main
Feed Cables A main feed cable brings power from the main power divider to the
four-way power divider at each level of the antenna.
CAUTION
Components are usually interchangeable and are therefore not
normally match-marked in any way. Assemble any bay to any feed
cable, with any mount, etc. If any matching is necessary with your
system, it will be indicated on the installation drawing.
CAUTION
Be very careful to connect each power divider port to the correct
radiator.
Install these cables in the same manner as the power-divider-to-radia-
tor cables. Their mounts are similar to the four-way power divider
mounts, but slightly larger to accommodate the corrugated cable outer
conductor.

14
Pressurization and Startup
5 Pressurization and Startup
Before Beginning
Pressurization: Important
Shively Labs will not accept responsibility for antenna failure after
operation without proper purging or positive pressure of dry air or
dry nitrogen.
CAUTION
When pressurizing the system, never use a "garage" air compres-
sor, as it will not clean the air and will blow both moisture and
contaminants such as oil and graphite into the coaxial system.
Be sure to use a good quality pressure gauge which will read
accurately in the 10 - 20 psig range; don't depend on the cylinder
gauge, which will not be accurate at a low pressure.
Do not over-pressurize the system; it takes time for the entire sys-
tem to fill with the new pressure and the pressure gauge to stabi-
lize.
CAUTION
If all moisture is not removed from the interior of the system, it
will condense when the weather cools. The condensed moisture
(water) will cause arcing and permanent physical destruction of
the coaxial system, including the transmitter output network.
CAUTION
You must blow dry gas through the system, not just maintain a
pressure. The gas
volume accomplishes the purge.
CAUTION
Never operate the antenna system without proper purging and
constant positive dry gas pressure.
CAUTION
Although initial characterization is at your discretion, we strongly
recommend it as the best way to identify both initial problems and
possible future system damage.
Pressurization
Procedure After the antenna is installed and all lines are connected, it is neces-
sary to check the system for leaks, purge with dry gas to remove all
moisture, and leave the system pressurized with dry gas to avoid future
infiltration of moisture. These steps must be taken before RF power is
applied to the system.
Step 1. Leak Testing a. Connect a source of dry gas (cylinder nitrogen or air from a compres-
sor-dehydrator) to the system as shown in Figure 7 on page 15.
b. Be sure to include a good quality gauge which reads accurately in the
5 - 20 psig (35 - 135 kPa) range; don't depend on the cylinder
gauge, which will not be accurate enough in this pressure range.

15
Pressurization and Startup
Figure 7. Pressurized Gas Schematic
c. Pressurize the system to eight (8) psig, then close the shutoff valve.
Give the system one half hour to stabilize, then record the pressure
and the temperature.
d. Wait twenty-four hours, then read the pressure and the temperature
again and use the formula in the sidebar to obtain a corrected pres-
sure for comparison.
e. If the system loses pressure at an unacceptably high rate, re-pres-
surize it, leaving the gas supply on. A rule of thumb is that the final
pressure should not be less than half the initial pressure after
twenty-four hours.
Pressure Correction:
where PC = corrected
final pressure, psig
PR= final pressure as
read, psig
T1= beginning temper-
ature, degrees F.
T2= final temperature,
degrees F.