SteppIR MonstIR PRO DB42 User manual

DB42 MonstIR PRO Installation Manual
SteppIR Antennas ⚫ 13406 SE 32nd St. Bellevue, WA 98005 ⚫ Tel: [phone] ⚫ www.steppir.com
This assembly manual is intended to be
printed in full COLOR. If the manual is
printed in black and white, many im-
portant details could be lost.
REV 10.14
05/22/2023

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Page 2
DB42 MonstIR PRO Specifications
Specifications DB42 Element Yagi
Boom length 42 ft 8 in / 13.0 m
Boom outside diameter 1.75 in—3 in / 4.45—7.6 cm
Longest element 49 ft / 14.9 m
Turning radius 29 ft / 8.8 m
Weight 238 lb / 108 kg
*Projected Area 32.38 sq ft / 3.0 sq m
Wind rating 100 mph
Adjustable elements 5
Power Rating 3000w Key Down / *1500w on 80m
(option)
Feed points 2
Frequency coverage 6.8 MHz—54 MHz (*3.5MHz w/ 80m option)
Control cable 24 conductor shielded, 22AWG
Gain / Front to
rear
by band
Gain, dBi
Forward DIR
Front to rear,
db forward
Gain, dBi
Reverse
DIR
Front to rear,
dB reverse
80M 1.7 NA 1.7 NA
40M 8.0 25.5 8.0 23.2
30M 9.0 12.4 9.0 12.4
20M 10.1 22.0 10.0 23.2
17M 10.8 23.2 10.7 21.9
15M 11.0 25.7 10.6 20.0
12M 11.9 24.1 10.4 8.9
10M 12.2 20.0 10.5 11.7
6M 14.0 25.0 NA NA
*Projected area is the total perpendicular surface area measured in square feet/square meters, that is exposed to wind. To calculate wind
load you always take the largest projected area whether that is from the perspective perpendicular to the boom or perpendicular to the
elements. In the case of SteppIR Yagi's, the maximum projected area will always be the sum of the surface area's perpendicular to the
Yagi elements. This calculation is a constant number and will not change regardless of EIA specification changes. Do not mistake this
projected area calculation as anything more than a datapoint to present to your structural engineer, tower manufacturer or rotator manu-
facturer so that they can determine what is necessary for your application.
When sizing an antenna to a tower, many factors need to be taken into consideration including, but not limited to: projected area of
antenna in square feet or square meters, weight of the antenna and other items on tower, turning radius, element lengths, antenna height,
location exposure category, locations three-second gust wind-speed, locations maximum radial ice loading.
Improper specification of an antenna or rotator to a tower can result in product failure, injury or death. SteppIR is not an expert on tow-
er or rotator sizing and for this reason will never offer any recommendation – this specification process is meant for industry profes-
sionals such as a structural engineer, tower manufacturer or rotator manufacturer. Please do not attempt to self-specify our products –
the information provided by SteppIR is to be utilized by industry professionals only and we will not accept any liability for improperly
specified antenna/tower/rotator applications.

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Page 3
DB42 TABLE OF CONTENTS (page 1 of 4) Page(s)
PREAMBLE
OK, NOW WHAT? Advice by Jim Streible K4DLI 7—8
DB42 Bill of Materials (BOM) 9—10
DB42 Kits Bill of Materials (BOM) 11-14
A word about stainless steel galling 15
Preparing to build the DB42 Yagi 16
Element configuration drawing 17
CHAPTER ONE—BOOM ASSEMBLY
SECTION 1.0
Boom assembly overview 18
Boom bolt / EZ-Eyebolt drawings 19
SECTION 1.1
Measuring and marking the boom 20
Boom marking table 21
CHAPTER TWO— MOUNTING THE EHU’s ON THE BOOM
SECTION 2.0
Center-to-center spacing measurements 22
Section 2.1
Element housing unit (EHU) wiring overview 23
Wiring the EHU 24—25
CHAPTER THREE—DIRECTOR 1 EHU
SECTION 3.0
Director 1 EHU and return tube assembly drawing 26
Attach the element mounting plate to boom 27—28
SECTION 3.1
Element support tube (EST) mounting overview 29
Prepare the mounting plate for attaching the EST’s30
SECTION 3.2
Attach the EST’s to the mounting plate 31
SECTION 3.3
Secure the Director 1 EHU to the mounting plate 32—33
SECTION 3.4
Install the CPVC inner-guide tubes 34—35
SECTION 3.5
Return tube assembly—Director 1 36 –38

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Page 4
DB42 TABLE OF CONTENTS (page 2 of 4) Page(s)
CHAPTER FOUR—REFLECTOR EHU
SECTION 4.0
Reflector EHU and return tube overview 39
Secure mounting plate and EHU to boom—Reflector 40
SECTION 4.1
Return tube assembly—Reflector EHU 41
CHAPTER FIVE—DRIVEN ELEMENT
SECTION 5.0
Driven element assembly drawing 42
Mount the Driven element on the boom 43
CHAPTER SIX—DIRECTOR 2
SECTION 6.0
Director 2 EHU assembly drawing 44
Mount the Director 2 EHU on the boom 45
CHAPTER SEVEN—DIRECTOR 3 EHU
SECTION 7.0
Director 3 EHU and element return assembly drawing 46
Mount the Director 3 EHU on the boom 47
SECTION 7.1
Return tube assembly—Director 3 48
CHAPTER EIGHT—MAST PLATE AND BOOM TRUSS
SECTION 8.0
Mounting the mast plate to the boom 49—50
SECTION 8.1
Secure the mast plate to the boom 51
SECTION 8.2
Attach the truss mast 52
SECTION 8.3
Attach the truss mast plate to the truss mast 53
SECTION 8.4
Attach the truss boom to the truss mast plate 54
SECTION 8.5
Phillystran boom truss attachment points 55—56

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DB42 TABLE OF CONTENTS (page 3 of 4) Page(s)
CHAPTER EIGHT (continued) - MAST PLATE AND BOOM TRUSS
SECTION 8.6
Phillystran boom truss assembly 57—60
CHAPTER NINE—6M PASSIVE ELEMENT KIT
SECTION 9.0
Mounting the 6m passive element kit 61
SECTION 9.1
Attach the 6m passive elements to the boom 62
CHAPTER TEN—COAX SWITCH HOUSING
SECTION 10.0
Mounting the coax switch housing 63
SECTION 10.1
Coax switch wiring 64
SECTION 10.2
Sealing and securing the coax switch housing 65
SECTION 10.3
Attach the coax jumpers and feed line 66
CHAPTER ELEVEN—WIRING THE CONNECTOR JUNCTION BOX
SECTION 11.0
Mount the connector junction box onto the boom 67
SECTION 11.1
Wiring the connector junction box 68—70
Connect the cable from coax switch to the connector junction box 71
SECTION 11.2
Connect the control cable to the dSub splice 72—73
SECTION 11.3
Wiring Test 74—75

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Page 6
DB42 TABLE OF CONTENTS (page 4 of 4) Page(s)
CHAPTER TWELVE—ELEMENT SUPPORT TUBE (EST) PREPARATION
SECTION 12.0 Prepare the telescoping fiberglass poles 77
SECTION 12.1 Attach sweeps and diverters to fiberglass pole tips 78
SECTION 12.2 Attach the sweep couplers to the sweep tubes 79
Section 12.3 Mount the fiberglass spreaders 80
Section 12.4 Final tightening 81
Section 12.5 Attach foam plug housings to non-loop elements 82
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SECTION 13.0
Prepare the CPVC inner-guide tube and diverter cone 83
SECTION 13.1
Attach the EST to the EHU 84—85
CHAPTER FOURTEEN—40.30 ELEMENT TRUSS KIT
SECTION 14.0
Installing the truss support mast 86
SECTION 14.1
Attach the element truss couplers 87
SECTION 14.2
Routing the Dacron truss cord 88—89
CHAPTER FIFTEEN—SECURE CABLES & MOUNT DB42 ON TOWER MAST
SECTION 15.0
Secure the cables onto the boom 90
SECTION 15.1
Mount the DB42 onto the tower mast 91—92
Last steps—read before attaching antenna mast tower mast! 92
CHAPTER SIXTEEN—TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
SECTION 16.0
Troubleshooting tips 93—94
Warranty Information 95
SteppIR Contact information 96
Connector Junction Box Schematic—experienced users only! 97

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Page 7
READ THIS BEFORE STARTING INSTALLATION
You have ordered you SteppIR Antenna, and are
waiting for delivery. What do you do in the meantime?
1. Go to the SteppIR web site at consumer.steppir.com/ and download the latest manual for your an-
tenna, and also the Operators Manual for the controller. Look for any new or updated documents
that may pertain to your antenna.
2. Read the manuals from cover-to-cover ---TWICE! Don’t just read them –Study them, so you are
familiar the terminology used about the antennas and have a good idea of how the antenna is as-
sembled and where the various parts go.
3. As you go through the manuals make notes of any instructions you may not clearly understand,
then call or email for clarifications. It is better to have it all sorted out before you start assembly.
We don’t mind answering your questions beforehand.
4. Now, wait for notification your antenna is being shipped.
Your antenna has arrived!
What is the first thing to do?
1. If the antennas is to arrive on Wednesday----DO NOT plan an antenna party for Saturday
2. Even if you plan to install the antenna weeks later, the first thing to do is to unpack the antenna
and do a complete inspection. Make sure nothing is missing or has been damaged in shipment.
3. Do a complete inventory of every part, nut and bolt. Yes it takes time, but it also allows you to noti-
fy SteppIR if anything is missing and allow time to get it to you before you start assembly of the
antenna. There is nothing more frustrating than realizing that something is missing, just hours be-
fore you want to install the antenna.
4. Go back to the SteppIR website and download the latest manual. SteppIR constantly is improving
and adding to the manual, so even though your paper instruction manual is going to have all the
data you need, it makes sense to check for the latest updates online. This is especially true If you
purchased the antenna and a period of time has passed between arrival and install dates.
5. Take the controller and power supply out of their wrappings and connect them. The controller does
not have to be connected to the antenna in order to familiarize yourself with it. In fact, it is best to
get familiar with the controller when it is not connected to the antenna. Turn on the controller and
read through the Operators Manual again while operating the controller in all it modes. Go through

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Page 8
READ THIS BEFORE STARTING INSTALLATION (continued)
the menus so you know what each does and how to navigate through the various menus and func-
tions.
6. When you have finished working with the controller be sure the display indicates “Elements Home”
and the controller has been turned OFF. When the controller is connected to the antenna and the
controller is turned back on the next time, it will immediately tune to whatever position the con-
troller was left in last time you were using it, so you want to be sure that position is HOME.
7. Once the antenna is completely assembled and ready to mount on the antenna tower, use an an-
tenna analyzer, if you have one, to test resonance of the antenna.. If you don’t have an analyzer,
try to borrow one. It will save you a lot of time and worry. Check the antenna on each band for
some sign of resonance within the frequency range. Leave the antenna on the default frequency
and tune the analyzer to see where the dip occurs. It will be somewhere below the lower band
edge on each band with the antenna 3 or 4 feet above the ground on sawhorses. Also, don’t ex-
pect to see a 1:1 SWR here, just look for a good indication of resonance.
Once it has been determined this part of the antenna is working correctly do the following: Select
the lowest band and establish the dip condition by tuning the analyzer. Do not touch the analyzer
again. Retract the elements and then reselect the same band. The antenna should come back the
very near the same setting. Do this 2 or 3 times on each band. Also, try going from the band being
tested to any other band and back again and observe that the antenna comes back to the same
resonant point. Now you know the antenna is tuning correctly from band to band and is consistent.
8. DO NOT put the antenna up onto the tower until you are positive it is working correctly—this is
what these tests are helping you determine. Err on the side of caution.
9. When you are ready to use the antenna, be sure to “enable” the DB42 in the controller menu, or
your antenna will not work properly on 40m and 30m. If you purchased the 6m option, be sure to
enable that in the “options” menu of the controller. When done enabling, save and then turn the
controller off, and back on again.
10. Enjoy the antenna!

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Page 9
DB42 BILL OF MATERIALS
Antenna Box (61” x 13” x 10”) 92 lbs
✓QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION
16 10-1013-02 Telescoping Pole, 18 foot 4 section (in pole box)
110-1501-23 Cover for Black EHU, With countersunk drain hole
121-6040 Splitter, 6” 3-1/2mm, Stereo Male to Two RCA Female
16 60-1006-22 QUICK DISCONNECT, 1-1/2” to 1-1/4”, Fernco, (1056-150-125)
170-3408-01 EHU, DB42 20m Driven w/ Normal Driven Relay
170-3409-01 EHU, DB42 40m Driven w/ Normal Passive Relay
170-3412-01 EHU, DB42 20m Driven w/ Normal Passive Relay
270-3422-01 EHU, 40m Passive w/ Terminal lug Assembly
1QR Code—Instruction Manual
It is important that you do an inventory of the items that were shipped to you. Nothing is worse than
discovering a day before a planned installation that there are missing parts! We do our very best to en-
sure that you receive everything needed for construction of your antenna, but better to be safe than
sorry—inventory your parts well in advance of your installation. The items in blue represent options
available for the DB42 Yagi—you will need to check these items off only if you purchased them.
Sweep Box 1 (32” x 24” x 7”) 48 lbs
✓QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION
110-1021-43 Boom to Mast Plate, 8”, HIGH WIND..with saddle holding holes
110-1050-21 Counter Weight, DB42
410-1509-02 Diverter Cones
310-1153-01 Poly Sweeps (100psi)
610-1511-01 Sweep Diverter
610-1059-21 Polyolefin Heat Shrink 1.1” x 6”
310-1503-21 Fiberglass rod, 3/8” x 31-3/4” long, black
110-1605-12 Element Support Plate, 49 ft element
310-1608-01 Element Return Plate
210-1610-23 Boom to Mast plate 11” X 1/4”
65 ft 21-5001-01 Control cable, 4 conductor
40 21-5013 Cable, 6 conductor 22 GA with shield
121-6301-80 Coax jumper, 8’, PL259/RG213
121-6301-96 Coax jumper, 11’ 6”, PL259/RG213
121-6301-98 Coax jumper, 15’, PL259/RG213
95 ft 21-7002-01 Dacron double braided poly rope, 3/16”
78 ft 21-8002 Phillystran, 2100i
270-1015-11 EST return tube, 1-3/4” x 12”, fiberglass (DB style)
470-2030-11 DB style mounting plate with foam mounting guide
170-2038 Connector Junction Box, DB42
170-3003-01 Balun Switch Box, 80m, 4:1

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DB42 BILL OF MATERIALS
Sweep Box 2 (32” x 24” x 7”) 61 lbs
✓QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION
310-1153-01 Poly Sweeps (100psi)
610-1511-01 Sweep Diverter
610-1059-21 Polyolefin Heat Shrink 1.1” x 6”
310-1503-21 Fiberglass rod, 3/8” x 31-3/4” long, black
210-1606-01 Element support plate, 2-1/4”
410-1607-11 Truss Attaching Plate V2
110-1619-01 BRACKET, Coax Switch
170-3000-11 33v 100 watts 33v Power Supply—DB42
170-3001-01 Antenna Coax Switch Box
272-0018-31 Kit, 39’ Element Truss, 2E, 3E, DB18/18E/36/42 end Elements
372-0030-61 Kit, Sweep Hardware
172-0110 Kit, DB42 Hardware
172-0112 Kit, DB42 Saddle
172-0114 Misc. Parts, DB42
172-1001-81 Kit, DB42—6m Hardware
172-3000 Kit, DB42 80m Dipole Hardware
Boom Box (72” x 8” x 8”) 93 lbs
✓QTY PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION
370-6001-01 DB 6m passive element
110-1018-11 Aluminum tube, 1-3/4” (4’ Boom)
310-1054-02 Truss Support, 30m/40m, 36”
210-1202-01 DB style aluminum boom section, 1-3/4” x 72”
210-1202-11 DB style aluminum boom section, 2.00” X 72”
210-1202-21 DB style aluminum boom section, 2”-1/4 x 48”
210-1202-71 DB style aluminum boom section, 2-1/2” x 44”, DB42
110-1202-81 aluminum boom section, 3” x 72” x 1/4”, wall, for DB42
210-1203-21 Reinforcing sleeve, 2” x 10” - 2-1/4” boom section, DB36, DB42
110-1618-21 Boom truss support, 1-3/4” x 36”, DB42
410-1630-11 Aluminum reinforcing sleeve, 2” x 3”, DB36, DB42
110-1630-21 Aluminum reinforcing sleeve, 2” x 12”, DB36, DB42
670-2025-13 CPVC tube, 49” x 3/4”, with coupler
670-2025-23 CPVC tube, 39-7/8” x 3/4”, w/o coupler
270-2025-33 64” x 3/4” CPVC tube with foam sealing ring and rubber coupler
270-2028-01 EST extension, 66-3/8”, with aluminum reinforcing ring, - DB36, DB42
270-2029-01 EST extension, 60-3/4”, with aluminum reinforcing ring, - DB36, DB42