SteppIR SDA 2000 OptimizIR User manual

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Table of Contents
Introduction (John Mertel WA7IR) ....................................................................................... 5
Warning ............................................................................................................................... 7
Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 7
Release History ................................................................................................................... 7
Initial Controller Checkout ................................................................................................... 8
Theory ................................................................................................................................. 8
Operate Mode ..................................................................................................................... 9
Power-On Screen ............................................................................................................ 9
Modes of Operation ........................................................................................................... 10
NORM Mode .................................................................................................................. 10
180 Mode ....................................................................................................................... 10
BI 3/4 Mode ................................................................................................................... 10
Main Screen ...................................................................................................................... 10
OptimizIR Buttons in Operate Mode .................................................................................. 12
Setup Mode ....................................................................................................................... 13
Options Menu .................................................................................................................... 14
Remote Driver Option .................................................................................................... 15
Power Off Retract .......................................................................................................... 15
Display Metric ................................................................................................................ 15
Global Correction Factor ................................................................................................ 15
Calibrate Antenna .............................................................................................................. 16
Retract Elements ............................................................................................................... 16
Autotrack Settings ............................................................................................................. 17
Band Limit Settings ........................................................................................................... 18
Transceiver Setup ............................................................................................................. 18
Motors Test ........................................................................................................................ 23
Relays Test ........................................................................................................................ 24
Software Version ............................................................................................................... 24
Antenna Selection ............................................................................................................. 24
Reset User Data ................................................................................................................ 25
Fault Code Menu ............................................................................................................... 25
No Response ................................................................................................................. 25
Antenna Cable Open ..................................................................................................... 25
Driver Chip Error ............................................................................................................ 25
Select Pattern: ............................................................................................................... 27
Adjust Element:.............................................................................................................. 27
Adjust Frequency ........................................................................................................... 27
Select Segment ............................................................................................................. 27
Band Correction ............................................................................................................. 27
Multi-Element Adjust ...................................................................................................... 27
Reset Pattern to Default ................................................................................................ 27
LCD Display Setup ............................................................................................................ 28
LCD Brightness.............................................................................................................. 28
Background Color .......................................................................................................... 28
Foreground Color........................................................................................................... 28

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Text Color ...................................................................................................................... 28
Button Text Color ........................................................................................................... 28
Button Panel Color ......................................................................................................... 28
Button Top Color ............................................................................................................ 28
Button Bottom Color ...................................................................................................... 28
Bottom Select Color ....................................................................................................... 28
Custom Color 80 ............................................................................................................ 28
LCD Default ................................................................................................................... 28
Flash File Menu ................................................................................................................. 29
Read Antenna File ......................................................................................................... 29
Master Antenna File ................................................................................................... 29
Saved Antenna File .................................................................................................... 29
Custom Antenna File .................................................................................................. 29
Save User Antenna File ................................................................................................. 29
Updated Master File Available ....................................................................................... 30
Using Controller for More Than One Antenna ................................................................ 30
How to Update Firmware ................................................................................................... 31
Tuning Relay ..................................................................................................................... 32
Remote Driver ................................................................................................................... 32
Advanced Lightning Protection (ALP)................................................................................ 34
Memory Card Operations .................................................................................................. 34
Customer Support ............................................................................................................. 36

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Table of Illustrations
Initial Power-On Screen....................................................................................................... 9
Menu Screen ....................................................................................................................... 9
Screen After First-Time Power-On ..................................................................................... 11
OptimizIR Front Panel ....................................................................................................... 12
Setup Main Menu .............................................................................................................. 14
Transceiver Interface to Radio........................................................................................... 19
Transceiver Interface with Y-cable ..................................................................................... 20
Controllers Stacked with Y-cable ....................................................................................... 21
Transceiver Interface to PC only ....................................................................................... 22
Screen Capture - AVR-Osp II ATxmega129A1 Programmer Panel .................................. 31
Tuning Relay Wiring .......................................................................................................... 32
Remote Driver Board Wiring .............................................................................................. 33
View of Memory Card Location ......................................................................................... 34
Front View of OptimizIR ..................................................................................................... 35
Rear View of OptimizIR ..................................................................................................... 35

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Introduction (John Mertel WA7IR)
The SDR 2000 OptimizIR controller is the latest in SteppIR’s innovative line of products
that bring enjoyment and high-performance to the amateur radio service. For many, this
controller is an upgrade from either the original controller, or the SDA 100. The OptimizIR
is also being upgraded on a large quantity of new antenna purchases, so this may be the
first time these users have had experience with any SteppIR controller. We have created
this instruction manual to address the needs of both users.
The OptimizIR provides a new way to interact with the SteppIR antenna. We have spent
significant time developing this product, and have had extensive feedback from customers
on the design. We also worked with a team of beta testers to make sure we have a first-
class antenna controller to be used seamlessly with your SteppIR antenna.
Many of the features that are standard in the OptimizIR controller have been around for a
while in our other controllers, available for purchase. The primary difference is that in the
OptimizIR, these options are now included as standard features:
 Transceiver Interface; This enables automatic adjustment of each antenna element of as
the radio tunes. Wherever the radio tunes to, the SteppIR faithfully follows!
 Tuning Relay. The lock-out relay connects via a PTT cable to a RF power amplifier and
prevents transmitting high level RF while the SteppIR antenna is being tuned. When
operating with over 200 watts, it is prudent to not hit your antenna with that RF while it is in
a mismatch.
 Advanced Lightning Protection (ALP). Each driver chip inside the OptimizIR has an
isolation relay ahead of it to protect against lightning and dead shorts. The ALP board also
offers enhanced troubleshooting parameters.
Other features inherent to all SteppIR Yagis, Dipoles and Verticals:
 180-Degree Mode. The 180 mode allows users to electrically “rotate” the antenna 180
degrees opposite forward direction beam heading. So if your antenna is pointing North,
with a click of a button you will be beaming South.
 Bi-Directional Mode. The BI 3/4 functions in a similar manner to 180-degree mode, except
when enabled, the antenna operates as a hybrid Yagi with forward gain occurring in
opposite directions, simultaneously.
 Element Retract Mode. With Element Retract Mode, user can retract all elements on a
SteppIR antenna to home position. Optionally, the controller will then power down
automatically. Retracting elements is an extremely valuable option in cases of inclement
weather like high winds, snow or radial icing. During lightning events, a retracted antenna
greatly reduces conductive area of the antenna platform. NOTE: The user is not required

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to retract the antenna, it is there as a feature in case it is needed. There is no problem at
all with leaving the antenna extended, even when not in use.
The SDA 2000 OptimizIR controller hosts a number of new features – color screen, large
display and simplified user interface are what you will first notice when turning on the
controller.
With the SDA 100 controller and the Original Controller, the user has always had the ability
to create, modify and change the antenna. But the process was not simple, and it was
buried inside the setup mode of the antenna software, only to be used by the more
motivated SteppIR owner. With the OptimizIR, we have brought that technology to the
“front” of the interface, and embraced the technology of creating and modifying antennas.
New antennas you will see on the OptimizIR are: maximum forward gain, maximum front
to rear, and wide beamwidth antennas. Visually you can see what type of antenna is
being utilized with the full color bar indicator that is always visible on the controller. Also
new to the OptimizIR – every antenna (including DB32 and MonstIR) is included in the
firmware, so you can operate multiple antennas (one at a time, you will still need to switch
control cable) without having to modify the controller.
In addition, the user can create their own antennas using EZ-NEC or the many other
antenna modeling progams, and then upload those models into the OptimizIR, using the
included mini-SD card. There are some sites that are creating their own antenna models
for SteppIR owners, such as Dan Maguire’s Auto-EZ. You can check out Dan’s software
(available for $79) at www.AC6LA.com. Dan worked very closely with us in the computer
modeling of the OptimizIR antennas.
The OptimizIR is the first of a series of new controllers that will make the SteppIR
antennas “smart”, and give the user the ability to fully employ the advantages of a
remotely tunable antenna!
73
John Mertel
President/CEO

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Warning
The OptimizIR has voltage present on control cable wires, even when POWER button has
been pushed to off. Unplug power supply and disconnect 25-pin D-sub connector before
making any connections or cutting or splicing cable wires. The driver chips inside the
controller will be damaged if the power and control wires short out.
We highly recommend grounding controller chassis to station ground. An 8-32 ground
stud is provided for this purpose. SteppIR recommends a short length of at least ¼” wide
tin-copper braid.
Do not transmit while antenna is adjusting when operating with over 200 watts.
Purpose
The OptimizIR provides the optimal configuration of antenna hardware based on
frequency, antenna model, and desired pattern.
New features include:
1. Ability to change antennas (from vertical to DB42 Yagi) without firmware reload or
hardware changes
2. Remembers last frequency used per band (Manual mode)
3. Frequency adjust knob with selectable step-size (Manual mode)
4. Band buttons for all available bands.(Manual mode)
5. Up to 16 patterns per band, NORM, 180 degrees, BI 3/4, Max-Gain, Max Front-to-
back and others defined by the user.
6. Pattern select knobs and pattern buttons
7. Autotrack mode with frequency step-size adjustment per band
8. Autotrack mode will only change frequency if band changes
9. Enhanced Create/Modify mode allow creation of new patterns
10. Micro-SD card to transfer and save antenna configuration files
11. Can load saved antenna file from SD card
12. Large TFT color display
13. Tuning relay – standard feature
14. Transceiver interface – standard feature
15. ALP driver board – standard feature.
Release History
April 2018: Public Version 1.0

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Initial Controller Checkout
Perform following steps in listed order. For this initial controller checkout, the controller
cable can be disconnected.
1. Connect power cord from universal power supply into controller.
2. Plug power cord from universal controller into a 100-240 Vac, 50-60 Hz outlet.
3. Power/Tuning LED should glow amber.
4. Turn on controller by pressing POWER button.
5. Power/Tuning LED should now glow green.
6. NORM LED should glow green.
7. Verify screen shows “SteppIR” logo for about 6 seconds and then shows the startup
screen similar to front page shown in this manual.
Theory
Yagi antennas are basically single frequency devices that work well only over a very
narrow range, typically 0.5% change in frequency. Fixed length yagis compensate by
using a variety of techniques, all of which result in serious degradation of performance,
especially in Front to Rear rejection, and added complexity, size, and weight. Dipoles
have a much broader bandwidth but still cannot cover the entire 80m and 40m bands and
maintain a low SWR (<1.5:1). Our patented solution is to simply adjust the all of the
antenna elements to the optimal length for the desired frequency with none of the
compromises in performance that all fixed antennas require. This is accomplished
remotely using an electronic controller that can even automatically follow the radios'
frequency. SteppIR antennas enjoy optimal performance on all frequencies within their
specified frequency range (varies by model) = and that includes non-ham radio
frequencies as well!
The OptimizIR takes frequency and pattern input, applies those quantities to an antenna
model and commands antenna hardware to set element lengths to those values.
Using the OptimizIR is as simple as making the controller frequency match the radio
frequency using the front panel buttons, and then waiting for the Power/Tuning LED to
stop flashing. This function is automatic when connected to a radio using the Autotrack
feature.
Remember that SWR is not the only factor important for high performance antennas.
Minimum SWR does not always align with best antenna performance. Our antennas have
better than 1.4:1 SWR in normal operating modes on almost all models, with 6M and 30M
being exceptions on some models.
Rain and ice accumulation can influence antenna matching and performance. Either can
cause resonant frequency to shift lower by a small amount. Under most circumstances, it
can be ignored. Unlike conventional antennas, such loading can be corrected for by

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simply shifting antenna frequency higher using manual mode. Using Global Correction
in options menu can be used to correct for performance shift.
Operate Mode
Power-On Screen
When controller is first powered on, the SteppIR logo, controller model and copyright
information are displayed for about 6 seconds, and then controller enters operate state.
Initial Power-On Screen
The check fault enunciator will display if no control cable is connected or if controller
detects an error. The controller then displays status screen for Operate mode.
Menu Screen

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Modes of Operation
NORM Mode
The NORM mode is used when manually operating controller and primary intended use
for the ham bands. When in NORM mode, tune through bands simply by using frequency
band buttons. Controller will simultaneously adjust length of each element to the chosen
frequency band. The display shows what frequency antenna is tuning to, plus
Power/Tuning LED will blink amber/green. Frequencies outside ham bands can also be
selected.
When controller is in NORM mode, selectable bands are pre-programed to get antenna
close to desired frequency. Most SteppIR antennas work very well over a 100 KHz
frequency range (minimum) except on 80 m. Bandwidth will depend on the antenna
model.
180 Mode
The 180 degree mode is one of the most popular among SteppIR users. The 180 mode
allows the user to electrically “rotate” antenna 180 degrees from the current NORM
direction beam heading. This is done by simply pressing a button. In 2-1/2 seconds,
(shorter on higher frequencies, longer on lower frequencies) transformation is complete.
The existing reflector becomes a director and director becomes a reflector. The antenna
will now have a completely opposite pattern. With a two element Yagi, director becomes a
reflector. In addition to greatly reducing rotator use, many SteppIR users report the 180
function is an excellent tool for short path / long path operation or for picking up elusive
multipliers in the heat of a contest.
BI 3/4 Mode
The BI 3/4 (BI stands for bi-directional) mode operates in a similar manner to 180 except
when enabled, gain occurs in both directions. There is approximately 2 dB less gain than
normal, but now gain occurs in both forward and reverse directions. This feature can be
very handy for those who are involved with net operation or contests where hearing (or
sending) signals from two directions are advantageous.
Main Screen
The display in the normal operate state depends on the antenna state and which antenna
is selected. The screen will contain:
 Currently selected pattern
 Antenna type
 Bar graph displaying relative signal strength.

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 Selected patterns Front to Back, Forward Gain and Beam Width
 Frequency setting
 Fault message if there is a problem needing attention.
Screen After First-Time Power-On
There are pushbuttons surrounding the TFT full-color display. The buttons are labeled
NORM, 180 and BI 3/4. RETRACT and POWER always have the same function. Buttons
without labels have on-screen messages. These messages change depending on
controller’s operating mode.
When a button with an on-screen message is pressed, the color will change indicating
selection. For example, if AutoTrk button is pressed, it will illuminate green indicating the
Autotrack mode is enabled. In the case of Autotrack, it will not illuminate unless the
transceiver interface is ON, Refer to setup mode’s “Autotrack Setting” to configure the
controller for automatic frequency tracking.
The K2 knob adjusts displayed frequency by step-size displayed in upper right of
frequency window. The step-size can be changed by pressing K2 knob. If Autotrack is
enabled, frequency will change to radio frequency every time there is an update. This will
over-ride any changes made with K2 knob or band buttons.
The K1 knob will select antenna pattern from available list for selected band.
There are different patterns available for NORM, 180, and BI 3/4. For instance, if a
maximum front-to-back antenna is desired, select NORM, then use K1 knob to select
Fwd-MaxFB.
Across bottom of display there are band buttons plus a set of “<<” which indicate there are
more bands to the left. For example with a DB18, if display shows there are buttons for 20
meter through 6 meter bands, pressing “<<” will shift buttons so 40 meter through 12
meter bands are displayed.
Pattern = Normal DB-18E
Front to back Forward gain
0.0dB 00 0.0dBi

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During antenna length changes, both affected band button and Power/Tuning LED
located below POWER button will blink at one second intervals. When tuning is done,
band button will have a steady green border.
OptimizIR Buttons in Operate Mode
OptimizIR Front Panel
The NORM button selects the Forward antenna patterns used in conjunction with the K1
knob. The LED next to it will light when pressed.
The 180 button selects reverse, opposite of NORM, antenna patterns used in conjunction
with K1 knob. The LED next to it will light when pressed.
The BI 3/4 button selects Bidirectional antenna patterns, the ones that defeat front-to-back
ratio of the antenna used in conjunction with K1 knob. The LED next to it will light when
pressed.
The K1 knob, NORM, 180 and BI 3/4 buttons all control selectable patterns. The number
of sub-patterns selected with K1 knob can be 0 to 15 depending on the antenna and band
selected.
The K2 knob controls frequency by rotating knob and step-size by pressing the knob.
When K2 knob is pressed, it cycles through five possible frequency step sizes of 5 kHz,
10 kHz, 25 kHz, 50 kHz and 100 kHz. Turning K2 knob will adjust frequency by step-size.
The antenna will start tuning immediately upon changing frequency. As long as frequency
is within band limits (can be changed from setup menu) and antenna is allowed to finish
tuning to new frequency, it will be saved as default band frequency. The last used
frequency for each band is saved separately so controller will always return to last
frequency used on a given band.

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For single-element vertical antennas, pattern is omnidirectional. Hence, 180 button is
unsupported. When BI 3/4 is pushed, the vertical become a ¾ wavelength antenna
instead of the normal ¼ wavelength on frequencies above 21 MHz where physical
dimensions of antenna hardware allow this to occur. Pressing an unsupported direction
sets controller to NORM and lights the LED.
The AutoTrk button toggles controller between Manual mode and Autotrack mode. The
on-screen button is green when enabled. In Autotrack mode, controller responds to
frequency updates sent from a transceiver or computer to the OptimizIR over the
transceiver interface. When under control of radio, antenna will be re-optimized and will
follow radio to any frequency within range of antenna. Frequency spacing during re-
optimization depends on band step size.
For proper operation of Autotrack mode, transceiver setup menu parameters must be set
to match transceiver type and baud settings. To prevent controller from updating each
time frequency is changed, Autotrack step-size can be programmed individually for each
band.
The manual tune buttons are still active in Autotrack mode, but operation depends on
selected radio, step-size and or source of frequency data.
Precautionary Note: When used in Autotrack Mode, some radios send display frequency
via serial interface. When radio is in split-mode, frequency change displayed between
transmit and receive frequencies may cause frequent and inconvenient antenna tuning.
One remedy is to temporarily disable Autotrack mode. Another cure is to set Autotrack
step-size to be large enough to encompass transmit and frequency difference. The third
solution is to set Autotrack to Band Mode to allow automatically tuning only if band
changes. When using Autotrack Mode, it is prudent to have a transmitter lockout to make
sure there is no RF being generated while antenna is tuning. Although the radio alone
(<200 Watts) cannot damage the SteppIR antenna, driving an amplifier and transmitting
with high power levels while antenna elements are moving is very stressful and will cause
premature aging of the movable contacts in the SteppIR antenna EDU. With SteppIR
antennas, it is ALWAYS good practice at any power level to wait for tuning to stop before
transmitting.
The RETRACT button has two modes of operation. By default, pressing RETRACT button
will cause antenna elements to be homed. This action is immediately followed by an
elements home message. If Setup Options menu item “Power off Retract” is selected,
after elements are homed, controller display will switch off and controller will go to sleep.
Setup Mode
Pressing SETUP button opens the OptimizIR Setup Menu.

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Setup Main Menu
The Setup Menu comprises sub-menus some of which are optional depending on antenna
type. Scroll through list of menu items with K1 or K2 knobs. The list does not loop. The
items will change rapidly so turn knob slowly.
There are 2 soft keys, Select and Exit. Select will enter a sub-menu and Exit will exit
sub-menu or setup menu if no sub-menu is selected. RETRACT will also exit setup
menu. Pressing K2 knob is same as pressing Select.
Press Setup once to enter setup mode. Even though soft key for setup is not present
when in setup menu, button is still active. Pressing setup button while in setup menu will
exit current menu. To select setup options. Use K1 knob to find desired sub menu and
press K1 knob.
The selections available are 1) Options Menu, 2) Calibrate Antenna, 3) Retract Elements,
4) Autotrack Settings, 5) Band Limit Settings, 6) Transceiver Setup, 7) Motors Test, 8)
Relays Test, 9) Software Version, 10) Antenna Selection, 11) Reset User Data, 12) Fault
Code Menu, 13) Create/Modify, 14) LCD Display Setup, 15) Flash File Menu.
Options Menu
The K1 knob will cycle through possible options. The K2 knob is used to change option
value. Select is used to confirm change to option. When pressing Select button, entire
display will briefly flash on and off to verify change has been accepted. Change is
immediate when Select is pressed. Global offset does not change element lengths until
Select is pressed.
SETUP Menu
K1 for next item
Options Menu

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This option does not enable 6 meter band. It is used to tell controller that antenna
has optional 6 meter passive element. If 6 meter Passive Element Kit is installed
on antenna, select “Yes” with K2 knob and press Select button. The lengths for
the 6m passive element will be active for the NORM and 180 positions in the
frequency range of 50 through 51 MHz. On 6 meters with the aluminum element kit
installed, the 180 mode will not function on that band. The BI 3/4 mode will
dramatically reduce the front to back, but the antenna will still have some forward
gain. This does not affect any other band.
Remote Driver Option
This option requires optional remote driver board kit. If using optional remote driver
board it must be enabled by selecting “Yes”. This tells controller to use remote
CAT-5 port at rear of controller to communicate with driver board instead of board
inside controller. The driver board in controller housing is still required to power
controller and to communicate with remote driver board. The OptimizIR can be
used in normal stand-alone mode just by turning off remote driver option.
Power Off Retract
This option determines whether or not controller will automatically power off after
elements are retracted when RETRACT button on controller front panel is pressed.
Display Metric
This option sets units to be metric or not when displaying element lengths. This
only affects Create/Modify menu item.
Global Correction Factor
This option allows changing element lengths over a range of +/-2.0% and affects
element lengths on all bands and modes (NORM, 180, BI 3/4). If a correction
factor is only needed on some bands, there is a per-band setting available in
Create/Modify Mode.
To change correction factor, use K1 knob to adjust value of correction factor. Use
K2 knob to select which setting to change. Press the Save button to store new
setting and make antenna tune to new lengths.
In some weather conditions (e.g. ice freezing on fiberglass tubes), it may be
necessary to change default lengths for elements by a small correction factor to
bring antenna tuning and SWR back into normal range. Any water, snow or ice on
elements is going to make elements act electrically longer, moving antenna’s
resonant frequency down. Since all elements are affected equally simply applying

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a negative correction factor (making elements shorter) until SWR is low will allow
antenna to operate normally. When water, snow or ice is gone, put antenna
correction back to original setting. This feature allows the user to use antenna in
any weather conditions with no performance degradation, as opposed to fixed
element length Yagi’s which may be unusable for as long as elements have water,
snow or ice on them. It can also be useful in some cases of interaction or low
antenna height situations.
Calibrate Antenna
Selecting Calibrate causes an antenna calibration to be performed. Whenever antenna is
not acting as it should, activating Calibrate Antenna function is recommended before
exploring other potential problems. This is the first thing to try if antenna is exhibiting
higher than usual SWR or decreased performance. The main reason for “uncalibrated
antenna situation” is loss of power while elements are extended. This is because there is a
small holding voltage present at all times to keep elements from moving when it is not
being tuned. Note that it is not necessary to calibrate for each band.
Calibrating antenna ensures element lengths are accurately reported by controller. The
controller does not know where antenna element is unless it is started from a “known”
place. Even if elements are fully retracted, controller still retracts full length of tape plus
some extra length. The stepper motors will continue to over-step for a short period of time
after elements have reached the stop. In doing this, controller is making sure there is no
doubt each element is fully retracted and back to a known starting point. Retraction is
performed at low motor power levels and doesn’t cause any damage to EHU. The
calibration procedure usually remedies most cases of elements being off in their length.
The elements are then re-deployed to appropriate length for operating frequency when
calibrate was initiated. Calibration can take two minutes or more depending on selected
frequency and antenna model and cannot be aborted. A Calibrate operation can be
executed at any time in any mode. It doesn’t matter what frequency the user is on when
calibrating. When calibration is completed, antenna is calibrated at all frequencies.
Upon delivery, the EHU initially has each element fully retracted and controller is set to
home. If controller is powered up and it says elements home and antenna control cable is
connected with elements physically retracted, system is calibrated and ready to go.
Always calibrate when in doubt - it is easy, and doesn’t hurt a thing.
Retract Elements
To retract antenna elements, press RETRACT. The Power/Tuning LED will flash amber
and green. When LED stops flashing, antenna elements are now fully retracted inside
EHU. To put antenna back on air, simply press antenna segment desired. Controller will
adjust to that segment.

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Selecting RETRACT causes all antenna elements to be retracted to their home (minimum
length) position. Retracting can take two minutes or more depending on selected
frequency and antenna model and cannot be aborted. If optional “Power Off Retract” is
selected, controller will go to sleep when retraction is done.
Before taking a SteppIR antenna down, always first RETRACT elements. To protect
antenna and connected equipment during periods of non-use, lightning storms or harsh
winter conditions, use RETRACT feature. This greatly reduces conductive area of
antenna platform. In ice storms, retracting elements greatly reduces potential for
mechanical damage in case of a catastrophic failure. Don’t confuse “retracting” with
“calibration”. A calibration guarantees element is brought home and then extended from a
known starting point. Retracting assumes proper amount of tape is extended and simply
reels same amount to home position and leaves it. When retracting elements, the copper
beryllium conductive strip is “safe and sound” inside EHU, leaving only telescoping
fiberglass poles extended. These poles are easy to replace so even if the telescoping
fiberglass support elements (pole) are damaged, the most valuable part of antenna is
safe.
Autotrack Settings
Use K1 knob to select step-size. Use K2 knob to select band. Press Select key to save
changes. If band is changed or exit is pressed without pressing Select first, changes will
not be saved. The Autotrack settings determine how much the radio frequency must be
changed before antenna will retune when Autotrack has been enabled on front panel. The
available settings are 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250 kHz, and BAND.
The BAND selection instructs the controller to only retune the antenna when it sees
frequency change to a different ham band.
Using the other modes of NORM, 180 and BI 3/4 can all still be used while in the
Autotrack mode. To use the transceiver interface, the user must put the controller into
Autotrack mode so the Autotrk annunciator lights green. To disable automatic tracking
simply select the Autotrack mode so the annunciator goes out.
The band buttons are active when in this mode and will cause the antenna to change
frequency until the controller sees another command from the radio. This could take up to
2 seconds. Avoid accidentally hitting the band buttons while using the transceiver
interface to control the antenna. The transceiver interface will update the frequency if it is
enabled with the radio or computer on overriding the band buttons almost immediately. If
using the RETRACT button to home the antenna, the controller will override the tranceiver
interface. If “Power Off Retract” is enabled, it will go through an automatic shut down
once the elements are completely home.

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Band Limit Settings
To adjust upper and lower frequency limit of a Band, first use K1 knob to select desired
band. Next press ether of the Lower limit buttons or Upper limit buttons. Then use K2
knob to adjust limit frequency. Repeat for the other band limit. Then press Select to
save. The display will blink. If band is changed or exit is pressed without pressing Select
first, changes will not be saved. Band Limit is used to set frequency limits used in
Autotrack Mode and other band sensitive options. It does not affect how element lengths
are calculated or how Create/Modify works.
Transceiver Setup
This feature is used to link a radio, computer or another SteppIR controller to the
OptimizIR. To use the transceiver interface, the rig needs to have computer interfacing
capability. Rigs with these options were manufactured from 1990 and beyond. When
enabled, the transceiver interface on the SteppIR controller will “listen” to the rig through
its computer port, and will automatically re-adjust as the user tunes through the bands.
The user will also need an optional interface cable for the specific rig, which has a 9 pin
female D-sub connector on one end that hooks up to the top “Data In / Radio” port on the
back of the controller. The other end will go to your rigs interface. There is a second 9 pin
D-sub connector below the first D-sub called “Data Out”. This D-sub connector is used if
the user desires to stack two SteppIR horizontal antennas. It allows the two controllers to
communicate to each other, so when any change in frequency occurs on one controller,
the other will follow. It also allows the user to connect the SteppIR directly to a PC. An
optional “Y” cable is available from SteppIR that allows the user to run a logging program
concurrently with the SteppIR controller. (Not required for ICOM radios).
Use K1 knob to select which item to adjust. Use K2 knob to change the value. Press
Select to save changes. The transceiver Interface menu allows selection of radio brand
and baud rate of the two ports at the rear of controller. The baud rate is the speed in
which information is exchanged between the SteppIR controller and the radio. See
operating manual for the radio to determine the proper baud rate. This setting must be the
same as the setting in your radio, or the interface will not function. Note that ICOM radios
require CI-V transceiver mode enabled. The data input and data output ports can be set
to different baud rates. Adjust the three settings to the desired value and press Select
key. The display will blink indicating settings have been saved. Selecting OFF for radio
type will disable the transceiver interface and AutoTrk button. The data out port is always
active as long as OFF is not selected for a radio type. This port is intended for daisy
chaining controllers and computer control. See Transceiver Interface manual for details.

19
More than one radio may work for a given radio setting. For example, the Kenwood
setting works for Elecraft and the FT9000 setting works for the FT3000 and FT6000. If
radio model is not listed, check transceiver interface manual. Finally, some radios require
settings to be changed to get their CAT port to work.
Radio
Station ground
Controller
Cable for controller and radio to
communicate. Cable typ is radio-dependent.
Please refer to rig instruction manual
Data In/
Radio
Data
Out Data
Out
Transceiver Interface to Radio

20
Radio
Station ground
Controller
Y-cable is used to link controller and radio to
a PC. Used with logging programs.
Computer
Data In/
Radio
Data In
Data
Out Data
Out
Transceiver Interface with Y-cable