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Provides an overall description of the TH6-DX antenna.
Details electrical and mechanical specifications for the TH6-DX.
Covers pre-assembly considerations and installation methods.
Step-by-step instructions for assembling the antenna boom.
Guidance on attaching the 15-20 meter reflector element.
Detailed steps for assembling the driven element.
Instructions for assembling the Beta Match component.
Attaching the 10 meter director element.
Attaching the 15 meter director element.
Attaching the 10-20 meter reflector element.
Procedure for attaching the feedline and RF choke.
Installing the boom support cable system.
Essential steps for ensuring proper lightning protection.
The Hy-Gain TH6-DX "Thunderbird" is a triband beam antenna designed for optimal performance across 10, 15, and 20 meters. This antenna is engineered to provide superior gain and a high front-to-back ratio, making it an excellent choice for both Phone and CW operations. Its design incorporates advanced features to ensure reliable and efficient signal transmission and reception.
A key feature of the TH6-DX is its use of separate Hy-Q traps for each band. This dedicated trap system allows the antenna to be precisely tuned for each operating frequency, ensuring the best possible performance whether you are engaging in voice communication (Phone) or Morse code (CW). This individual band optimization helps to maximize signal strength and clarity, providing a consistent and high-quality experience across all supported bands.
The antenna also boasts an advanced design Beta Match, which is crucial for achieving optimum transfer of all available energy. This matching system facilitates precision broadband matching, allowing the antenna to operate effectively across a wider range of frequencies within each band without significant loss of performance. The Beta Match is factory pre-tuned, simplifying the setup process and ensuring that the antenna is ready for use with minimal adjustments. This pre-tuning also contributes to a high degree of electrical reliability, reducing the chances of impedance mismatches that could degrade performance.
Mechanically, the Hy-Gain "Thunderbird" is built for ruggedness and durability. It features a large diameter, heavy gauge aluminum boom, which provides a strong and stable backbone for the entire antenna structure. The elements themselves are constructed from taper swaged seamless aluminum, a design choice that enhances both strength and aerodynamic efficiency. This construction minimizes wind resistance and ensures the elements can withstand various environmental conditions.
The antenna incorporates heavy gauge, machine-formed boom-to-mast and element-to-boom brackets. These robust brackets are designed to securely attach the elements to the boom and the boom to the mast, preventing movement and ensuring structural integrity even under stress. The use of non-corrosive full circumference compression clamps at tubing joints further enhances the antenna's mechanical reliability. These clamps provide a tight and secure connection between telescoping sections of tubing, preventing slippage and maintaining the antenna's structural dimensions over time.
For assembly, the manual provides three methods to accommodate different installation scenarios, particularly concerning how the antenna will be hoisted onto a tower. Users can choose to completely assemble the antenna on the ground and then hoist it, use a guy wire method for erection, or assemble it in halves on the ground before hoisting each half onto the tower for final assembly. This flexibility allows installers to select the most practical and safest method based on their resources and environment.
During assembly, it is recommended to apply Electroseal, a specially compounded oxidation inhibitor, to all mating surfaces of telescoping sections and other parts where good electrical connections are critical. This substance helps maintain electrical conductivity and prevents corrosion, which can degrade performance over time.
The assembly process involves carefully measuring and adjusting tubing lengths. The compression clamps, while secure, can indent the tubing. If adjustments are needed, the clamps must be loosened and slid out of the way, and any dimples caused by the clamps should be drilled out with a sharp 1/4" drill bit before repositioning and re-installing the clamps. This meticulous approach ensures that the antenna's dimensions are accurate, which is vital for achieving optimum results.
Users must decide on their preferred mode of transmission—Lo Phone, Hi Phone, or CW—as this choice dictates specific element length measurements. Consistency in this selection is crucial; mixing measurements from different modes for various elements is not recommended.
For feeding the antenna, an RF choke is necessary for proper operation. The manual describes how to construct a "home-made" RF choke using RG-8/U coaxial cable, consisting of 12 turns with a 6-inch diameter. However, it strongly recommends using a Hy-Gain balun Model BN-12 for significantly greater efficiency. The balun helps to prevent common mode currents on the feedline, ensuring that all RF energy is radiated by the antenna elements.
Maintenance considerations include weatherproofing the coaxial cable connections, particularly where the braid leaves the outer insulator, to prevent water ingress that could damage the cable. The RF choke and feedline should be securely taped to the boom and mast to prevent movement and strain.
Lightning protection is also a critical aspect of the installation. The manual advises grounding the antenna supporting structure with a 1/2" x 8' ground rod driven into the earth as close as possible to the base of the tower or mast. This rod should be connected to the tower or mast using a copper strap or 12 gauge copper or aluminum wire. For comprehensive equipment protection, the use of a Hy-Gain Model LA-1 lightning arrestor is highly recommended.
Overall, the Hy-Gain TH6-DX "Thunderbird" is presented as a high-performance, robust, and versatile triband beam antenna, designed with both electrical efficiency and mechanical durability in mind, offering an excellent solution for amateur radio enthusiasts seeking top-tier performance.
General| Boom Length | 24 ft |
|---|---|
| Number of Elements | 6 |
| Front-to-Back Ratio | 20 dB |
| VSWR | 1.5:1 |
| Impedance | 50 ohms |
| Maximum Power | 1500 watts |
| Power Handling | 1500 watts |
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