Alpha Antenna JPole Jr (34-foot) User Guide
Manufactured by: Alpha Antenna
User Guide Version: 2.8
Date: July 17, 2020
Introduction
Thank you for your support of the Alpha Antenna line. We hope that you will enjoy using this product. Amateur Radio Operators (Hams) have provided written testimonials on how easy Alpha Antenna systems are to deploy, how well they perform, and how each deployed antenna system has made their operating experiences positive and enduring.
The Alpha Antenna is a Civilian Military system that is easy to deploy, has acceptable SWRs, and is extremely durable. The antenna system is composed of building blocks that can be used to construct a large variety of deployable solutions. No external supports are necessary for deployment, however, several deployment options exist if natural supports are available. If space or privacy is a concern, the Alpha Antenna is deployable for covert operations. This antenna is efficient enough to be deployed indoors, from a porch or balcony.
Product Overview
With proper deployment, the Alpha Antenna system is designed to operate continuously from 6 through 80 meters, with the use of an external wide-band antenna tuner.
Additional Product Details
- Antenna Weight: 1.5 pounds
- Antenna Configuration: Horizontal, or Sloper
- Maximum Frequency Coverage: 3.5 MHz to 54 MHz
- Maximum Power Rating: 250 PEP SSB, 125 CW, or 25 watts for digital modes
- Length: 34 feet
Safety Tips
When installing or operating this antenna, please observe the following safety tips.
NOTE: High voltages are present when transmitting, regardless of the power applied. Do not touch any part of the antenna while transmitting.
WARNING: INSTALLATION OR OPERATION OF THIS PRODUCT NEAR POWER LINES IS DANGEROUS! FOR YOUR SAFETY, FOLLOW THE ENCLOSED INSTALLATION DIRECTIONS. ALTHOUGH THIS ANTENNA IS CONSTRUCTED OF INSULATED WIRE, PROPER CARE MUST BE TAKEN DURING INSTALLATION. THE INSTALLER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITY FOR PROPERTY AND LIFE SAFETY.
YOU, YOUR ANTENNA, AND SAFETY
Each year, hundreds of people are killed, mutilated, or receive severe and permanent injuries when attempting to install an antenna. In many of these cases, the victim was aware of the danger of electrocution but did not take adequate steps to avoid the hazard. For your safety, and to help you achieve a good installation, please READ and FOLLOW the safety precautions.
- If you are installing an antenna for the first time, please seek PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE for your own safety and the safety of others.
- Select your installation site with safety and performance in mind. REMEMBER: ELECTRIC POWER LINES AND PHONE LINES LOOK ALIKE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, ASSUME THAT ANY OVERHEAD LINES CAN KILL YOU.
- Call your electric power company. Inform them of your plans and ask them to inspect your proposed installation site. This is a minor inconvenience when considering YOUR LIFE IS AT STAKE.
- Plan your installation procedure carefully and completely before you begin. Successful raising of a mast or tower is largely a matter of coordination. Each person should be assigned a specific task and know what to do and when to do it. One person should be designated as the leader/coordinator of the operation to call out instructions and watch for signs of trouble.
- When installing your antenna, REMEMBER: DO NOT USE A METAL LADDER. DO NOT WORK ON A WET OR WINDY DAY. DRESS PROPERLY: wear shoes with rubber soles and heels, rubber gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt or jacket.
- If the assembly starts to drop, move away from it and let it fall. Remember, the antenna, mast, and cable are all excellent conductors of electrical current. Even the slightest touch of any of these parts to a power line completes an electrical path through the antenna and the installer.
- If ANY PART of the antenna system comes in contact with a power line, DON'T TOUCH IT OR TRY TO REMOVE IT YOURSELF. CALL YOUR LOCAL POWER COMPANY. They will remove it safely. If an accident occurs involving power lines, call for qualified emergency help.
Antenna Parts List
| Item | Description | Qty. | Representation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha Antenna JPole Jr | 1 | [Image 1] |
Deployment Recommendations
For maximum effectiveness, keep your feed point as high as possible. Deploy the antenna as a sloper for good NVIS and DX results, or as a flat top for good NVIS results. An optimum installation would be where the antenna is deployed as a sloper with the high (feed point) end at 30 feet or higher and the low end at 10 feet or higher.
Alpha Antenna does not recommend installing this antenna as a Vertical due to verticals being inherently prone to high noise (RFI) and unpredictable radiation patterns caused by proximity to coax, which also allows for common mode feedback to increase.
For the initial installation, a Balun or air choke coil is not recommended at the antenna. It is recommended that you ground your tuner and rig. Your equipment has a ground bolt on the back, and manufacturers (and Alpha Antenna) recommend connecting an RF ground to it to balance the circuit. An RF Choke is only recommended if you find one is needed, such as if you hear feedback through speakers when you transmit. However, a Grounded Counterpoise would be the first option for any common mode current that might exist. If you find that common mode exists after installing the antenna, a Grounded Counterpoise wire can be attached to the barrel connector at the antenna's feed point, secured with a stainless steel hose clamp.
Support Contacts
If you have questions about your antenna, please feel free to email Alpha Antenna at alphaantenna@gmail.com.
Antenna Installation
PLAN YOUR DEPLOYMENT
There are two basic methods for installing the antenna: one enhances NVIS (Near Vertical Incident Skywave) and the other enhances DX (Long Distance) communications.
- For NVIS deployments, install the antenna closer to the ground, at a minimum height of 6+ Feet on either end.
- For DX (Long Distance) deployments, install the antenna higher, sloped at a height of 1/2 wavelength or higher for maximum results.
The most effective method for deployment is to position the antenna so that it is horizontally sloped, with the Antenna Element placed at a height of 6+ Feet and deployed free from other obstructions, as depicted in Image B.
Please refer to Image B when installing the antenna. The Balun should be supported with a Rope, which can be run through both the Balun's eye-bolt and Insulator 1, as represented in Image C. The other end of the Antenna Element should be supported at a height of 6+ Feet using a Rope run through Insulator 2.
Next, attach the Red terminal on the wire element to the shorter Lug marked with Red on the Balun, and the Black terminal to the Black Lug. Then, attach your Coax to the Balun. Note that the weight of the Coax can be supported (tied off and up) with the loose end of the Rope to your mast, as depicted in Image C. It is suggested to use a 'halyard bend' type knot (Reference Image A) to tie the coax off to your mast.
Once the antenna is deployed, connect your equipment between the Coax and the Ground Stake.
[Image A: Halyard Bend knot illustration]
[Image B: Diagram showing antenna deployment as a sloper between a tree and a mast, with heights indicated]
[Image C: Close-up of the balun connection to the antenna element and support rope]
