What you need

• One 5/32″ Allen wrench. That’s the whole tool list.
• Noalox antenna grease. A fresh tube.
• Blue Loctite. Optional, for permanent installs.
• A battery AM radio.

Every splice is already bolted in. No loose hardware in the box.

Pick the spot

• Tune the AM radio between stations, so you hear only noise.
• Walk the whole lot.
• Plant the pole in the quietest spot.

Set the sleeve

• Dig 3 feet deep. 4 feet for the 28′.
• Set the sleeve plumb, in concrete.
• Let it cure 24 hours before you load the pole.

Section order, bottom to top

• 1. Base. Insulator with the slot. The slot sits just above the sleeve.
• 2. Feedpoint. Insulator with two round holes.
• 3 to 5. Standard. Interchangeable. On a flagpole, keep the cleat within reach.
• 6. Top. Holes on one end only. Holes go down.

Joining sections

• Remove only the top two bolts on the splice.
• Never remove the lower bolts.
• Each hole must show a full circle. Never force a bolt.
• Noalox on the surfaces. Snug, not tight.

Hardware care

• Surfaces get Noalox. Threads get Blue.
• Never Red Loctite.
• Never thread locker in the fiberglass insulators.
• Never an impact driver.

Replacement bolt: 1/4″-20 x 1/2″ button head, 304 stainless, 5/32″ Allen.

The step not to miss

• Snap the 3 spacers onto the ladder line first, about 12″ apart.
• Thread it up through sections 1 and 2 before joining 2 to 3.
• One wire out each round hole.
• Phase it: the upper-radiator wire goes to the PL-259 center pin.
• Leave 2 to 3 feet out the bottom slot.

The choke

• The 5 ferrites are your 1:1 choke. Snap each until it clicks.
• It goes at the feedpoint.
• Remote tuner at the antenna? Then on the radio side of the tuner.

At the base

• Most owners: the adapter to coax.
• Also good: ladder line all the way, or twisted pair in conduit.
• Weatherproof the adapter.

Compare feedlines first: Feedline Loss Calculator

First tune, remote tuner

• Control box: 12 V on, light lit.
• 10 to 20 watts, steady carrier.
• Key it. Press Tune. Watch SWR fall.
• Repeat once per band.

Some bands look dead? That band hasn’t been tuned yet. Nothing is broken.

Shack tuner

• Retune at every band change.

Grounding

• The antenna floats. It’s a dipole.
• The station is grounded, per the ARRL.
• A bulkhead entry panel, bonded to the service ground.
• Surge protectors on the coax. DC-pass for a remote tuner.