Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] homebrew rotator

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] homebrew rotator
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2016 19:11:04 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Here's a home built, chain drive that might turn your whole house. He used it to tun the top section of a massive tower that could be seen from 10 to 12 miles.Top two photos on http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/skyhook.htm the whole drive is not shown, but what is shown should give a good idea as to the size. Definitely not a bicycle chain! I think he used two heavy chains.

John's station looks dated, but the photo was shot around 2001.

Industrial chain, gears and idlers can be found at on-line auctions. I purchase a chain and gears for a planned, but much smaller scale drive that has never materialized...as of yet and probably never will. The cost was surprisingly little.

There is "no slack" in this system so be sure to use a heavy (strong) spring loaded idler to protect the system and particularly the chain. OTOH if the chain is not "tight" to allow some slack, the shock to the antennas, chain and motor gear reduction can be substantial.

John built that entire tower with the help of his brother-in-law and it was on a city lot. IIRC John died just two years after getting the system operational. His family put the tower up for sale, then on e-bay. It could be had for taking it down, but they eventually gave it to a power company for taking it down.

The cost? In the Year 2000, you could have purchased a new Corvette for just the cost of the materials..

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 6/1/2016 Wednesday 3:22 PM, Danny Pease wrote:
I have been intrigued with putting together my own antenna mast rotation
system and wondered if anyone has any info on using a rack and pinion gear
type system in conjunction with a linear actuator. If the rack and pinion
turns out to be too expensive, my second choice would be a chain drive with
the linear actuator.

Thoughts?

Danny NG9R

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk


--

73

Roger (K8RI)


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus


_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>