I have been invited several times to climb steps on the mast to work on
antennas but I get all puckered up on the 1st step and chicken out. I have
watched others climb these masts but I won't (or can't ?).
So I installed a winch at the top of my LM-470 and a U bolt on the mast just
above the rotator. I attach the winch cable to the U bolt, take the weight
off the rotator, remove the rotator and then lower the mast inside the tower
to work on the antennas. If necessary I will remove my 20m yagi from the
mast and temporarily secure it to one side of the tower to lower the mast
and work on the 15m yagi. When I work on the 10m I loosen the boom to mast
clamp on the 15m and just slide the mast down until I can reach the 10m.
The 20m is too heavy to allow the mast to slide through it's boom to mast
clamp.
de Paul, W8AEF
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ZF2TA FO8DX FO0PLA 8Q7AA XZ0A
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Gates" <regates@kingwoodcable.com>
To: "Tower Talk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 5:38 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Lowering mast on fixed tower
> Please excuse what, for most, is probably an elementary question. But I
feel
> like Rip van Winkle, coming back into the hobby at such a late date. I
have a
> question that I cannot figure out the solution to in my mind. Assume a
fixed
> height tower, say Rohn 45G. Assume a rotor mounted to an accessory plate
5'
> below the top, with a 20' heavy duty mast extending up through the tower,
Then
> assume a yagi installed 10'-12' above the top of the tower. How does one
> perform maintenance on this antenna? I assume you would need some means
to
> remove the rotor and lower the mast down through the tower. After work is
> completed, you would then need to raise the mast back up to the desired
height
> and reinstall the rotor. The problem is increased if there is another
antenna
> installed on the mast, say 1' above the top of the tower. Obviously you
could
> hire a crane at a gazillion dollars per hour to pick up the assembly and
set it
> on the ground. But how would you do it without one? Realistically, can
you
> climb up the mast to work on the top antenna?
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Bob KG7KW
_______________________________________________
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Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
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