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[TowerTalk] Vertical Automatic Tilt over

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Vertical Automatic Tilt over
From: tower@coffeepower.net
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:32:16 -0600 (CST)
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
A while back I built a simple and cheap tilt over mount for my Gap
challenger vertical, which is about 32' tall.  I went down to tractor
supply (should have went to the metal recycle shop, lol) and picked up two
4' pieces of angle iron.  Nothing too heavy.   I pounded these in the
ground and left about 2' sticking out with two of the Flat sides of the
angle iron facing each other.

I have mine spaced about 10" apart or so, in retrospect I should have put
them closer together.  Probably should have assembled it as a working
model on the ground first.

Anyway close to the top of the angle iron I drilled a hole through each of
the flat sections facing each other just a couple of inches down from the
top.   I then Carefully drilled a hole through the gap antenna at a point
that would leave me several inches of ground clearance when I swing.  Have
to be careful drilling due to the coax running up through the center of
the antenna.

I simply uses all-thread through the holes and antenna for the top hinge
and used appropriate washers and nuts to hold it where I wanted it.

Further down I drilled my Pinning holes and put a back-stop plate to keep
the antenna from going too far when put in an upright position.  Anyway
you get the idea.  All-thread at the bottom for pinning in the upright
position. If I were going to be putting it up and down a lot I would rig
some sort of latch gate on the bottom instead.

I only have 3 counterpoise wires off the bottom of this thing to contend
with so not sure how the radials on your antenna might work.

....anyway that has nothing to do with 'automated' but here is a nice link
that I ran across while doing some homebrew rotator resarch that will come
in handy with ideas and pictures for doing it automaically!!

http://www.qsl.net/sv1bsx/actuator/actuator.html

   Cheers,
      M@  W5NIG

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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