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[TowerTalk] Rotated element problem

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotated element problem
From: kg5u@hal-pc.org (Dale Martin)
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 18:00:00 -0500
On Monday, October 06, 1997 11:46 AM, JHFitzJr@aol.com wrote:
>2 elements of my 204BA at100 ft had
>rotated on the boom about 45 degrees. 

<snip>
>
>73 Jim WI9WI
>


Jim,
Had a similar problem with the director element of the 4-el 15m 
monobander at 90 feet at W5RRR (Johnson Space Center ARC).

My suggestion to fix it met all sorts of skepticism.  But, I prevailed
and they decided to see if it would work.  It was similar to what
you did, but I used monofilament fishing line.  I tied the end to a 
wrench and threw it over the high side of the element, above the
first hose clamp.  I let the wrench take the line to the ground, then
tossed the spool of remaining line between the director and 2nd
director of the 204BA belowe the 15m beam.  One helper  on the 
ground took the lines and gently pulled/jerked the element back 
into line.  With the element that far out, the angle was too off
axis for me to be able to do it from the top of the tower.  I had 
always felt it would be better to do it from directly below the 
antenna element.  It swung right back into place and, after four
months and several thunderstorms, it still inplace.  

You might try something like that from the ground, Jim.

Another idea I had had was to make a "fork" and twist the
element back into line.  This is going to be hard to describe. 

Take a 2x4 long enough for you to hold on to and reach the 
element that is out of line.  

Bolt a two or three foot long Tee section at one end of the 
long piece.  

Bolt a one to two foot long piece on each end of the Tee. 

Bolt a Tee section at the other end of the long 2x4 

Then haul it up the tower.  Put one "tine" of the "fork" over
the high side element segment and the other "tine" under
the the low side element segment.  Then twist.  

That was going to be my fall back should the monofilament
line technique not work. ;-)

Good luck!

73,

Dale Martin, KG5U
kg5u@hal-pc.org
http://www.hal-pc.org/~kg5u


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