Hi Barry.
I have a similar but homebrew tower and I live at 65.4 N latitude so I see
a fair amount of ice and snow here, and indeed high winds. I have put a set
of guys at the top of the tower using a regular conical ball bearing from
the front wheel of a truck. It sits upside down on the top mast that is
about 2" dia and I have welded lugs on a ring that fits on the outside of
the bearing and the lugs have the guys attached to them. The bearing is
covered with a rubber boot to keep water out. Works very well indeed. Down
the bottom where the bottom section enters the base there is a collar ring,
this one I keep well lubricated with oil, not grease as it freezes, and
then the collar ring is covered with a piece of tarp that I have cut out
and taped around the tubular tower above the ring. Sort of like a skirt if
you can understand what I mean. This keeps the water, sleet or snow from
freezing up between the tower and the ring and keeps the ball bearing at
the bottom dry as well.
To make the rotator turn even at -35C I have installed a 12 volt 5 watt
lightbulb inside the rotator cabinet, that really helps to keep the grease
soft. Only need to switch it on for a while every now and then when temps
are -25C or lower.
With these measures I have had no problems and I do not crank the tower
down when it is windy. It holds two stacked TH7's.
Hope this info is of help Barry.
73/Peter SM2CEW
www.qsl.net/sm2cew
At 19:39 2002-12-06 , you wrote:
>Does anyone have experience with a US Tower MA550 tubular tower and the
>MARB rotating base in snow and icy and high wind conditions?
>
>I own a ma550 / marb and am considering moving it to my new qth in the
>Sierra Nevada mountains where we get snow, ice and high winds. I want
>to speak to other hams that this exact experience so I can make an
>informed decision about using this tower system in these weather
>conditions.
>
>Has any one every tried guying the ma550 / marb rotating tower to add
>strength?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Barry K6ST
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