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Re: [TowerTalk] Mounting antennas with tilt-over

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Mounting antennas with tilt-over
From: Jim <kj0m@mchsi.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 07:15:07 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On Apr 29, 2005, at 9:43 PM, KT2Q <dxdx@optonline.net> wrote:

> All,
>
> Have a 55 foot heavy-duty crank-up tower (HDX-555)and planing to mount 
> a 4 element 20 meter monobander on a 35 foot boom (M2 20M4DX).
>
> I'd like to mount the antenna with the tower tilted over. The idea is 
> to use a ladder to reach the mast and stand the monobander on it's 
> rear and slide it onto the mounting plate.
>
> An alternative is to mount it with the elements facing the ground. 
> Either way, I still need to get to the mast and both the elements and 
> boom are about the same length.
>
> Would like to mount the boom-truss while tilted over as well, but not 
> sure if it's possible to adjust for proper tension while tilted over.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> 73, Tony KT2Q
>
>

I have a Force 12-240/230 (24 foot boom) and a Force 12-5BA mounted on 
a TX-472 tower. The 5BA, with a 33 foot boom is mounted right above the 
thrust bearing and the 240/230 is mounted about 15 feet above that.

Begin by stretching out the truss cable while the boom is level on the 
ground. Measure the distance between the top of the boom and the top of 
the truss cable. Save this measurement.

Now, with the tower tilted over, point your rotator in the proper 
direction and mount the boom, without any elements, on the mast where 
you want it, parallel to the ground. Use the measurement from above to 
determine where on the mast to attach the truss. Tighten everything.

Now, raise the tower high enough so that you can use the rotator to 
turn the boom 90 degrees to point the boom directly at the ground and 
lower the tower until the end of the boom just about touches the 
ground. Use a stepladder to add the elements to the boom from the 
ground up to the tower. Now raise the tower up to near vertical and 
rotate the antenna so that the "bare" half of the boom will now point 
at the ground when the tower is lowered. Lower the tower, add the other 
half of the elements, raise the tower and you're good to go.

I can mount both my antennas on my tower using only a short ladder and 
a stepladder using the above method. It takes time, but is really 
pretty painless.

I do incorporate a brace made from some square tubing that I place 
under the tower when it's tilted over. This is just a safety precaution 
I use to take some of the tension off the cable that raises and lowers 
the tower while it's tilted over.

73,

Jim
KJ0M

._._.

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