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Re: [TowerTalk] RMC 1000 Remote cable

To: <richard@karlquist.com>, <barry@mxg.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RMC 1000 Remote cable
From: "Les Kalmus" <w2lk@earthlink.net>
Reply-to: w2lk@earthlink.net
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2005 15:59:04 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I have a UST 589HDX and been working on this problem and am planning the
following:

Build a remote relay box controlled by low voltage. Two wires, two relays,
two diodes.  In the shack, one DPDT switch to reverse polarity & DC power.

The tower height part is more complex and I am researching the following:

Place an inexpensive weatherproofed remote camera on top of the outer
section. Paint markings on a leg of the next section to see the height.
Connect the camera via a remote video to TCP/IP board (they seem to be
inexpensive). Connect the board to the shack via Cat 5. Another converter in
the shack and a small monitor or possibley use my PC.

Any thoughts?

Les W2LK

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Rick Karlquist
Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2005 2:14 PM
To: barry@mxg.com
Cc: cubexco@aol.com; towertalk@contesting.com; craig@thompsonet.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RMC 1000 Remote cable


Barry Merrill wrote:
> If you havent bought the Remote control, unit, yet, don't.
>
> I recommend that you will never want to be away from the
> base of the tower when it goes up or down, so you can
> stop it when something goes wrong.  And especially with
> the cable arms you get from US Tower, which are way too
> short.  I've had numerous wind gusts push the cable

I bought my tower from W6BH.  They replaced all the crankups
at the Table Mountain remote site for this reason.  They
needed to be cranked down in case of a wind storm, but it
was not possible to drive an hour and a half up to the mountain
to baby sit the tower.  They said they had a disaster on the
10 meter tower like you describe.  I noticed that one of the
coax arms I got was bent, like it had been in an "accident".

>
> And, what really frosted me for the $1000 option was
> the realization there was no feedback of the elevation
> of the tower, other than UP or DOWN.  I had originally
> thought I could use the remote to experiment with

UST built some of the HDX5130 towers with an elevation indicator.
Not sure how it worked.  Maybe they would sell you a retrofit
kit for a handsome price.

The control box is rather trivial, and you could easily build your
own.  But you don't want to use their design because it puts 120VAC
on your control cable, unnecessarily.  Someone posted on TT and
improved scheme with only low voltages, using some auxiliary relays
at the tower.

On and off, I have tried to brainstorm some sort of giant reel that
would wind up the coax as the tower cranks down and pay it out as it
goes up, all the time being under controlled tension.  I haven't hit
upon a scheme I really like.  You either need a rotary joint or
the coax has to double back on itself etc.  No obvious simple way
to do this or somebody would have done it already.

Rick N6RK


_______________________________________________

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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_______________________________________________

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.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

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