In a message dated 5/21/2008 9:03:17 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
towertalk-request@contesting.com writes:
> I was just doing some of the planned antenna/tower work here lately.Went
up
tower 1 which is 80 feet of Rohn 45.Noticed the mast clamp on the M2 Orion
2800 is loose AGAIN.It loosens up from the rotor.The clamp is tight on the
mast.It turns true,I have a flat plate on the top with a bearing and the
rotor is mounted 10 feet down.I used the supplied 3/8th bolts with the
Ny-lock nuts.It had roughly 18 sq feet of windload on it.
I like the rotor,its tough.But this is the 3rd time they have loosened
up on me.Am I doing something wrong?Should I use some red Lock-tite,try some
different bolts/nuts?
Whoever suggested LokTite isn't even close. Kurt, K7NV, has a nice
little treatise enumerating the 2 fatal Orion mast clamp problems but I
couldn't
find it on his website. Maybe someone can post it.
In the over 200 ham installs that I've done there have been numerous
Orion installs and virtually 100% of them loosened up. Basically the problems
are caused by 1) the dimpled surface that the nuts and bolts seat on. The
dimples get worn down and - voila! - loose fasteners! Kurt polishes the
surfaces
and that eliminates the loose nuts. 2) is the crappy clamping by the
not-in-alignment teeth inside the clamp. You actually wind up with VERY LITTLE
actual
clamping area (miniscule comes to mind). Kurt smooths his down by hand and
they hold better. Not great - but better. The solution to this is the LXC
Orion clamp. Sorry, it's not currently on the website but if you're
interested,
I'll be happy to forward you a couple of pictures of it. It's hefty steel,
hot-dipped galvanized and used 6 husky U-bolts to hold the mast. End of mast
problems. $160.00 + s/h.
Those in the know these days buy the Green Heron controller too. NOW
you've got an xlnt rotator.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH
and
_www.championradio.com_ (http://www.championradio.com)
Cell: 206-890-4188
**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with
Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
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