The US Tower catalog on line seems to be exactly the same as the printed
one I got before I bought my tower -- copyright date is 1986!! Although
it shows U-bolt-attached standoffs, what I received were the ones that
bolt to the top of each section. I'm having a hard job envisaging how
ones with U-bolts could be used anywhere but on the top section.
Alan NV8A
On 03/25/11 06:50 am, Jim McDonald wrote:
> The Kellem Grips look easier to use than my PVC sweep. I used a 2" gray,
> electrical PVC which runs through the loop at the end of the coax arm. My
> tower and arms are 1994 vintage, and I think the newer ones have smaller,
> oval shaped loops; the PVC sweep wouldn't work on those, so the Kellem Grips
> would make sense.
>
> To attach the PVC sweep I used black 10 mil or maybe 20 mil tape that I
> think is sold as covering gas pipe in the home improvement stores. I had to
> be careful to position it so the bottom edge of the top of the PVC didn't
> press into the cables. I taped the cables to the top of the standoff arm
> with the same, heavy duty tape.
>
> I've heard of others using a block of wood with a gentle curve taped to the
> top of the arm too.
>
> My 2" PVC filled up quickly with cables, so that the last cable with its
> attached Yaesu rotor plug had to be taped to the outside of the tube.
>
> Given all of that, honestly, if I were doing it over, I'd use the Kellem
> grips if you could find the right size.
>
> The US Tower ham catalog has their inverted vee (or whatever) hanger on page
> 3. http://www.ustower.com/uploads/pdf_file/HAM%20CATALOG.pdf . It's now
> called an IV-16. The current IV-16 appears to use a U-bolt to faster to a
> tower leg. That is a better design that my old one, which has a captive
> mast sleeve and must be slipped down the mast before any antennas are
> installed. The wire antenna keeps it from rotating when the mast is turned,
> but I use a couple of bungee cords too.
>
> The current production coax standoff arms in the US Tower catalog are also
> different than my older ones. Mine bolt to the top of each section with
> predrilled, matching holes. The current ones, on the same page of the
> catalog, appear to attach to a leg with a U-bolt. In this case, I like the
> ones I have because they have a two-point mount.
>
> Jim N7US
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
>
> I don't think I'd encountered the suggestion to use a PVC sweep to ease
> the strain on the cables. I used "Kellem grips," secured by small hose
> clamps to the loop on the top standoff, to suspend the cables -- either
> individually or in small bundles -- leaving some slack above.
>
> I've never found Kellem grips in the "home improvement" stores, but my
> local "real electrical supply houses" stock them.
>
>
> 73
>
> Alan NV8A
>
> On 03/24/11 11:23 pm, Jim McDonald wrote:
>
>> On my US Tower HDX-589 I use factory coax standoff arms, with a 90-degree
>> PVC sweep on the top one arm to minimize strain from the weight of the
>> hanging cables.
>>
>> I use the US Tower inverted vee hanger just above the thrust bearing to
>> support an inverted vee. It mounts as a sleeve around the mast and is in
>> the UST catalog.
>>
>> I have used a short length of conduit attached to the top section with
> small
>> U-bolts to hold another inverted vee.
>>
>> I have a small aluminum bracket attached to the top of one leg of the top
>> section to attach a half-sloper.
>>
>> I also have a DX Engineering remote switch attached to another leg at the
>> top of the top section.
>>
>> It's essential, obviously, to be careful to keep the rotor loop of cables
>> going to the mast from snagging in that stuff.
>>
>> I took pictures from the ground with a telephoto lens recently if you want
>> me to send you any.
>>
>> Jim N7US
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>
>> I am finding it interesting to engineer a way way to attach things to a
>> crank up tower. It looks like the cable standoffs are done with small U
>> bolts. I'm considering having a light plate made to bolt to the outside of
>> the face with pulleys.
>>
>> How do you attach things (like wire antennae or standoffs) to your
> crank-up
>> tower?
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Mickey N4MB
>
>
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