Okay, after some searching I found the thread entitled "How to apply lube
to HDX589
" and references to a Versatower lock. No wonder I missed it!
I'm prepared to go to some effort to build or adapt a solution. My chosen
tower will be (providing the wind load calcs work) a US Tower HDX-555.
Any specific suggestions? Does anyone have photos of the Versatower
solution that they could send me?
My first thought is to have a spring loaded bolt throw (from inside
sections out?) or brake on the tower leg that is normally engaged and would
require hand tension to disengage. A rope would need to be routed down
inside the tower to a pulley that turned the tension rope out... or it
could be done with an electric solenoid, and perhaps an arduino to make
sure the tower is in a controlled descent.
The down side, and the engineering trick, is to make sure the tower can be
lowered from the ground in the event of a malfunction.
Thanks,
Mickey N4MB
On Thu, Aug 1, 2013 at 8:20 PM, EZ Rhino <EZRhino@fastmovers.biz> wrote:
> There was a discussion on this topic a couple weeks ago, check the
> archives. I think it comes down to the bean-counters. Of course something
> *could* be done. If hams want to pay for it is another discussion!
>
> Chris
> KF7P
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Aug 1, 2013, at 18:13 , Mickey Baker wrote:
>
> Patrick, AF5CK's thread on his tower raised an issue that I really don't
> understand...
>
> Why isn't there a "lock" mechanism on crank up towers?
>
> We spend lots of money on these things, and, basically, they hang there
> suspended by a single cable. We all have either known someone or have had
> our own tower's cable (or winch) fail and the tower crashes, with great
> damage to tower and antennas.
>
> I could thing of a number of gadgets that could be made to work:
>
> - A solenoid locking bolt
> - A brake mechanism (Electronically controlled?)
> - Stops every few feet requiring a raise then lower like a safety ladder.
>
> But here I am, about to step off into yet another $10k tower project with
> another tower hanging by a cable. (I feel like Homer Simpson - Doh!)
>
> I realize that the market is small and price sensitive for these towers,
> but certainly this has been recognized as a problem.
>
> Isn't there a better way? If there is, and I can implement it, I'd do so,
> simply for the purpose of making the tower safer for me and my antennas.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> --
> Mickey Baker, N4MB
> Fort Lauderdale, FL
> *“Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
> and I will learn.” *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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>
>
>
--
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*“Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn.” *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
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