Motors for towers

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 96-02-28 18:11:06 EST, you write:
> am looking for a motor ro raise and lower my Hygain HG70HD.  
>So far, I believe a 2000 lb Hoist by WARN,  12V motor to be the best 
>option.  Full list price is $872. The other option is the US Towrs MD75,
list price $889.75. A third option, which appears to be marginal is a 1000 lb
hoist by WARN
>priced at $550.  
>The Hygain engineering data shows line pull at 523 lb and appears to be 
>twice that actually calculated and assumes antenna weight of 50 lbs. Ratings
not available on the US Tower motor drive.Do you have an opinion on best buy?
 I am currently using the factory supplied 2500lb hand winch and need to be
able to drop the tower for thunderstorms here in TX and hate to spend 40 mins
cranking it up each time.  Hiya, Jim --
     Well, I'm no expert on crankup engineering but...   
     First of all, Hy-Gain buys their motor drives from US Tower.  It sounds
like you may be fluent with the engineering and forces for this type of
project but it's not the type of project I would recommend to the average
ham.  I would probably get the US Tower setup since they seem to be the most
active manufacturer in this area and this wouldn't be anything new for them.
 Their stuff is designed for crankups where a naked Warn winch would need
controls, mount fabrication, etc.  Any other comments out there?
73 and let me know what you decided to do and how it turned out.   
Steve   K7LXC

>From Gary Nieborsky <k7fr at ncw.net>  Thu Feb 29 04:33:11 1996
From: Gary Nieborsky <k7fr at ncw.net> (Gary Nieborsky)
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 1996 20:33:11 -0800
Subject: Certificates
Message-ID: <199602290433.UAA01575 at bing.ncw.net>

At 01:12 PM 2/28/96 -0800, you wrote:
>
>This contest might have the debut of the guest op parent.  WN4KKN will
>be at my QTH over the weekend of this SquINT, so maybe he will get a
>taste of SquINTing!!
>
>Tree N6TR
>tree at cmicro.com
>
Hopefully sickness will not visit my doorstep this time...now where's that
sheep blood for the doorway?

Wow, with such an august gathering of  Ops on the banks of the Columbia
maybe I'd better make sure the press hears about it.  I can see it
now.....Tree and Trey part the Columbia and lead the chosen off the band
edge and  to the promised land of Washington.

Gary K7FR
Antenna Farms


>From Steven Sample <aa9ax at iglou.com>  Thu Feb 29 04:33:18 1996
From: Steven Sample <aa9ax at iglou.com> (Steven Sample)
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 1996 23:33:18 -0500 (EST)
Subject: 160 Contests
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960228232214.2769C-100000 at iglou>

On Wed, 28 Feb 1996, Spike Lazar wrote:

> AA0RS:
> >I will starty the ball rolling, here are my list of requirements for 160 
> >contests, please let me know what you think.....
> >             
>  
>   Additional Ideas:
> 
>   1. Anyone who works AA9AX gets credit for an extra mult!

      >>>O.K. Doctor, but I will only QSL at one of the big contest 
         suites in Dayton.  (And I'll need some help lugging all those 
         cartons of cards in from the semi-trailer too!)
 
>   2. Anyone who works WB9Z, AB4RU or anyone in Beautiful Downtown anyplace 
>      gets a lifetime disqualification.
> 
      >>> You had better hope that neither of these respectable 
          contesters  decides to turn one of their 160 meter 
           FLAMETHROWERS in your direction, or you and the Hornet may be 
           operating atop a mess of anchovie PASTE!  (And no amount of 
           Fish Head Gas will save you from that!) 

>   3. Anyone who has a TIC Ring, Facial Ticks, Ring Worm, Ring around the 
>      collar or says anything bad about an XMATCH without using one, be 
>      confined in the window for 24 hours while breathing Fish Head Gas
>      and sitting on a load of anchovies!
> 
>       >>>N4XM will appreciate you acting as counsel for the defense 
           (actually, he seems to be handling his case rather well 
           without assistance!    >s easy to do when you re defending a 
           good product!)                                               
>    
 Sincerely, > 

>     Dr. Bafoofnik **** (call witheld by society for cleaner drawers)
> 
Take two fishheads and call me in the morning (on 160 CW).

73............Steve / AA9AX> 

>From XTFF35A at prodigy.com (MR CHARLES A CULLIAN)  Thu Feb 29 04:41:57 1996
From: XTFF35A at prodigy.com (MR CHARLES A CULLIAN) (MR CHARLES A CULLIAN)
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 1996 23:41:57 EST
Subject: Tic-Ring Motor Assembly
Message-ID: <097.02370194.XTFF35A at prodigy.com>

I just went through some confusing times with one of my rings.  Your 
problem sounds very familiar (especially the part about tearing off 
the coax).  What i found was that the pot gear was not engaging with 
its mate sufficiently and at some point in the rotation, though 
turing, the the control box didn't know it because the pot wasn't 
being drivin.  Obviously, this is not good for the coax.  The fix (or 
the typical K0RF fix I should say0 is easy.  Simply open the motor 
box and force a shim under the plate that holds the pot.  This 
increases the engagement and solves the problem.
73, Chuck


>From David L. Thompson" <thompson at mindspring.com  Thu Feb 29 05:53:32 1996
From: David L. Thompson" <thompson at mindspring.com (David L. Thompson)
Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 00:53:32 -0500
Subject: Motors for towers
Message-ID: <199602290545.AAA27722 at borg.mindspring.com>

:
>> am looking for a motor ro raise and lower my Hygain HG70HD.  
>>So far, I believe a 2000 lb Hoist by WARN,  12V motor to be the best 
>>option.  Full list price is $872. The other option is the US Towrs MD75,
>list price $889.75. A third option, which appears to be marginal is a 1000 lb
>hoist by WARN priced at $550.

The US Tower unit replaces the hand crank and is the only inexpensive
option.  Don't try to plug in an untested product.   Check with US Tower
(they will talk with you on the phone) to find which one they recommend with
the  HG70HD.  I suspect it is the same as the TX-471. 
 
> I am currently using the factory supplied 2500lb hand winch and need to be
>able to drop the tower for thunderstorms here in TX and hate to spend 40 mins
>cranking it up each time. 

A few years ago a W2 ham sold a product called the TOWTEC motor drive
assembly.  Sold for about $200.  Problem was they used a very small motor
and a very high ratio gear.  Worked Ok but took over 30 minutes to bring a
tower down and 55 minutes to raise it back.  The owner sold the product  to
the people who had the "hazer."  Don't know whether this went to Glen Martin
Engineering with the "hazer"  later or not.
 
Lou Tristao( the father of the US Tower design)  told me that the most
practical approach is to buy a tower already fitted with a complete motor
driven system.  Tri-Ex and US Tower models have very elaborate systems
beyond the basic tower.   This is not an area to scrimp!

Dave K4JRB
>
>


>From Jan-Erik Holm <JEH at on.mobitel.telia.se>  Thu Feb 29 07:37:41 1996
From: Jan-Erik Holm <JEH at on.mobitel.telia.se> (Jan-Erik Holm)
Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 07:37:41 GMT+1
Subject: reflection test
Message-ID: <E334IEO1MVAK*/R=A1/R=ROONA/U=JEH/@MHS.stoa.mobitel.telia.se>

hmmm, let=B4s see if this thing reflects. If it does  73 de Jim SM2EK=
M