[TowerTalk] Summary: thoughts on the Yaesu G-1000SDX

[David Clemons]

Hi,

        Many thanks for all your comments concerning the G-1000SDX rotor.
The following is a list of what was said to me, and my answers if
appropriate:

        1. "Did I use lock washers with the nuts?"  Yes, I used the ones
           supplied by Yaesu.  (These are the split washers which are
           supposed to indicate proper tightening when they are flat.)

        2. "Using two nuts on each bolt will prevent the nuts from
           backing off the bolt."  Yes - a great idea, except that I
           didn't want to carry my collection of spare hardware up
           the tower to make a match.  (Oops, now that I think about
           it, I could have used the parts list to figure out what I
           needed...)

        3. "By all means, pin the mast with a Stainless Steel bolt."
           I pinned it with the bolt they supplied, but your suggestion
           has made me decide to look for a Stainless bolt.  The hole
           was supposed to be some metric size (9 mm?), but I used an
           English size which was a close match.

        4. "Sounds like a sheet of rubber will solve the problem."  I
           cut a piece of truck tire inner tube, but put it in the space
           between the vertical splines on one side.  It slipped more
           easily than without it.  (Perhaps I should have put it where
           the splines contact the pipe?)  Another person suggested
           using belting for hay bailer drive belts.  I think I will
           see if my local Agway has this stuff - it might be a good item
           to have hanging around.

        5. "What antennas am I turning?"  A 4-el Cushcraft 20m and a
           2-el Cushcraft 40.  If my memory serves me properly, the sq
           ft wind area is about 15.  This comes well within the 1000's
           rating.  (It's rating is in square meters, but I believe it
           converts to about 21 sq ft.)

        6. Bill (W4AN) has never had his mast twist with smaller antennas.
           What size mast are you using Bill?  Mine is about 2 inch (maybe
           1.9).  It was represented to me as "schedule 80, 2 inch pipe",
           and although it is not supposed to be adequate, it has not bent
           in 2 storms over 100 mph and one of 80.  Anyway, only 2 of each
           set of three splines actually grip the pipe.  It has occurred
           to me that perhaps I should have yelled "Eureka" when I first
           noticed that.

        7. "Threadlocker by Loctite is another good way to keep the nuts
           from backing off."  Thanks - I'm also going to buy some of that.


73, Dave Clemons K1VUT


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