[TowerTalk] Torque compensation - current wisdom?

[00tlzivney@bsuvc.bsu.edu]

What is the current wisdom on torque compensation.  That is, in Dave Leeson's
book, he recommended "torque compensators" made of PVC pipe, but later,
in 1994, he ran an experiment with a model and his Honda that showed that
Dick Weber was basically correct with his belief that torque compensation
was not necessary.  I think that it may be like chicken soup - it can't hurt -
but the current antenna I'm thinking about (an interlaced 10 and 15 model yagi)
has 7 elements on one side of the mast and only 4 on the other!  The required
compensator would be quite large, and I'm concerned about a) the extra wind
load of the compensator and b) what about the compensator breaking under 
ice loading?  I assume PVC pipe is not as strong as aluminum, so that I may
have the worst case scenario of an ice storm breaking ONE SIDE of the compensator
 leaving one half of it on the boom, which is now no longer symmetrical.
Thus, even in the Dick Weber case I would have a torque problem!

What say???

Terry Zivney, N4TZ/9
00tlzivney@bsuvc.bsu.edu

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