[TowerTalk] HF beam against the wind.

[Roger L. Elowitz]

Hi Charles,

At 11:27 PM 11/8/97 +0000, you wrote:
>I still head my beams directly into the wind.  Based primarily on the
fact
>that is the way they stabilize if left without a brake.  Have seen that
>phenomenon many times.  de K4VUD

You make an interesting point.  Thanks. My perspective is only from the
point of view of a small tri-band beam owner [TA-33] which is almost
symetrically balanced on the boom and turned with a Ham IV rotor whose
brake is always engaged except when turning. [I do have a brake delay
circuit incorporated which I really like]. I have no experience with
long booms or stacked arrays and rotors that can allow the "aluminum
farm" to windmill.

The question of whether less stress is placed on the entire antenna
structure [tower, beam, rotor, brake, guys etc.] by rotating the
element ends into the prevailing wind and taking the brunt of the
wind's force on the boom or allowing the beam to windmill and take the
wind load broadside across all the elements... I guess can only be
answered by the experience of the people who have tried thing both ways. 

Forgive my bringing up the subject but it was an entirely new one for
me to contemplate.

73,
Roger, K2JAS
Morganville, NJ
Just about half-way between NYC and Philly!

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search