[TowerTalk] Motorized tower auto-lower

[Jeff Stai WK6I]

hi Dave - with all due respect, it seems the simplest approach is to
build a big flashing red sign in your shack that says:

   "LOWER THE DARN TOWER!"

whenever the tower is in the raised position. That way, you won't forget
to lower it and expose it to potential wind damage when unattended - and,
you won't have an automatic guillotine being set off unattended either.

But if I were still insisting... I would probably use a small programmable
micro like a PIC. You can implement things in firmware like debouncing a
noisy anemometer signal, and it can monitor its own battery. You could also
do other things like limit the "on time" for the lowering.

I would also opt for a simple battery with the capacity to last for several 
months so I can swap it out at the same time I do the smoke detector batteries.
Or, I would just power it from the same power source that would crank down
the tower - if that power is unavailable, this puppy won't do me any good anyway!

hope this helps someone... - js (also with 21 years designing stuff, some
of it also at 3:30 am...;-)

-- 
jeff stai
WK6I DM13
NAR #21059 TRA #3356 L2
jstai@home.com / kq6vq@arrl.net
ROC web page: http://www.rocstock.org/

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com