[TowerTalk] DX86 vs. HDX589

[K7LXC@aol.com]

In a message dated 08/06/2000 4:37:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
dave@dbtech.net writes:

> >    What does "appears to be a bit more sturdy" mean? Both towers were 
>  >designed by the same guy - Lou Tristao - so they are slightly different 
>  >designs. The only way you could tell which one was "sturdier" is to get 
the 
>  >engineering calculations for each tower and compare them side-by-side. 
> Unless 
>  >you're an engineer, interpreting the calcs might be semi-useful and the 
>  >differences subtle.
>  
>  "Appears" to me means a three cable pull-up system and strong tubing. Of
>  course this is information from their literature and we all know how much
>  salt to take along with marketing hype.
>  
    Okay, you still haven't cited anything - "appears" is just as ambiguous 
as it was before. What are the leg material, OD and wall thickness 
differences that make it "a bit more sturdy"? Specifics only, please. 

>  >    I'm not sure what a 'three cable system' is. I know the US Tower has 
>  >positive pull-down and I'm not sure about the Tri-Ex. Nonetheless they 
each 
>  >have to have the appropriate number of cables to run it up (and down). 
They 
>  >probably even use the same cable schemes.
>  
>  I know they claim to have a positive pull down, as well as a level-wind for
>  their hoist drum.
>  
    Please let me know what a "level-wind" is. 

>  >>  Regardless of which one I finally choose, the tower
>  >>  will be purchased with the raising fixture, but without the remote 
> control.
>  >>  I see no need to spend a grand on a control box that can be easily
>  >>  constructed. I also plan to fit the tower with an extra set of limit
>  >>  switches in series with the provided ones (I want to be able to 
operate 
> the
>  >>  tower automatically during bad weather with some peace of mind).
>  >
    ERRRRR! You just validated your factory warranty!
    
>  >    I'm not a big fan of remote controlling the raising and lowering of a 
>  >motorized crank-up. I know personally of several calamities that have 
>  >resulted from not being able to watch the tower as it was raised or 
lowered.
>  
>  >Extra limit switches won't solve this problem. 
>  
>  That's too bad. I won't purchase a system that I can't trust to work as
>  advertised.

    They're advertised that they will fail during unattended raising or 
lowering? I'll bet you a nickel that their literature stresses the opposite.

>   The extra limit switches are just for the extra safety margin.

    They'll protect you when the coax gets hung up or an antenna or wire 
snags on the roof? 

>  So are you saying that motorized towers fail on a too frequent basis or was
>  there some issue with the respective installations? 

    What I'm saying is that a crank-up is a complicated mechanical device and 
should only be raised or lowered when the operator is actually observing it. 
I've seen a number of failures, many caused by their owners, consisting of 
the coax hanging up, something accidentally left in the tower causing one of 
the section lifting cables to part or something else getting hung up. 

    What I'm saying is that by following obvious safety procedures and the 
instructions from the factory you will have a reliable, longterm 
installation. The opposite is also true. 

Cheers,  Steve   K7LXC
Tower Tech

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