[TowerTalk] wind load vs Rohn specs

[Ken Hirschberg]

Mike - You're not kidding!  Look at the pictures of aircraft antennas.
It works, and people have been doing it for years, mostly for VHF / UHF
antennas and for the masts for HF antennas.  The nice thing about a
plane, of course is that under normal circumstances, the wind direction
is known.  That would be do-able to some extent for big HF beams with a
wind sensor and automated rotator.

While were at it, I've seen no mention about interference drag at the
point of connection between boom and elements.  That drag could be
reduced either with lightweight fairings or with a boom to element
attachment that was designed for low drag.

Streamlined tubing is available in both steel and aluminum, but there's
just no market for telescoping sizes.  I have used small lengths of it
for some of aircraft antennas designs that I have produced.  What is
available is WAY too heavy for elements, but may be practical for booms,
again if you can arrange to "park" the antenna with its boom
perpendicular to the wind.
73, Ken

michael watts wrote:

> How about using streamlined elements?  Just like the
> steamlining cowls that we put around wires and tires
> on airplanes.  Anybody know how to make such a thing
> is telescoping sizes?
>
> I'm not sure if I'm kidding or not.
>
> Mike wy6k
>
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