[TowerTalk] Tilt antenna questions

[Jeff Stai WK6I]

hi Steve - I might be missing the spirit of the thing... but since it is
prudent to be out at the tower when cranking up or down, why not forget the
elevation rotator and use a simple pivot point between the mast and boom?
Something like the F12 mounting plate with the single bolt in it, only
sturdier (if necessary). Attach ropes to the boom ends. When it is up, tie
off the ropes to hold the antenna horizontal. When down, tie it vertical.
Or better yet - if you can limit the pivot to 90 degree travel you only
need one rope which would be easier to manage during the transition. (Make
sure the boom end opposite the rope end is a little heavier ;-)

I hesitate to add that the use of pulleys would also make it easier to
manage the rope or ropes - for example, a pulley at the rotator could allow you to
angle the rope from the boom end to the pulley and then route the rope straight
down the tower.

I hope I have explained this clearly - I can forward you a quick sketch of
what I am thinking if you like.

73 and hope this helps - jeff wk6i

At 10:53 AM 6/24/01, K7LXC@aol.com wrote:
>Howdy, TowerTalkians --
>
>    Here's a question that has never been asked on TowerTalk before! They're 
>pretty rare but nonetheless pop up occasionally.
>
>    What I need to do is to tilt a KT34A from its normal horizontally 
>polarized position to a vertical position. The antenna will be mounted on a 
>UST crank-up and the antenna needs to be vertical when the tower is down so 
>the antenna can be "stored" in a vertical position when it's not being used. 
>The problem is due to the fact that the antenna hangs over the neighbor's 
>property and the neighbor has asked that it not be over his property when 
>it's not being used. 
>
>    Okay. So what I've got is a moderately small triband antenna with a 3" 
>boom. I want to use the Yaesu G-550 elevation rotator which has a boom 
>capacity of 1-5/8" (1.625"). The options as I see them are: 1) convert the 3" 
>boom to a 1-5/8" one or 2) put some sort of smaller boom splice in the KT34A 
>so that the part of the antenna at the elevation rotator will fit thru it.
>
>    Option 1 means that the 3" KLM insulated Lexan element brackets will 
>either have to be scrapped or adapted to the smaller boomsize. Any ideas how 
>to do either one?
>
>    Option 2 means some 'cut-and-hack' work on the boom plus some machine 
>shop fabrication but lets me use the rest of the existing boom and hardware. 
>
>    Wadda ya think? Can you think of any other options? All input appreciated.
>
>Cheers & tnx,    Steve    K7LXC
>Tower Tech 
>
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jeff stai
radio stuff:   WK6I in DM13
rocket stuff:  NAR #21059 TRA #3356 Level 2 Cert.
email:         jstai@home.com or wk6i@arrl.net
ROC web page:  http://www.rocstock.org/
LDRS web page: http://www.ldrs20.org/


List Sponsor: Are you thinking about installing a tower this summer? Call us
for information on our fabulous Trylon Titan self-supporting towers - up to
96-feet for less than $2000! at 888-833-3104 <A HREF="http://www.ChampionRadio.com">
www.ChampionRadio.com</A>

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