[Fwd: [TowerTalk] Homebrew Rotators]

[Stan or Patricia Griffiths]

Stan or Patricia Griffiths wrote:

> Bill Coleman wrote:
>
> > On 11/2/01 3:51 AM, Zoltan.Pitman@libertel.nl at
> > Zoltan.Pitman@libertel.nl wrote:
> >
> > >Closed circuit TV camera for heading indication ?!?
> >
> > Yes, why not? Such a system isn't incredibly expensive. Black and White
> > cameras are available for less than $100 US dollars.
> >
> > It has the advantage that you always know which direction your beam is
> > pointed -- even if the mast slips in the rotator.
> >
> > Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
> > Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
> >             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>
> How about a totally FREE beam indicator system?  If it is on a freestanding tower
> (or wood pole like my quad was in 1955 when I was a kid), you can tie a string on
> the boom out about 4 feet from the tower and let it hang down to about 5 feet off
> the ground and weight it with anything.  As the beam rotates, the weight travels
> around the tower and, in my case, I could watch it out the window of the shack.
> At night, I illuminated the weight, which I painted white, with a flashlight.
>
> Later, I had to modify the indicator system when I added a set of guys to the
> pole that interferred with the string's travel around the pole.  I wrapped the
> string around the mast and routed it down the pole and into the shack with
> several pulleys.  As the beam rotated, it moved the string up and down the wall
> of the shack and was held taught with the weight, now inside the shack.  I wrote
> "NESW" vertically on the wall next to the string and used an alligator clip on
> the string to point at the direction the beam was pointed.  I scrounged the
> pulleys from an old drapery rod and I already had the alligator clip.  Cost:
> $0.00.  I retired the flashlight so there was no longer any battery maintenance
> costs.
>
> You can get creative if you are trying to work enough countries to achieve DXCC
> on a $2.50 weekly allowance from your parents.  This is the wrong forum to
> discuss the 900 watt amp my Dad and I built from scratch for about five cents per
> watt . . .
>
> Stan
> w7ni@easystreet.com




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