[Towertalk] Re: Towertalk digest, Vol 1 #467 - 15 msgs
Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD
rudym@net-link.net
Mon, 26 Aug 2002 13:37:18 -0400
Apply proper voltages to the correct wires and see if they turn. My Yaesu
rotor controller was surged also and I checked the motor with another
controller I borrowed. No I disconnect the box from the control cable and
the wall and use a Polyphaser arrester on the control cable at the base of
the tower.
Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD
----- Original Message -----
From: <towertalk-request@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 12:06 PM
Subject: Towertalk digest, Vol 1 #467 - 15 msgs
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Lightning and rotator control boxes (Major Ron)
> 2. Beverage over a wire fence (K4BEV@aol.com)
> 3. Re: Beverage over a wire fence (Mike & Coreen Smith)
> 4. RE: Building Hygain Yagis (Mel Martin (VE2DC))
> 5. Re: Create RC5B-3 mast clamps (Jim White)
> 6. Re: Building Hygain Yagis (Roger Borowski)
> 7. Re: Create RC5B-3 mast clamps (Pete Smith)
> 8. Re: Beverage over a wire fence (Michael Gilmer)
> 9. Sartek Rotator Controls (John Farber)
> 10. K6STI (Mel Martin (VE2DC))
> 11. GP on a tin roof - a cautionary tale (Pete Smith)
> 12. RE: K6STI (Mel Martin (VE2DC))
> 13. RE: K6STI (Mel Martin (VE2DC))
> 14. TX-472 Crank-up Problem (Fred_W._Hurd@HUD.GOV)
> 15. Re: Sartek Rotator Controls (Howard Klein)
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 1
> From: "Major Ron" <majrabsr@rconnect.com>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 16:56:35 -0000
> Subject: [Towertalk] Lightning and rotator control boxes
>
> Hi All,
>
> I had lightning hit the power line very close to me. A number of items
were
> damaged. Rotator control boxes for the Yaesu G-800S and Wilson WR-500
among
> them. I don't know if the rotators themselves were damaged because the
> cotrol boxes are toasted. Anyone know of a way to check them without
having
> the control boxes?
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Ron, KA9ALC
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 2
> From: K4BEV@aol.com
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 13:28:48 EDT
> To: Towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: [Towertalk] Beverage over a wire fence
>
> Hi all,
>
> I want to put up a Beverage antenna, but the only place that I can get any
> distance would run it directly over a grounded 4 foot high wire fence for
> about 1/3 of it's length.
> Can I put the antenna at 10 feet agl and get it to work; or does it need
to
> be 10' above the fence? Or will the fence just kill the antenna?
> The wire fence would be just about in the center of the antenna's run, by
the
> way.
>
> Thanks,
> Don - K4BEV
>
>
> --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> multipart/alternative
> text/plain (text body -- kept)
> text/html
> ---
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 3
> From: "Mike & Coreen Smith" <ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca>
> To: <K4BEV@aol.com>, <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Beverage over a wire fence
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 14:35:09 -0300
>
> Don,
>
> I can't answer your question exactly, but I CAN tell you I've had a few
> bev's and you really won't know until you try.
> At worst it might not work "quite" as well as a top-notch one will.
Still,
> I'd try anwyay.
>
> Good luck.
>
> BTW, I have one here that weeble-wobbles both up/dn and side to side
through
> some swampy woods down to the shoreline
> of a small lake and I find it works REALLY well! (bidirectional mostly,
but
> also in the two worst directions too a little)
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <K4BEV@aol.com>
> To: <Towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2002 2:28 PM
> Subject: [Towertalk] Beverage over a wire fence
>
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I want to put up a Beverage antenna, but the only place that I can get
any
> > distance would run it directly over a grounded 4 foot high wire fence
for
> > about 1/3 of it's length.
> > Can I put the antenna at 10 feet agl and get it to work; or does it need
> to
> > be 10' above the fence? Or will the fence just kill the antenna?
> > The wire fence would be just about in the center of the antenna's run,
by
> the
> > way.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Don - K4BEV
> >
> >
> > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> > multipart/alternative
> > text/plain (text body -- kept)
> > text/html
> > ---
> > _______________________________________________
> > Self Supporting Towers, Wireless Weather Stations, see web site:
> http://www.mscomputer.com
> > Call 888-333-9041 to place your order, mention you saw this ad and take
an
> additional 5 percent off
> > any weather station price.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Towertalk mailing list
> > Towertalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 4
> Reply-To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> From: "Mel Martin \(VE2DC\)" <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> To: <n4kg@juno.com>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: RE: [Towertalk] Building Hygain Yagis
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 16:58:14 -0400
>
> Hygain did increase the thickness of the 7/16 somewhat with the CA
series...
> I've never really had any problems... the first times I lost the antenna
due
> to ice storms was a mast failure. The big storm of 98 wrecked my 40M beam
> and damaged the TH7 I had up. It failed just next to the boom to element
> clamp... and some elements rotated around the boom.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: n4kg@juno.com [mailto:n4kg@juno.com]
> Sent: August 25, 2002 11:58 AM
> To: TOWERTALK@CONTESTING.COM; ve2dc@rac.ca
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Building Hygain Yagis
>
>
> Mel,
>
> If WIND and / or ICE is a considertion,
> you may want to find a source of 7/16
> inch O.D. aluminum tubing thicker than
> the 'heavy duty aluminum foil' element
> tips provided by HyGain. BENT element
> tips is a COMMON condition for most
> amateur antennas I've seen from HyGain.
>
> I HATE that they use a non-standard size
> that is so hard to find and don't offer a heavier
> duty replacement ! TEXAS TOWERS,
> are you listening?
>
> Tom N4KG
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
> Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
> Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 18:50:21 -0400
> From: Jim White <k4oj@tampabay.rr.com>
> Reply-To: k4oj@tampabay.rr.com
> Organization: Florida Contest Group
> To: Matt & Carrie Trott <aa7bg@3rivers.net>
> CC: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Create RC5B-3 mast clamps
>
> Yes, this was the first rotor to raise the spectre of a crack
> problem...seem to remember K5RC (perhaps Productivity Resources)
> marketed a replacement set of clamps which were very good but also very
> pricey - they may have been SS - but my memory is vague - this was about
> 20 years ago!
>
> I have several RC5B3's and some have 4 bolt and others 6 bolt boom to
> mast clamps - believe the six bolters were the later ones...
>
> Some guys place something like emery paper in the the clamps about the
> pipe to increase the resistance to slipping...am not aware of a spec for
> your torque wrench but if they are tight to your satisfaction and there
> is slippage mebbe that is good - It seems to me there has to be a place
> for something to slip otherwise something will break...and the best
> place for release seems to me to be at the rotor - a lot easier re-align
> that versus realign an individual yagi especially if you have stacks on
> the same mast!
>
> Anyone have an extra connector plug for an RC5B3?
>
> K4OJ
>
>
>
>
> Matt & Carrie Trott wrote:
>
> > I finally changed out my Yaesu SDX1000 rotor that literally
disintigrated
> > after 6 years of faithfully turning a 402CD and 205BAS.
> >
> > I replaced it with a used Create RC5B-3 that I purchased several years
ago,
> > but had never used. My question is: Has anyone ever cracked a mast clamp
> > using this rotor? It looks stouter than the Yaesu ones, which I know
were
> > prone to cracking if tightened too hard. But this one is aluminum also,
and
> > I just wondered if I could lean on the clamp bolts without worry,
because
> > the antennas are wandering a bit in the wind.
> >
> > Also, I noticed in some pictures I found on the web that this particular
> > model shows six (6) mast clamp bolts (3 per side). Mine only has four
(4)
> > mast clamp bolts (2 per side). Did they change this some where along the
> > line? I know it's an RCB5-3 cuz it's stamped in the casting and also sez
so
> > on the control unit. Any info appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Matt--K7BG
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.377 / Virus Database: 211 - Release Date: 07/15/2002
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Self Supporting Towers, Wireless Weather Stations, see web site:
http://www.mscomputer.com
> > Call 888-333-9041 to place your order, mention you saw this ad and take
an additional 5 percent off
> > any weather station price.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Towertalk mailing list
> > Towertalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 6
> Reply-To: "Roger Borowski" <K9RB@arrl.net>
> From: "Roger Borowski" <K9RB@bellsouth.net>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Building Hygain Yagis
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 19:08:56 -0400
>
> I believe HyGain, at some point in the late 80's or early 90's changed to
> standard .058 thickness 7/16" OD element end pieces, well before the
sellout to
> MFJ. I recall the thin tubing on B series monobanders and early TH7's but
the C
> series monobanders and later TH7's as well as all TH11's use minimum .058
wall
> tubing or heavier gage tubing in high stress areas. From all I've seen and
> heard about these antennas produced now in Starkville, MS., all are the
same as
> they were when they were manufactured in Lincoln, NE. Quality appears to
not
> have suffered in the transition. 73, -=Rog-K9RB=-
>
> BTW; Anyone looking for a brand new Hygain HAM V rotor (with DCU-1 digital
> controller w/RS-232) I bought a spare when they discontinued them and have
> never needed it. MFJ has never (as of the time being) made this a
production
> item although they have listed it in the price sheets for over two years
> already. The DCU-1 allows for 0-360 degree choice for center of rotation
as
> well as an 8 second brake delay. It has six presets for favorite
directions and
> lists accuracy as +/-1 degree. The RS-232 control is compatable with most
> popular logging and contesting programs and works really slick. The Ham V
> rotator itself is the same as the Ham IV with the pigtail and weatherproof
> connector replacing the old terminal board. Its also painted with powder
coat
> technology which is quite an improvement over the previous painted units.
I've
> opened the box to check for damage initially but it has been resealed and
sits
> on the shelf here. I've used my operational unit to turn my TH11DX for
over six
> years flawlessly, and without so much as a glitch. I'll sell for cost of
> $899.95 (no tax, I didn't pay any!) plus shipping. Contact; K9RB@arrl.net
> First serious buyer will own it. 73, Rog-K9RB
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 21:02:12 -0400
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> From: Pete Smith <n4zr@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Create RC5B-3 mast clamps
>
> At 06:50 PM 8/25/02 -0400, Jim White wrote:
> >Yes, this was the first rotor to raise the spectre of a crack
> >problem...seem to remember K5RC (perhaps Productivity Resources) marketed
> >a replacement set of clamps which were very good but also very pricey -
> >they may have been SS - but my memory is vague - this was about 20 years
ago!
> >
>
> I'm not familiar with the Create clamps, but in the case of the Yaesu
> rotators a lot of the problem arose from people's not understanding how to
> tighten them properly. If you tighten the clamps on a mast but fail to
> center the clamps on the top of the rotator, or if you tighten things from
> the bottom up and then try to force the clamps to conform to a mast that
is
> off-center relative to the rotator, you can expect problems. In the later
> production rotators, Yaesu included a set of instructions on how to
tighten
> things in sequence, in order to avoid this problem. I believe that if you
> first tighten the clamps on the mast, then center them on the top of the
> rotator, and only then tighten the rotator-to-plate bolts, you'll avoid
> this problem.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Sometimes a tower is just a tower
>
>
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 8
> From: "Michael Gilmer" <n2mg@eham.net>
> To: <K4BEV@aol.com>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Beverage over a wire fence
> Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 21:11:33 -0400
>
> I can't imagine that the fence would improve the Beverage...it would
> probably have a negative effect - mostly on its directivity.
>
> However, even short, unterminated, poorly grounded pseudo-Beverages will
> function and improve the signal-to-noise on the low-bands...so much so
that
> you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. My temporary 200-foot long
one
> has all these characteristics and it's a WHOLE lot better than my inverted
> Vs/Ls for hearing.
>
> VE9AA is right - just try it!
>
> 73 Mike N2MG
>
>
> VE9AA wrote:
>
> > I can't answer your question exactly, but I CAN tell you I've had a few
> > bev's and you really won't know until you try.
> > At worst it might not work "quite" as well as a top-notch one will.
> Still,
> > I'd try anwyay.
> >
> > Good luck.
> >
> > BTW, I have one here that weeble-wobbles both up/dn and side to side
> through
> > some swampy woods down to the shoreline
> > of a small lake and I find it works REALLY well! (bidirectional mostly,
> but
> > also in the two worst directions too a little)
> >
> >
> > K4BEV wrote:>
> > >
> > > I want to put up a Beverage antenna, but the only place that I can get
> any
> > > distance would run it directly over a grounded 4 foot high wire fence
> for
> > > about 1/3 of it's length.
> > > Can I put the antenna at 10 feet agl and get it to work; or does it
need
> > > to be 10' above the fence? Or will the fence just kill the antenna?
> > > The wire fence would be just about in the center of the antenna's run,
> by
> > > the way.
>
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 9
> From: "John Farber" <kg6i@worldnet.att.net>
> To: <Towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 05:58:54 -0000
> Subject: [Towertalk] Sartek Rotator Controls
>
> Anyone have experience, good or bad, with the Sartek brand of rotator
> control boards for a PC? Any info will be appreciated. Thanks, 73 John
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 10
> Reply-To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> From: "Mel Martin \(VE2DC\)" <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 07:53:22 -0400
> Subject: [Towertalk] K6STI
>
> Anybody know how to get in touch with him...
> his e-mail, which worked last year, now bounces. (K6STI@ns2.net)
>
> I've never encountered someone selling software who is so awkward to get
in
> touch with...
>
> Mel...
> VE2DC
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 07:52:11 -0400
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> From: Pete Smith <n4zr@contesting.com>
> Subject: [Towertalk] GP on a tin roof - a cautionary tale
>
> I just installed a Butternut HF9V on the galvanized steel roof of my
> garage, using the roof in place of radials. Just a couple of things I
> thought people might find worth knowing:
>
> -- I could not use my MFJ 259B at the base of the antenna (standing on the
> roof). Readings were wildly dependent on where I was holding the meter,
> whether my hand was on the case or not, etc. Evidently standing on part
of
> the antenna is not recommended.
>
> -- Resonances on the higher bands are quite far off nominal, presumably
> reflecting the difference between the roof and a normal radial
> arrangement. 15M is 'way high, while 10 is 'way low. 20m still centers
> around 13.9 MHz, but SWR in the band is acceptable. I WAS able to adjust
> 80 and 40, but what with needing to get down off the roof every time I
want
> to measure anything, I haven't sorted out the other bands yet.
>
> By the way, performance is quite adequate. Ran a few comparisons to
Europe
> on 20m last night, and it's down 6-12 dB compared with my stacked
> tribanders, although QSB was also quite a bit worse on the vertical. It
> also is only down a few dB with domestic stations on 40m, compared to my
> yagi at 104 feet. Presumably both antennas are too low-angle for this
> application.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Sometimes a tower is just a tower
>
>
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 12
> Reply-To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> From: "Mel Martin \(VE2DC\)" <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 08:50:06 -0400
> Subject: [Towertalk] RE: K6STI
>
> Well it's not working now... the nS2 below was a typo... I tried
> k6sti@n2.net
>
> Thanks...
>
> Anybody know how to get YO?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mel Martin (VE2DC) [mailto:ve2dc@rac.ca]
> Sent: August 26, 2002 7:53 AM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: K6STI
>
>
> Anybody know how to get in touch with him...
> his e-mail, which worked last year, now bounces. (K6STI@ns2.net)
>
> I've never encountered someone selling software who is so awkward to get
in
> touch with...
>
> Mel...
> VE2DC
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 13
> Reply-To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> From: "Mel Martin \(VE2DC\)" <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> To: <k2hk@arrl.net>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: RE: [Towertalk] K6STI
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 10:34:45 -0400
>
> That's what I did try... the "S" was an unfortunate typo. Thanks
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Howard Klein [mailto:howk2@hotmail.com]
> Sent: August 26, 2002 10:07 AM
> To: ve2dc@rac.ca
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] K6STI
>
>
> Mel,
> Try k6sti@n2.net. No "S" after n.
> GL
> Howard..K2HK
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: "Mel Martin \(VE2DC\)" <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> Reply-To: <ve2dc@rac.ca>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: [Towertalk] K6STI
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 07:53:22 -0400
>
> Anybody know how to get in touch with him...
> his e-mail, which worked last year, now bounces. (K6STI@ns2.net)
>
> I've never encountered someone selling software who is so awkward to get
in
> touch with...
>
> Mel...
> VE2DC
>
> _______________________________________________
> Self Supporting Towers, Wireless Weather Stations, see web site:
> http://www.mscomputer.com
> Call 888-333-9041 to place your order, mention you saw this ad and take an
> additional 5 percent off
> any weather station price.
> _______________________________________________
> Towertalk mailing list
> Towertalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 14
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> From: Fred_W._Hurd@HUD.GOV
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 08:07:04 -0400
> Subject: [Towertalk] TX-472 Crank-up Problem
>
> Hi Everyone - I put up a US Tower TX-472 motor driven tower about two
years
> ago, and it has worked perfectly until this last Saturday. I was doing my
> monthly lowering and raising maintenance for the tower. I lowered the
tower
> about half-way down, then started to raise it back up when it appeared to
> "lock-up" and the motor drive belt was slipping on the pulley wheel. It
> does not stick at any one spot, but by lowering a bit then raising it
moves
> several feet before sticking again. Since it lowers easily, I think the
> cables are free and the pulley wheels are OK, but it keeps sticking at
> different places when I try to raise. It is now stuck at about three
> quarters the way up. I am thinking perhaps a loose or bad drive belt (??).
> Also, is there anyone in the Wash DC area that does tower repair? I am too
> old to be climbing anything to fix this problem (if climbing is needed).
> Please help me with some info if you can...thanks! Fritz W4PKU.
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> Message: 15
> Reply-To: k2hk@arrl.net
> From: "Howard Klein" <howk2@hotmail.com>
> To: kg6i@worldnet.att.net
> Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] Sartek Rotator Controls
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 14:02:46 +0000
>
> John,
> I have been using the board for 3.5 years w/o problem. I use it with
DX4Win
> for automatic control from program. Recommended!
> Howard...K2HK
>
>
> From: "John Farber" <kg6i@worldnet.att.net>
> Sartek Rotator Controls
> Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 05:58:54 -0000
>
> Anyone have experience, good or bad, with the Sartek brand of rotator
> control boards for a PC? Any info will be appreciated. Thanks, 73 John
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
> http://www.hotmail.com
>
>
>
> --__--__--
>
> _______________________________________________
> Towertalk mailing list
> Towertalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
> End of Towertalk Digest
>