[Towertalk] Ham IV Brake Slips?

[Dale L Martin]

Steve,

I had to remove and send off the rotator from our club's 80' tower.  I got
some u-bolts that would fit the legs and some that would fit the mast.  I
also got some of the holey angle iron that Home Depot sells.  I attached
them to the legs and the mast just above the rotator (after using a crowbar
to raise the mast a 1/4-1/2" off the rotator and putting a u-bolt on the
mast at the top of the thrust bearing.  It all worked.  The antenna array
(4el 15m beam over a 4el 20m beam) stayed in place the two weeks the rotator
was out for service.

73,
dale, kg5u

> TKS TTers, Lots of great info!
>
> Agreedly the rotator needs to come down! BTW I think the rotator
> is "in sync
> w/control box" again but it can be windmilled by the wind or hand and is
> tracking. But has no brakes! Sounds like a broke brake wedge or
> not engaging
> from what you all are telling me. We' ll soon see!
>
> About getting it down: I'm using the flat top R25 section
> w/thrust bearing.
> Mast is ~4' section of 2" or 2-1/4(brain fade?). The KT34 only sits ~ 8"
> above the tower/bearing with the rest of the mast sticking up
> above ~18" and
> ~12" into the rotator clamp. I'm thinking I can weld up a clamp
> with braces
> that anchor to the tower legs and clamp on to the lower mast. So
> as to lock
> ithe mast in position while the rotator is absent for repairs. Thoughts?
> Sure seems like a waste of effort to take down the KT34. It went up the
> vertically via the wigwag method through the guys single handedly. I'd
> prefer not repeat that process until it's really necessary.
> TIA
> Steve/n0tu - Monument, C0
>