[TowerTalk] Rotators again

[Tower (K8RI)]

>
> Second question first -- The US dollar has declined considerably against
> both the Canadian dollar and the Euro; I assume that the AlfaSpid rotators
> are imported from somewhere in Europe or JA.
>
> I think K8RI has a good point -- the 360-degree twist would not be good
for
> either the coax or any connectors.  However, I've often wondered why more
> hams don't use the trick that seems to be universal on the TV trucks with
> the pneumatic masts -- they wind the coax around the mast instead of
having
> a free-standing loop.  All you do is run the rotator to one stop

That's the way I did mine.  It wraps around the mast twice on the way down
to the top of the tower, through a retainer loop (BIG ty-wrap)  at the top
and once around the tower.  Then they all are spliced to the LMR 400.

I have to bring the antennas down this summer and I plan on replacing all of
the flexible cables with LMR-600 flexible to a junction box just below the
top of the tower.  They will be larger but a couple times around the mast in
a loosely coupled bundle should do it.  Besides, on VHF and UHF I probably
get as much loss up there as I do in the rest of the system.

Roger Halstead (K8RI, EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
N833R, World's Oldest Debonair (S# CD-2)
www.rogerhalstead.com

> (clockwise, for example) and then wind the coax around the mast 3-4 turns
> in that direction.  As the rotator turns counterclockwise, the coax wrap
> simply gets somewhat looser.  Secure at both ends to prevent stress on
> connectors and you're done.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> The World HF Contest Station Database
> was updated on June 5, 2004
> 2728 contest stations at
> www.pvrc.org/WCSD/WCSDsearch.htm
>
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