[TowerTalk] Torque balancing...agreement!

[Jim Jarvis]

We read and learn.  w0un and I are not in total agreement, 
but he's a bright and reasonable guy...and it's obvious that
the problem is communications.  We're describing the elephant
from different appendages.

I'm still looking for Weber's paper...but in the course of 
googling it, I came up with a TT post on the SAME TOPIC, made
by me, in 2002.   Did we ever resolve the question of windload
on a helix?

After I read Weber's paper, John and I will chat offline...if
any concensus develops to help the guy trying to balance the
kt34XA, one of us (not both)  will post it.

THAT SAID.... I submit the following observations:

*  Windload calculation and torque balancing are different problems.
*  John is right, the elements for the most part cancel out.  If you
	place your hose clamps exactly the same way in all locations,
	they pretty much DO cancel out.
*  45 degrees is the worst angle to calculate windload...and that
	problem is truly gnarly...but you don't have to solve it to
	"balance" the torque.
*  Adding weight to the nose, instead of offsetting the boom is the
	smartest idea I've seen so far.  It may worsen the aerodynamic 
	imbalance, though.   
*  Even with weight added, the array isn't symmetrical, due to the 
	clean 10m director, and maybe 5% differences between reflector
	and directors.  
*  The nose will need a trimtab.  I used 4" x 8.5", 15' from the mast.
	It could be slid, for tuning.

Best regards,

N2EA
jimjarvis at ieee.org