[TowerTalk] Rotor Stripping Gears?

[Rick Karlquist]

Another idea I was told about protecting rotors was
to mount the rotor lower in the tower so that a longer
mast could be used.  This is supposed to act as a torsional
spring.  The concept is apparently that what breaks the rotor
is the fact that the gear backlash allows the antenna to turn
free over a small angle and build up momentum.  The rapid
deceleration is what kills the rotor.  The extra long mast
allows the rotor to "roll with the punches".

I suppose you could have the actual support mast for the antenna
carried entirely by thrust bearings and then couple that mast to
a secondary torque-only mast, that might be thinner wall, or smaller
diameter.  The advantage of this is that you don't have to make
the secondary mast particularly long.  Maybe a torsion bar suspension
from a car could be scavenged for the secondary mast.

Anybody heard of this?

I have a MonstIR on order and have to decide what to do.  I have
an Orion on the tower now, so I guess the current thinking is to
pin it with a pin rated at the maximum breaking rating of the Orion.

Rick N6RK