[TowerTalk] KT34A and no tower

[Scott Stembaugh]

Ok Folks, Thanks for the reality check.  I didn't particularly care
for the idea I was purposeing but was hoping for at least one "yeah
you'll be ok if you just do....."  Instead I was inundated, quite
quickly I might add, with "DONT BE STUPID!!!".  As anxious as I am to
get a decent antenna in the air (16 years of wires) I can wait until I
can do it right.  At least I will have the antenna.  Just need to find
a tower to put it on.  And I want it to fly before the 06-07
contesting season starts.  I really want to start doing more than just
working the loud ones!

In the "just so you don't think I am a complete idiot" catagory; The
20' of pole is 2x10' sections of 2"id thick walled steel pipe.  The 6'
peice is 1.5" steel.  I know the HD73 is a smallish rotor but by
reading the specs I thought I would be fine.  It specs out at 10 sqft
windload and the KT34A specs at 6 sqft.  The height above the rotor
had me concerned as well, for good reason I see.  Power lines and
other structures are 70' away.

Thanks and vy 73,
--scott N9LJX

On 5/22/06, N0OEL at aol.com <N0OEL at aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> I smile at the responses you have received on your plans for the KT34A.    I
> smile as I agree with most of them.    The HD73 is the poorest of all rotors
> for amateur radio.   Has one poor braking system.   In fact hardly any.
> (BTW you can find a HAM-M rotor or Ham II for less than $150 and they won't
> windmill like the HD73).   The mast idea is not a good idea.    Check out
> the windload on that beam and my bet is that you will not want to use a
> simple mast.
>
> The beam should not be mounted more than a foot above the support structure
> as others have said.    And don't kid yourself, a mast fastened to the side
> of your house could probably rip the side of our house off.   It's happened!
>    In fact many communities won't even let you mount a mast to the side of
> the house any longer.
>
> My suggestion is to use  nothing smaller than a roof tower or  Rohn 25
> others have suggested.    But better than that get a real tower!    A Rohn
> HDBX or a Universal or
> US Tower.    Wait a little longer and save the bucks that's needed to do it
> right.    You don't
> want your beam and mast (you have suggested) to fall on your kids, neighbor
> or you!   You can usually find one used if you look a little longer!
>
> Good luck.    Do it right and you won't be sorry Scott!
>
> -Mike
> K0BUD
> Minneapolis
>


-- 
------
N9LJX
radio.n9ljx at gmail.com
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~scott/