[TowerTalk] Tower Cable Query

[Dan Hearn]

Tommy: I am not familiar with your crank up but if it is similar to my TX472
UST you don't have to block each section. I raise and lower mine with a
tractor pulling on the single lift cable thru a floor block pulley. I then
slip a piece of 3 inch channel iron thru the bottom section just below the
bottom of the next section up and slack off on the lift cable letting the
channel iron take the load. The other sections are raised in a sort of
bootstrap manner by individual cables between sections. Hope your tower is
built in a similar manner.
73, Dan, N5AR


-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of FOC1652 at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 8:59 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Tower Cable Query

After a very slow and methodical assembly, the new MonstIR is  at the
top of my 72 foot, Tristao, free-standing, motorized crank up,  tower.
So far everything appears to be working according to  specifications.
I went with the direct mount Tilt-Plate, (# 002), and the  Orion
rotor, with a Green Heron controller.

The only glitch, and it is  a fairly serious one, occurred as I was
extending the tower to its full  height. Just as the tower extended to
its maximum height, I heard a loud pop  and saw gear oil coming from
the end of the motorized cable windlass gearbox.  It appears that one
of the worm gear shaft bearings was destroyed and I am  now looking at
a very difficult and delicate procedure to repair it, if  possible.
The problem being, I have to maintain the tower at its fully  extended
height, secure the cable sustaining all of the vertical load  weight
so I can unspool the balance of the cable off the windlass and  remove
the entire gear box and unit for examination and possible  repair.

Somehow I need to take the load off of the windlass and secure it  to
another snatch point so I can effect the repair. I think a very
stout  "come along" will handle the load, but I need some advice on
how to grasp the  very taut cable in such a manner that whatever I use
won't slip or slide on  the cable, but won't weaken or degrade it
either. There must be some sort of  device that I can find that will
do the trick. I will make a proper, stout  anchor and secure it to the
base bolts and use the come along to hold the  load. The only other
viable, but very expensive option, I can think of, is to  hire a big
boom bucket truck to come out so I can block each tower section so  it
won't move south and take the pressure off of the cable. Right now  it
seems I cannot even hand turn the gear box, so it is a serious
problem.  I want to think this through carefully. The antenna is up so
I don't have to  bring anything down in a hurry, but I do want to
effect the repair, safely  and successfully.

The tilt plate was a dream, but getting the proper  angle set, was a
trial and error process that necessitated cranking and  tilting the
tower over three times. I am glad for the help of my big  brother,
Chuck, W6AJW, and great friend, Bill, K6DUY.

I still have  lots to learn about the MonstIR, but I worked a SM5 on
40 meters the other  night with 50 W, so it does work.

Sorry for the bandwidth, and though  this is slightly off topic, I
would appreciate some sage, (kind), advice from  the
assembled multitude.

VY 73, Tommy,  W6IJ





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