[TowerTalk] Tri-Ex WT-51 Electric Winch with Pulldown Mechanism and RMC-1000

[Bill Kerns]

I recently purchased a used Tri-Ex WT-51 tower with manual winch.

 

I want to install an electric winch on the tower to allow me to raise and
lower it.

 

Since the tower will be located remotely from the house (about 200-300
feet), I'd also like to figure out a way to raise and lower it remotely.

 

I have also found a used RMC-1000 remote controller and am considering using
it in conjunction with an electric winch.

 

However, I have heard that there is a pulldown safety issue involved with
this tower.  So I need to have a way to pull down the top antenna tower
sections, as the tower is being lowered, to ensure that it does not get hung
up on the way down.  My understanding is that the WT-51 top sections may
sometimes bind on the way down, so having this second cable pulldown
mechanism will prevent that.

 

I am considering a single winch with 2 cables wound in opposite directions,
so that as one cable winds up, the other cable unwinds.  Then I need to add
some pulleys to route the second cable through the middle of tower up to the
top section, so that when the tower is lowered, this cable will pull down
the top section as the other cable releases.  However, someone said that
this might be problematic, since the 2 different cables may not wind/unwind
at the same rate, so I also will need a spring mechanism to take up the
slack as the cable winds/unwinds.

 

I would appreciate whatever advice anyone could provide to help with this
installation- such as recommended electric winch model part numbers,
suggested ideas for using RMC-1000 or similar remote system, pulley layout,
etc.  I also wonder what the maximum distance is that the RMC-1000 will
operate remotely, since there will be 200-300 foot separation between the
house and antenna tower.

 

I am also looking for a softcopy of the RMC-1000 schematic and manual, if
anyone has one.

 

-Thanks,

Bill, N6DAG