[TowerTalk] antenna sling for tramming

[Dick Green WC1M]

K8RI wrote:

> Looping that haul line around the center element with half hitches
> whether above or below the boom should cure this tendency.    

Difficult when the antenna has no center element. It's a 2-el.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roger (K8RI) [mailto:K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net]
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 1:09 AM
> To: K7LXC at aol.com
> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com; wc1m at msn.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] antenna sling for tramming
> 
> K7LXC at aol.com wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated 5/11/2008 6:53:54 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
> > towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:
> >
> >
> >>   My techniques works OK on a relatively light antenna  like the
> 40-2CD,
> >>
> > but I
> > found the heavier SteppIRs have a tendency to rotate  in the straps
> i.e., the
> > boom rotates) When that's happened, I've had to  secure the straps
> with hose
> > clamps, but I think this is a bad idea because  hose clamps have
> sharp edges.
> > I'd like to find a better way to secure the  straps to the boom.
> >
> >
> >     Well, the main problem is that the SteppIRs have  the elements
> above the
> > boom which makes them top-heavy and want to turtle or  pitch-pole
> upsidedown.
> > The KLM/M2 has the same problem being top-heavy. Just  about all
> other
> > antennas have the elements below the boom or thru the boom.
> >
> > Using hoseclamps is okay. Just check your slings  after using them.
> I doubt
> > any damage will happen.
> >
> >     The only way to get around this is to use a  tiller of some
> sort. It
> > attaches to the boom and the other end slides up the  tramline.
> There are
> > discussions in the archives at _www.contesting.com_
> (http://www.contesting.com) .
> I'd avoid clamping the sling to the boom or for that matter avoid
> clamping anything including a tiller to the boom.
> >>  Soon I'll be tramming the heaviest antenna I've attempted: a  Cal-
> AV
> >>
> > 2D-40A,
> > at 17 sq ft wind load and 165 lbs. Needless to say, I'll  wait for a
> calm
> > day. But with such a large antenna. I want to make sure the  sling
> technique
> > is as sound as possible.
> >
> >
> >
> >         The weight shouldn't be a  big problem. It's the top-heavy
> thing that
> > you're fighting. BTW you might want  to double-block your haul line
> for an
> > antenna this heavy. That'll cut the haul  weight in half.
> Looping that haul line around the center element with half hitches
> whether above or below the boom should cure this tendency.    It's a
> simple fix to a problem people often try to make too complicated.  The
> weight of the antenna against the haul line has a natural tendency to
> stabilize it (prevent roll along the boom axis) and when used with the
> yoke/sling support it should be very stable.
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve    K7LXC
> > TOWER TECH
> >
> >
> >
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