[TowerTalk] Killer Springs; Spring-Eq plate/Leeson

[Pat Barthelow]

Dave Leeson, W6NL designed a great solution to the rotor-to- Beam shock absorber problem, using a rubber BMW steering shaft  coupler....But that, as you say, was a different cart of apples than the Killer spring-guy wire idea.

I have Leeson's Masterpiece, "Physical Design of Yagi Antennas" (covering a lot on towers, also) in storage, somwhwere, and miss thumbing through it once in a while.  A real gem.  It should be a reference in the Bookshelf of any Tower owner/user.

Manufacturers ought to  incorporate mention of same, so that Leeson's great idea can  meet the high standards of Steve's prime directive. 




All the best,   Pat Barthelow   AA6EG    Skype:  sparky599aa6eg at k6bj.org

http://www.jamesburgdish.org


> From: wa3gin at comcast.net
> To: K7LXC at aol.com; towertalk at contesting.com; draxfelton at gmail.com
> Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:24:48 -0400
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Spring between equalizer plate and earth anchor
> 
> I remember some folks using springs like this in their rotor to mast 
> connection ala Back Lash....maybe somewhere down the line the story was 
> mis-understood and the coils migrated to guy cables -- scary!
> 
> 73,
> dave
> wa3gin
 ----- Original Message ----- 
 From: <K7LXC at aol.com>
 To: <towertalk at contesting.com>; <draxfelton at gmail.com>
 Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 7:43 AM
 Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Spring between equalizer plate and earth anchor
 In a message dated 10/25/2008 9:26:45 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
 towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:
A local ham told me to get some heavy duty hood springs from  a 
1950-1960's car and put them between my guy wire equalizer plates and  earth anchors.
This is to "prevent backlash" during storm  force winds.
Any thoughts on this?

 You bet. This is a particularly stupid idea. Is  there anything like 
 this that's even suggested by the manufacturer? No way.

 By backlash, I assume he's talking about slack  in the guys. If the guys 
 are  properly tensioned, there's no need to "prevent  backlash" because there 
 is no slack on the guys.

And besides, you've got no idea what the strength  of the hood springs
 are. How would you attach them?
 In all things the LXC Prime Directive still  trumps amateur old wives'
 tales: "DO what the manufacturer says." The converse  is also true "DON'T 
 DO  what they don't tell you."  And congratulations for checking on TowerTalk  before following this 
 very poor - and potentially fatal - advice.

 Cheers,
 Steve    K7LXC
TOWER TECH