[TowerTalk] Temporary Mast Guide

[Bob Selbrede, K6ZZ]

Folks,

Looking for suggestions on how best to support a 27' x 3/8"
wall crome molly mast while lowering it into the tower to
access the antennas at the top.  Unfortunately, this
installation doesn't include a lower mast plate to keep the
mast centered while raising and lowering the mast.  My
primary concern is keeping the mast from tipping after I
pull the rotator.  With 6' in the tower and 21' out of the
top, as soon as the mast is pulled out of the rotator it
will want to tip due to the antennas at the top of the mast.

My first inclination is to fabricate a temporary support out
of unistrut or angle iron and attach it above the rotator. 
The mast alone weighs 200lbs and the antennas add another
100lbs so it needs to be fairly sturdy and still allow for
unrestricted movement of the mast as it is lowered.

Fortunately this is on a crankup so it doesn't need to be
done at nose-bleed heights.  When it goes back up I may add
a lower "mast anchor plate" to aid in pulling rotators for
service, etc.

73, Bob K6ZZ