[TowerTalk] US Tower TX-472

[N7US]

How old are you?  How's your health?  How long to do expect to own the
tower?

I previously had a Hy-Gain 72' HG-70HD that wasn't positive pull-down and
wasn't motorized.  It took more time to crank it up and down, as expected,
and the effort wasn't trivial, at least to me!

I don't tilt my HDX-589 over except when I have relocated it to another QTH
because of the stacked antennas I have on it.  A secondary reason is the
need to remove so many bolts and my ground wire clamps.  This time I did
leave the raising fixture attached, though I've removed and stored it in the
past.

You'll forget about the cost after a while but will always be thankful you
got the factory-installed motor.

BTW, I bought the remote control package for mine, but I don't raise or
lower it remotely, so that I wouldn't do again.

Jim N7US



-----Original Message-----

John, 

I have gone the crank-up route and much prefer the positive motor drive
version. It only takes a view up and down manual operations to convince some
that it is folly. While you are at it, consider the tilt-over feature. This
will make antenna troubleshooting, additions, and changes much easier. Good
luck in your quest. 

Tommy - K6YE 


----- Original Message ----- 

Hi all. I'm currently in the planning stages for putting up a US Tower 
TX-472 Crank-Up 72 foot tower this spring. Although I would like the 
motorized crank-up, it adds about $1500 to the total cost of the tower 
system, so I'm just planning on purchasing the hand-crank version. Is there 
anyone else out there that thinks this is a really bad idea or has done the 
same and wished they hadn't? :) If you have the hand-crank on the 472 is it 
really hard to crank-up or lower? 

John K7KB