[TowerTalk] Winch recommendation sought

[Jon Pearl - W4ABC]

Hi Dick.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of hauling varying or 
longer lengths of rope than the typical winch or hoist spool can handle 
would be that of a capstan winch.  I did a quick search for the term 
'capstan winch' and came up with a lot of sources but the bottom of the 
following page gives some insight into some possible capabilities and 
uses by just one manufacturer: 
http://www.powerwinch.com/powerwinch/PowerwinchCatalog.pdf

Of course, beyond what's captured in the catalog above there are also 
several portable 4 cycle powered versions listed on the web, many of 
which can be attached to a hitch receiver, tree or utility pole.  There 
are many rescue type pulleys that are more than capable of doing the job 
at hand at the top of the tower 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=Rescue+Pulley# 
They can be 'attached' at any point without having to thread the entire 
length of line through the pulley and are way overrated for what you're 
looking to haul up the tower.

Maybe Steve, K7LXC will chime in here with some suggestions on what 
might work for you in the way of a product that will give you some value 
for intermittent use over a period of years.


73,



Jon Pearl - W4ABC
www.w4abc.com


On 9/16/2012 1:04 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:
> I need to install a heavy ring rotator up at about 60' and the motor weighs
> more than I can lift easily with a rope, even with a 2:1 mechanical
> advantage. I could go to 4:1 with a lot more rope.
>
>   
>
> I'm considering an electric winch that I could temporarily attach near the
> top of the tower and have it pull heavy stuff up.  Maybe up to a couple
> hundred pounds.  Most of the winches I find don't have much cable or room
> for much cable.  I think I want about 75'.  Do any of my Tower Talk
> colleagues have a recommendation for this?
>
>   
>
> At someone else's station I used a hand crank winch to pull up a heavy piece
> of rotator to guys up on the tower.  That's a good second choice, a manual
> crank attached at the base of the tower. But then I'd need about 150' of
> cable and room on the spool for at least half that.
>
>   
>
> Dick, K6KR
>
>