[TowerTalk] Crankup tower safety question... (Crankup Danger!)

[JE Brown]

My AlumaTower crank up has a positive pull down, and has a lock mechanism 
whereby the tower can be locked at any cross member point at any height. 
This is a spring powered piece that flips down and locks the sections 
together when activated (or released).

Jim  W4LC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mickey Baker" <fishflorida at gmail.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 8:13 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Crankup tower safety question... (Crankup Danger!)


Patrick, AF5CK's thread on his tower raised an issue that I really don't
understand...

Why isn't there a "lock" mechanism on crank up towers?

We spend lots of money on these things, and, basically, they hang there
suspended by a single cable. We all have either known someone or have had
our own tower's cable (or winch) fail and the tower crashes, with great
damage to tower and antennas.

I could thing of a number of gadgets that could be made to work:

   - A solenoid locking bolt
   - A brake mechanism (Electronically controlled?)
   - Stops every few feet requiring a raise then lower like a safety ladder.

But here I am, about to step off into yet another $10k tower project with
another tower hanging by a cable. (I feel like Homer Simpson - Doh!)

I realize that the market is small and price sensitive for these towers,
but certainly this has been recognized as a problem.

Isn't there a better way? If there is, and I can implement it, I'd do so,
simply for the purpose of making the tower safer for me and my antennas.

Thoughts?

-- 
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*“Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn.” *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk