[TowerTalk] Ground level rotator mounting

[scottw3tx at verizon.net]

ON4UN has an excellent description of placing a rotor at ground level, with a full height transmission shaft, in one of the earlier editions of Low Band DXing. 

Best regards,
Scott

On Sep 7, 2013, at 6:58 PM, "Jim Hargrave" <w5ifp at gvtc.com> wrote:

Doug,

i have a homebrewed kludge.

I have a Prop Pitch rotor mounted about 4 ft from the bottom of my 50Ft.
tower.
On the top is a TH6 about 4 ft above the tip of the tower.
10 ft above that is a 14 el 2m beam. Then 2 ft above that is a 144/220/440
J=Pole.
All above the tower rotates together.

My mast is made with sections of 1 1/2" Galvanized water pipe.
In my case, I installed/assembled the mast as I raised the tower.
After assembly I drilled each coupling and installed two 1/4" bolts to keep
the
threads from coming loose.

This is a very heavy setup. I have suspended the mast with steel cable
attached
near the bottom and about 20ft up the tower. I adjust the height with a
turnbuckle
until there is no weight on the rotor in the mid rotation. As it rotates it
actually
lifts the assembly slightly so the rotor never feels any weight through
the entire rotation.

I installed two Phenolic retaining plates (@20 & 40 ft) to keep the mast
centered.
These are about 6 in square with holes cut in the center and mounted with
angle
iron between tower legs. These are loose fit, nothing scientific.

This setup has been in continuous operation at this QTH since 1997.

   73s de Jim
      W5IFP


> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of
> Doug Wetzel
> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 8:39 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Ground level rotator mounting
> 
> 
> When I put up my HDBX-48 in the spring, I'm thinking of mounting the
> rotator at ground level.  Has anyone on the list done something similar?
> What did you use for mast all the way up the tower, and did you use
> multiple thrust bearings to align the mast?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Doug
> K7IP
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
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