[TowerTalk] Need install a BRAKE to protect antenna and rotator...

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

An old "spur gear would work for this, or rather, a couple of them.  
Just don't disengage when the wind is blowing.
A trip to the nearest junkyard should turn up one that will fit the 
mast, or can be bored out to fit. Just find a couple that don't have an 
OD too large.
They don't even have to be the same size, just so the teeth mesh.

A rather ingenious idea Jim.

73

Roger (K8RI)


On 4/2/2016 Saturday 10:37 AM, jimlux wrote:
> On 4/1/16 8:38 PM, Douglas Ruz / CO8DM wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I installed a modify spiderbeam few days ago. Spreaders are 7m long 
>> because
>> I added 2 elem (shortened) on 40m.
>>
>> Few days ago, during a windy day, both U bolts with saddle clamps in the
>> rotator fail...the antenna mast (aluminum tube) rotate inside the 
>> saddle and
>> broke both coax cables.
>>
>> I quickly tie a pipe between the center hub and one leg of to tower 
>> until I
>> find a solution.
>>
>> Maybe I need a Brake mechanism to protect the rotator. Some kind of
>> mechanism to operate with a rope from the bottom of tower.
>>
>
> how about something with a bunch of "teeth" that engage with a pawl 
> that is on a lever actuated by your rope. Imagine having a bunch of 
> spokes sticking out from the mast, and a stick that gets poked in 
> between them.?
>
> Or do you need "no motion at all"?  I'd think about something like a 
> band clamp that gets tightened by a lever action from your rope.
> (not exactly like this, but similar..
> http://www.protex.com/27SPG-HT070-115SS-70-115mm-diameter-hi-torque-spring-claw-stainless-steel-quick-release-bandclamp-natural 
>
> or
> http://www.webstaurantstore.com/12-heavy-aluminum-springform-cake-pan/327900412.html 
>
> )
>
>
> Or a spring that actuates the brake, and the rope that pulls it off. 
> Depends on which way you want it to fail if the rope breaks: braked or 
> free.
>
>
>
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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