[TowerTalk] Rotor load bearing weigh

[K7LXC at aol.com]

>  Should the rotor in a tower, bear the weight of the  antennas and mast?  
 
Or should the weight be on a bearing plate,  and allow the rotor to be 
easily removed?
 
Howdy --
 
    In a case like this, it's always better to  have some weight on the 
rotator so that the bearings get seated. The Orion wants  all the weight on the 
rotator and other rotators have ample capacities for most  mast/antenna 
weights.
 
    OTOH I've installed rotators with little or  no weight on them. It 
might not be good engineering but I've never had a failure  due to floating 
(non-weight bearing) bearings. 
 
    Regarding the recent question about raising  an installed mast, I've 
always used a comealong hooked to a nylon sling used as  a choker on the mast. 
I've used most of the other techniques suggested and they  usually take 
some fooling around to work - to say nothing of the extra parts  needed; i.e. 
pieces of wood or jack handle that add to the chance of something  falling 
from the tower. 
 
Cheers,
Steve    K7LXC
TOWER TECH