[TowerTalk] Raising a TH-11 DX antenna

[N1BUG]

I trammed a TH-11DX to the top of my 100 foot Rohn 25 tower last 
year. I did this alone with no help and found it relatively 
painless. I would have appreciated some help pulling the rope! I 
STRONGLY suggest you have a crew on hand. I would have, had it been 
practical.

I used 3/16" 7x19 wire rope for the tram line, 1/2" nylon rope for 
the pull line.

I used a rather overly complex "sling" with turnbuckles to make 
levelling the antenna on the tram line easier. I had minimal 
clearances and needed the boom to stay level (elements were tilted 
as necessary to ensure they didn't try to slip below the top guys on 
the way up).

I also used a "tiller" attached to the boom for the pull line to 
help keep the antenna straight going up.

I was concerned about bending my aluminum (I know, I know !!) mast, 
so I put a backstay on it exactly 180 degrees opposite the tram 
line. I had no problems.

I don't have that book, but assume (hope) all of the above is 
covered in it.

I haven't gotten around to putting pictures on my web site. I don't 
claim my tram system was the best engineered or the safest, but it 
worked for me.

I tried sliding antennas up dual ropes or cables in the past. Didn't 
like it but I guess it works for some. I will only be using tram 
systems from now on.

By the way, my TH-11DX manual said to put those phasing tubes on the 
top of the boom...

73,
Paul N1BUG


On 06/16/2016 10:51 AM, Dave Leisman wrote:
>
>
>
> I have one of these beast that I have resurrected and am ready to put on top of a 70' Rohn 45 tower.  The tower is properly guyed and
> steady as a rock.  My question though is how to get the antenna from the ground to the top of the tower.
>
> At Dayton this past spring I bought the ARRL's book on towers and antennas and have been reading about "tramming" the antenna to the
> top and then placing it accordingly.  That seems attractive but this is a very heavy antenna and my concern is the strength of the
> mast to hold the rope tight while the antenna is making its way to the top.
>
> My understanding is that in the "tramming" method the antenna is carried to the top by a sling (more or less)and then put in place
> once it reaches the top.
>
> The other method involves sliding the antenna up two ropes spaced apart at the bottom of the tower, beyond the guys wires.  This
> sounds good but there are phasing tubes on the underside of the TH_11 that could be (most likely would be) damaged in this method.
>
> I've thought abut paying a guy to bring in his crane (lots of height and lifting capacity), but that's another cost that I'd like to
> avoid if at all possible.
>
> So, I'm open to suggestion and the wisdom of the group's experience.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Dave, W8QW