[TowerTalk] Raising a TH-11 DX antenna

[Earl Morse]

I did this all myself, having done it before after thinking the whole process through.  Used a double tram line on a mount set 4 feet apart and a carrier on the boom to hold the antenna level and attached to the tram line as it was pulled up.  Using the tractor as the bottom anchor point allowed me to stop pulling the antenna up and move the antenna by moving the tram line in and out to avoid tree branches.  

Gets easier at the top with above all the obstructions and out in the clear.  Once the antenna was at the top just had to bolt it to the mast then untie the rope and remove the rigging.

Jack the mast up into place, set the rotor, and then repeat for the 40M beam mounted at the top of the tower under the KT34XA.

That was 12 years ago, I have some pictures of the process I might be able to dig out.

Earl
N8SS

--- towertalk-request at contesting.com wrote:



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To the OP: unless you have installed, been part of an installation, or have at least witnessed an installation of an antenna, asking "how to install...." is like asking how to do an engine rebuild?or doing brain surgery over the phone.?? If you've at least seen it done, one can appreciate what it would take to raise an antenna through, above, or around guy wires.?? One has to be able to visualize in three dimensions how the antenna will have to be turned, lifted, or manipulated to go from the ground to the mast on top of the tower.?? 
Sorry to be blunt.?? 
That being said,?4 of us raised my F12 240N to the top of my 90 foot tower with a capstan winch.? One guy was on the tower.? One guy was running the winch, and two of us were on tag lines.?? We basically pulled the elements out from the tower as the antenna was being raised.?? Once we got the elements over the top guy, we were able to let the antenna 'move' to the tower, and it went straight up from there.?? 
The way we installed my two C31XRs was to use a tram.? But not the typical tram.? I don't have much room in the backyard, and the open area is not 'in the middle between two guy anchors.'?? There is also a tree immediately adjacent to the backyard open area.?? What we did was run the tram line over the house to a tree.? I attached the end as high as I could go (about 25 feet).?? The other end of the rope went to a pulley on the tower about 10 feet above the ring (where the antenna was going to go).?? The rope then came down the tower,?then to another?pulley and went horizontal.?? At a tree (in line with the horizontal rope), we then used 3 come-alongs.? They were extended (so 30 feet).?? A second rope went to a second pulley a few feet below the first pulley.? Another pulley was 'attached' to the tram line (so it rode the tram line), and the rope brought down so it attached to the antenna.?? The second rope then came down the tower and was wrapped around the capstan winch.?? 
First thing we did was to pull on the tram rope to take up as much slack as possible.? Then a loop in the rope to attach to the come-along.?? 
Tension the come-alongs (which 'raises'?the tram line), as the tram rope is tensioned (ie: raised), the antenna is also raised.? As the antenna gets higher and clears the guy wires, then start pulling the antenna toward the tower.? The tram rope will sag, so you have to keep tension in it (hence the 3 come-alongs).?? 
As the antenna gets close to the tower, one can even let off tension in the tramp rope and the antenna will "move" down to where you want it.? 
In the case of the OP, if you have several feet of tower above the top guy, you can just do the same thing as above.? When the antenna gets to the tower, tie it off, and re-rig so there is a pulley at the top of the mast (you will need at least 4 feet).? Attach the rope to the antenna, and raise it straight up..? 
Tom, N2SR