[TowerTalk] WTF resolved and lessons to be learned

[Gene Smar]

Steve et al:

     When I was in charge of a small group of engineers and technicians who had design, installation and maintenance responsibility for government electronics systems, we always followed a motto we created: "Design for maintenance."  We inherited a set of equipment racks where access was difficult due to short leads on connecting cables (minimized initial costs, I suppose) and no thought seemed to be given to heat dissipation or future removal for maintenance.  

     FYI:  I've got a quick-disconnect connector set at the top of the rotator cable run underneath the TailTwister.  The entire thing can be removed through the hole in the rotator plate.


73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F


-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of k7lxc--- via TowerTalk
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2021 12:53 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] WTF resolved and lessons to be learned

Howdy, TowerTalkians -

    I recently posted a problem I was having with a T2X install which was too big for the HG-55 tower it had come out of and I couldn't see any way why it had worked for the previous 5 years with an apparently fatal problem.     When originally installed (I didn't do it), they ran into the same problem. Their solution was to capture the mast with the Yaesu thrust bearing and allowing enough room to install the rotator on the mast so that it was in a position to avoid the contact with the diagonal braces. THEN they brought up the non-welded rotor plate and attached it to the rotator so the plate is floating and not taking any vertical weight. All it's doing is keeping the rotator in place and counter-acting the rotational torque and the entire apparatus is held up by the TB.      Well, it worked but what a PITA because you're working in 3 dimensions and only have 2 hands.  Usually the last thing I do for an install is align the antenna. There wasn't the chance to do that as everything was floating and we had to do the best we could and then calibrate the actual heading with the adjustable meter excursion on the control box. WHEW - I was glad to get this taken care of.      The job could have been made easier if they'd have used some sort of quick disconnect for the cables as this was something else that complicated the job since they had used the original terminal strips AND barely left enough slack to secure the control cable. Nothing was easy on this job.      One of my criticisms is that most installs are done with little regard to possible (probable?) repairs in the future. The repairs can be easy or difficult depending on how much thought goes into the job. The same can be said for various tower appurtenances such as weather station devices and lighting. They just make things more difficult. I'm just saying - hi.     So it wasn't a poltergeist after all. Yes, a little disappointing but all's well that ends well!  Cheers & climb safe,Steve    K7LXCTOWER TECH _______________________________________________



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