[TowerTalk] Add on 3" mast brake?

[john at kk9a.com]

This post makes me wonder what rotator people with really large 80m Yagi's
like W0AIH use?

I believe that you want to brake the mast and not the rotator which is not
easy to add now. I am told that prop pitch motors originally had brakes but
I am not sure what happened to those mechanisms.  FWIW, I have a medium prop
pitch rotator on my Rohn 65 tower and it easily fits inside, perhaps a large
also fits.

GL
John KK9A



Grant Saviers KZ1W wrote:

My 80m 2L beam is destroying rotators (sm PP and Orion 2800). So far no 
problems with the beam.

What is happening is any backlash in the gear train leads to rotational 
oscillations from the turbulent high wind at my QTH plateau/ridge and 
results breaking gear teeth off.  The 375# antenna and 100ft elements 
provide the momentum/jerk at the stop of movement.

So am looking for designs of a secondary brake I can fit inside Rohn 65 
and retrofits to a 3" mast without taking the antenna down and mast out 
(big crane work).

Any experiences, products, ideas, designs welcome.  My shop is pretty 
much able to make anything in metal.

Grant KZ1W