[UK-CONTEST] AUTOBRAKE WINCHES

[Don Beattie]

Sorry to hear that Stewart.

I had a similar experience with my old TH6 some years ago up 60ft on a
standard unguyed P60. The wind was getting up, so I decided to lower the
tower. As soon as I wound to lift the second section off the latching arm...
"twang - - bang". No damage (the tower had only risen about 1/4 inch off the
latch) but equally no hope of getting it all down before the gale got going.
Fortunately the whole lot survived what was one of the "big blows" but I
think it was close.

This taught me two lessons:

a) Use stainless steel ropes (they are quite a bit more expensive, but last
proportionately longer. Elliot-Strumech only say 5 years for galvanised
rope, but 15+ for stainless.
b) Guy the tower so that you're not left with a TH6 unguyed at 60ft in a
gale !

Hope you can get the damage repaired.

73

Don, G3BJ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cooper, Stewart" <coopers at odl.co.uk>
To: "'Chris Tran GM3WOJ '" <gm3woj at talk21.com>; "'UK CONTEST '"
<uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2003 3:30 PM
Subject: RE: [UK-CONTEST] AUTOBRAKE WINCHES


> I certainly should have heeded the warning below. Yesterday the cable
which
> telescopes my 60ft tow tower gave way. The thing was up at about 50ft.
There
> was only the slightest indication of corrosion. I always place two blocks
of
> wood on the second and third bottom rung of the tower. Just as well too
> really, because the force with which it came down was devastating, and
broke
> the flapper/safety brake + some tower metal. The first block of wood was
> cleanly split in two and the two pieces shot out sideways. The second got
> wedged down the side between the outer and second section, which sort-of
> broke its fall. It still drove itself into the base. The lower bits of the
> lower section and probably repairable with a bit of welding. The antenna,
a
> 402CD, is also recoverable, but it took such a 'twang' that the support
> struts extended about 3 inches and put a strange bend into the boom, which
> was under stress. Not a nice experience, as I was under it at the time.
Read
> the warning below!! I really have no excuse, as I knew the cable was
dodgy.
>
> Stewart
> GM4AFF
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Tran GM3WOJ
> To: GW4BLE; UK CONTEST
> Sent: 14/05/03 21:56
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] AUTOBRAKE WINCHES
>
> Hi Steve
> ....
> and replace the whole cable if there is
> the slightest sign of corrosion. A cable is very cheap compared
> to what could be destroyed !
>
> Hope this helps.
> 73
> Chris   GM3WOJ
>
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