[VHFcontesting] KC8QVO portable in EN39

[steve d]

Hello, I am once again headed to my family's place on Lake of the Woods in Ontario Canada - EN39. I will be going some time towards the end of June or in July. At this point I dont know any more details - what dates exacty. I should be running 50, 144, and 432. 
   
  Douring last years trip I encountered problems raising my antennas and was only able to operate on 50 with a screwdriver. I was trying to raise the whole mast/rotor/antenna array from a horizontal position to vertical with the use of a pully system. However, keeping the base of the mast stationary and pulling up all that weight (even with the mechanical advantage of the pulleys - 3 wheels on each one) prooved to be MUCH more difficult standing on granite rock 5 feet above the water!! 
   
  I am still working on this year's setup. My plan is to erect the lower support mast and the upper rotor assembly/mast/antennas at the same time on the ground. The rotor and antennas will be mounted to a PVC tram that will slide up and down the support mast with the use of the same pullys as last year. This way, the load is strait up and down rather than trying to tilt up the whole assembly. The PVC tram will lock into rotational position using pins in the top section of the mast. This way, the position of the antennas wont change with the wind.  I plan on just tying down the pully line to something (like a cleat on a flagpole) to keep the antennas from comming down. Once the tram with the antennas and rotor is up then the whole thing can be guyed down. In fact, I might just attach the guy lines to the tram. For a portable setup it should work OK. As it is I am making this pretty complicated! 
   
  As of right now I am not quite sure how to erect the main support mast. I cant guy it, otherwise the antennas will not be able to pass up and down the mast. Right now I am planning on  making a tripod type thing for the base of the mast. The other option would be to strap downt he mast to the deck. This might be the best way to go because of the top heavy rotor and antennas might knock over a tripod (even just in the time it takes to raise the antennas). Ill work on the setup in the next couple weeks and see what I come up with. 
   
  Steve, KC8QVO

		
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