Tower question........

[KD6VXI]

Quement?

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

South Bascom Avenue, San Jose
Been there in 1984, even got the T-shirt

Good, knowledgeable people, fair prices, unadvertised bargains.  The internet vendors can't compare with old-school brick and mortar suppliers like this, and many others of the day.

I saw another post where you worked d at HP.

Did you know an Elmer Hawkins?   He was in PALO ALTO, I believe.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

[W3SLK]

W5JO said:

Harbor Freight sells a 120 volt winch which works very well.

It might be interesting to have a winch like that for moving some of my 'boat anchors' around. I still work out with weights and benches. But it is getting more and more difficult to move some of the stuff I used be able to move with ease!

[w8khk]

Quement?

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

South Bascom Avenue, San Jose
Been there in 1984, even got the T-shirt

Good, knowledgeable people, fair prices, unadvertised bargains.  The internet vendors can't compare with old-school brick and mortar suppliers like this, and many others of the day.

I saw another post where you worked d at HP.

Did you know an Elmer Hawkins?   He was in PALO ALTO, I believe.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

No, Shane, I never met Elmer Hawkins.  While I spent some time at HQ and HP Labs on Hanover St in Palo Alto, most of my bay area time was spent at the Computer Systems Division in Cupertino.  That site has since been razed, and built up by an unmentionable firm.   In all my time in California, the only ham I met was Bill Orr, W6SAI.  We spent quite a bit of time discussing RF amplifier technology, and high fidelity vacuum tube amplifiers.  

I did find pleasure in operating from the top of Twin Peaks, with my Icom 2AT and Pac-Comm TNC, digipeating up and down the coast.  I was actually able to download files from an amateur AX-25 BBS system in San Diego, but I don't recall how many hops were required in the digipeater link.  That was all back in the early 80s. Digital hamming today I find quite mundane, compared to AM voice.  

My last six years were spent in Colorado Springs at the Agilent Technologies (HP Spinoff) instrument site, until retirement in 2006.  Hard to believe that was 18 years ago.  Time flies when I discovered retirement was the best job I ever had!

[KD1SH]

  Yes, absolutely. At sixty-eight, I still do heavy workouts several times a week; still do thirty mile bike rides, but when it comes to lifting heavy equipment, it becomes not a question of can I do it, but rather, should I do it. I have no back or knee problems, and I want to keep it that way!
  I've considered employing one of those inexpensive winches to construct something similar to those "stair glide" things, but with a platform rather than a chair, to bring heavy stuff from my downstairs workshop up to my upstairs shack.

W5JO said:

Harbor Freight sells a 120 volt winch which works very well.

It might be interesting to have a winch like that for moving some of my 'boat anchors' around. I still work out with weights and benches. But it is getting more and more difficult to move some of the stuff I used be able to move with ease!

[w8khk]

  Yes, absolutely. At sixty-eight, I still do heavy workouts several times a week; still do thirty mile bike rides, but when it comes to lifting heavy equipment, it becomes not a question of can I do it, but rather, should I do it. I have no back or knee problems, and I want to keep it that way!
  I've considered employing one of those inexpensive winches to construct something similar to those "stair glide" things, but with a platform rather than a chair, to bring heavy stuff from my downstairs workshop up to my upstairs shack.

W5JO said:

Harbor Freight sells a 120 volt winch which works very well.

It might be interesting to have a winch like that for moving some of my 'boat anchors' around. I still work out with weights and benches. But it is getting more and more difficult to move some of the stuff I used be able to move with ease!

Anything to avoid lifting such heavy boat anchors is a wise and prudent attitude, whether or not you already have back problems.  It only takes one wrong twist, and you will pay dearly for a long time.

Instead of a winch, for lifting heavy objects, may I suggest a hoist instead?  They cost somewhat more, but they are designed for heavy lifting, and will not unspool like a winch might, releasing the load with disastrous or injurious results.  Harbor Freight normally carries both.

I am lucky that my home sits on the side of a hill, so there is only one step up to enter the living level at the west end, but on the east side a full-size garage door admits unlimited boat anchors into the basement workshop and shack.  Even so, I have recently let go of a pair of R390s, a 32V2, SX-28, and I am considering release of the Valiant as well.  I get a backache just thinking about moving them.  Most of my heavy metal is in full-size rack cabinets on casters, and plate or mod iron sits in the bottom.  It is very easy to move those transformers with a heavy-duty hand truck with small, hard-rubber tires.  I never try to lift those hunks of iron and copper, but with the proper tools they can be jockeyed into place with no lifting at all, just leverage.  Some of the transformers weigh between 150 and 240 pounds each!

[Jim, W5JO]

  Fine business—thanks for telling me about that. I don't know if you have, or have had, a 12vdc winch to compare it to, but is it quiet?
  If it's quieter than my current winch, I will likely wind up raising the tower more often than I do now; I typically raise it only for our local Wednesday evening 6 meter AM net.
  Our nearest Harbor Freight, about a half-hour away, shows that it's in stock; I might just take a ride down there tomorrow.

[/quote]

I have never used one of the 12-volt winches, so can't compare.  I have a Wade 68 ft. tower that is hinged at the base.  The winch handles is quite easily and, I would say, is not all that noisy.

[KD1SH]

  Okay, I just got back from my local (well, not much is really "local" to me) Harbor Freight, where I bought the AC winch.
https://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-120v-ac-electric-winch-61672.html
  I won't be doing the project immediately, but the tower is due for a lay-down before the weather gets unpleasant; new coax runs, antenna cleanup, probably a new rotor, and maybe new pulleys and cable for the tower, so the new winch will be part of the project. I'll report back on how it works.

[KD1SH]

  Walk-in ground-level-entry basements are great. I've put a 1200 pound milling machine in my shop—single handed—as well as a lathe. The only problem I've got is that it's just a standard size door, not a garage door. I've had opportunities to pick up a Gates transmitter, but it won't fit through that door.

I am lucky that my home sits on the side of a hill, so there is only one step up to enter the living level at the west end, but on the east side a full-size garage door admits unlimited boat anchors into the basement workshop and shack.  Even so, I have recently let go of a pair of R390s, a 32V2, SX-28, and I am considering release of the Valiant as well.  I get a backache just thinking about moving them.  Most of my heavy metal is in full-size rack cabinets on casters, and plate or mod iron sits in the bottom.  It is very easy to move those transformers with a heavy-duty hand truck with small, hard-rubber tires.  I never try to lift those hunks of iron and copper, but with the proper tools they can be jockeyed into place with no lifting at all, just leverage.  Some of the transformers weigh between 150 and 240 pounds each!

[Opcom]

I win't derail this topic on someone else's tower, but some of the comments about towers make me want to comment.

My 50' tower was all fine and dandy until a storm broke the ladder line off the dipole spacer. However, this may be able to be fixed without a climb. It was before. The ham club originally sold me the sections and put it up, maybe 10 years ago.

What can't be done without a climb is to add a discone and a VHF/UHF ham antenna. - which has been put off way too long.
It would also be great to have a TV/FM antenna or a small 6 meter beam and rotor up there to top it off, but mounting it all and doing it the right way - maybe it is too much to ask of the tower too have something that large up there, or just too big a job.

I believe it's a Rohn 25 (or a slightly smaller Rohn? -because a HAM-IV rotor just barely wont fit between the legs to be placed inside, but this thing is way overkill for a TV antenna tower)  It's built with foundation for self supporting but also has guys similar to the Rohn instructions for a guyed tower -just some extra safety insurance mainly to keep it in my yard not the neighbors if it ever fails.

Well I've got too old and decrepit to climb on it, and the folks in the ham radio club, none of them do it as far as I know. It was the older gentlemen and they have passed away. They'd always do it for club donations, LOL stuff isn't free but I assumed it was somewhat less than calling a company.

The only option I may have any more is to call a professional/trade and let them have a look at it, because I have no idea what it will cost.

I have one tip to offer on digging the foundation hole. It's always hard to get all the loose dirt out of the bottom of the hole, but a large shop-vac will do it quick.

[KD6VXI]

Pat

Get a man lift.

They make some that tow behind your truck

Easy peasy!

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

[W3SLK]

KD6VXI said:

Get a man lift.

They make some that tow behind your truck

Yeah, they have some that painters use. Pretty light duty but some of the better ones have outriggers for stability! The only problem is they usually only go to about 30' max. You may have to go with a Genie or Hi-Reach that will get you there. We used to have a 60' Genie with an articulating boom. That would be the ticket for you!