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Re: [TowerTalk] Motorized Crank up

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Motorized Crank up
From: "Roger (K8RI) on TT" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2015 22:32:50 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

The winches used to raise and lower "most" crank up towers used by hams are very simple arrangements. They use a "relatively small", bi-directional 110 VAC motor to drive the take up reel through a series of belts and pulleys as a speed reducer. I'd need to go look to see what HP my LM470 uses, but it's less than 1 HP

The simplest uses 2 metal plates. One to mount the motor at 90 degrees to the plate with the belt and pulley speed reduction unit. Far, far, cheaper than a winch or worm gear reduction unit.

Most, standard AC motors run at 1700 RPM. A common cable take up drum may be on the order of 4" in diameter. The Circumference = Pi d or 3.14 * 4 or 12.5 inches ~ 1 foot per revolution. You need to know how much 1 ft of cable raises the tower. I don't remember off hand how much that is.

Speed reduction with belts and pulleys is diameter of the larger pulley divided by the diameter of the smaller.

I'll leave the rest to someone who is more familiar with crank ups.

73

Roger (K8RI)

On 10/27/2015 10:40 AM, malco@carolina.rr.com wrote:
I have a US Tower TX-455 Crank up. I think that one of these days I will
have a heart attack cranking that puppy up. US Tower gets almost 2K for the
motorized setup. Are there any cheaper alternatives out there?
Tnx 73 Mal WA2TWA

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73

Roger (K8RI)


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