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[TowerTalk] US tower and Ham IV - my experience

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] US tower and Ham IV - my experience
From: kr2q@optonline.net
Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2005 17:48:06 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi all:

the Ham IV fits fits nicely into the top section of my TX472 (should be the 
same top section as the US tower 55' job).

Here is the "logical" approach I took.  

1.  What is cost of Orion (which does fit but has issues of its own, already 
mentioned)

2.  What is the cost of a "second" Ham IV?

3.  What is the cost to repair a Ham IV (CATS or whomever you like) - typically 
the brake?

4.  How likely is it that the Ham IV will get "ripped apart" in X years?

5.  My decision:  I now have two Ham IV's.  One is always "ready" to get put 
into the tower if the one already in there fails.  Swapping them is very easy.  
I have read that lots of you want to fold over tower to do that.  I never have. 
 I crank it up so the "rotor area" is exposed, I lock the sections (any of 
various methods work well), I lock the mast (after jacking it up an inch) and I 
slip out the old and slip in the new.  I send the "bad one" for repair.

6.  It will take me many decades of this process before I approach the cost of 
the Orion rotor.

I am turning a 4L 20 on a 32' boom and a 2L shorty 40 (402CD) along with a WARC 
dipole (cushcraft).  There is lots of wind and ice here in NNJ at almost 1000' 
ASL.  I never crank the tower down unless there is a hurricane forecast.  So 
far (I've been here 20 years), I have had ONE repair.

>From a cost benefit analysis, the answer (for me) is obvious.

de Doug KR2Q

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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