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Re: [TowerTalk] height of truss for converted HiGain LJ205

To: Tower Talk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] height of truss for converted HiGain LJ205
From: Grant Saviers <grants2@pacbell.net>
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2021 21:54:50 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Jeff,

The number of variables (and equations) is pretty large - and Leeson enumerates these in his equations:
guy angle
section moments & lengths
boom slenderness
guy angle to boom
attachment point
guy spring constant
boom moment

Perhaps it defies "rule of thumb". However, it seems to me that depending on the boom, somewhere around 2/3 out from mast for the guy attach point is sensible. All depends on the taper/section moments. Guy to boom angle of 20 to 30 degrees. My preferred very long boom/element design is two guys each side to a single cross member on the mast about 24" each side (48" overall). This yields lateral wind support as well as ice strength and sag reduction. Did this for a rebuilt 86ft 80m loaded rotatable dipole. Some serious ice and wind over 10 years and still in one piece at 100ft up. Leeson recommends 3 guys, two below the boom to counteract wind lift and one above. Clearly needed for his QTH wind conditions.

With larger angles of guy to boom, negative sag to the guy attach point is possible without overstressing a slender column boom into buckling.

My 10m 5L 24ft booms are 3" diameter and are guyed, but the single guys are not symmetrical since the boom mounting point is on rings and space between elements is needed for tower clearance. The guy angle to boom is pretty near 30 deg. Probably total overkill considering the 3" boom.

One error (I suspect) in my construction was using guy grips on the Phillystran at the boom attach points. I suspect they are long enough conductors to affect the performance. Not modeled though. A problem unique to 10 and maybe 12m. Wire rope clips are ok on the smallest Philly if thoroughly tightened and I have seen Nicopress compression sleeves used successfully. Nicopress will be the fix (someday).

Grant KZ1W

(ref: Leeson - Physical Design of Yagi Antennas)


On 10/4/2021 19:31, Jeff Blaine wrote:
Without doing any actual engineering statics work, is there a rule of thumb for truss height for helping to offload boom sag?

I've got a LJ205 that's been recycled to a 10m OWA.  The back end of that antenna is very heavy relative to the front and I'm planning to put a truss on it to help the sag.

Normally I would move the existing center mast mounting point to a balance point that would leave the two boom halves even.  And then put the truss near there, or integrated into the mounting point.  I'm not sure if the boom is of uniform construction or not.  At this point I'm thinking that using the mast for both the mounting point and the truss will work although there will be a persistent moment around the mount. Not ideal, but this is not a very big antenna and given the original HG design did not have a truss integrated, adding one in this case may be overkill.

Appreciate any comments the board may care to offer.

73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com


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