OK Alan,
I was assuming you were using your motorized modification to turn the
existing winch supplied by U S Tower.
See what happens when one assumes?
Howard
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
> Howard, perhaps I wasn't clear. If I make my own winch for the TX-489, I
> will build it just as I built the one for my present tower. It has a 2 HP
> bi-directional motor turning a small diameter pulley for a V-belt. The
> other end of the belt turns a significantly larger diameter pulley and a
> 90
> degree Hub City jack screw transmission. The output shaft of the
> transmission turns a drum for the 5/16 inch stainless aircraft cable(AKA
> wire rope). When I turn off the juice while lowering the tower, the motor
> of course slows down, and the 90 degree jack screw transmission slows
> down
> with it. Once stopped, which takes circa 1 second, the drum can no longer
> turn because of the jack screw. Hence no need for a friction brake. I
> haven't looked to see what US Tower gets for their motorized winch, but I
> can build a copy of the one I currently have on my present tower for about
> $1200, the most expensive piece being the Hub City 90 degree tranny.
>
> Alan
>
>
>
> Alan R. Downing
> Phoenix, AZ
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Howard, W A 9 Y B W
> Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 12:06 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>
> Alan,
>
> Unless US Tower is using a different winch than I have, it is not the type
> with a jack screw.
>
> Howard
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 1:28 PM
> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>
>
>> Howard, The winch on my 75 foot tower doesn't have a friction brake. All
>> braking is handled by the jack screw. It is impossible to turn a jack
>> screw
>> backwards, so as the motor slows down, which it does in less than a
>> second,
>> the braking takes place. I would use the same arrangement on the
>> TX-489's
>> winch.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>>
>>
>> Alan R. Downing
>> Phoenix, AZ
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: For blind ham radio operators
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> On Behalf Of Howard, W A 9 Y B W
>> Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 10:06 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>>
>> Alan,
>>
>> If you decide to add your own motor and gearbox to the hand winch, I need
>> to
>>
>> caution you about something. You will need to be careful when lowering
>> the
>> tower because the friction brake in the winch will seriously overheat if
>> you
>>
>> come all the way down in one operation. You will need to break the
>> lowering
>>
>> up in to several shorter periods of time interlaced with a cool-down time
>> for the brake wafers.
>>
>> Howard #3, W A 9 Y B W
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 2:45 PM
>> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>>
>>
>>> Hello again Howard. You describe precisely what I employ on my present
>>> 75
>>> foot motorized crankup. I had a sighted friend run the tower up to the
>>> point where the first moveable section, namely the second section of the
>>> tower, was 12 inches from hitting the upper stop. We then tied a rope
>>> from
>>> the bottom rung of that second section of tower, to a rung on the bottom
>>> section at about waiste high. I simply feel the rope being pulled thru
>>> my
>>> left hand, and when it is almost tight I stop the winch and run it up
>>> the
>>> last several inches by turning the pulleys by hand. I am only giving up
>>> about 1 foot in over all height by doing it this way, and no excessive
>>> stress is applied to the 5/16 inch stainless aircraft cable.. I can do
>>> this
>>> US tower the exact same way. I have the makings of two limit switches,
>>> but
>>> the effort needed to make it all work isn't worth it to me. Call me
>>> lazy,
>>> HiHi.
>>>
>>> Alan
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Alan R. Downing
>>> Phoenix, AZ
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: For blind ham radio operators
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>> On Behalf Of Howard, W A 9 Y B W
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 12:21 PM
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>>>
>>> Alan,
>>>
>>> One disadvantage of the home made motorized winch is the lack of limit
>>> switches, however, I'm sure with a little ingenuity something could be
>>> fabricated.
>>>
>>> In lieu of limit switches, one could attach a piece of rope to the
>>> bottom
>>> of
>>>
>>> the top section, crank the tower most of the way up, stopping perhaps
>>> three
>>> or four feet short,put a knot in the rope at a point, say at the height
>>> of
>>> the winch and when the knot gets to that point, you would stop the motor
>>> having the three or four feet of safety room. On an eighty-nine foot
>>> tower
>>> the four feet of safety height would only amount to about twelve inches
>>> before the second section from the bottom would hit the stop. This stop
>>> offers plenty of resistance that can be felt when using a manual winch,
>>> however, with a motorized winch without safety switches, it would be
>>> hard
>>> to
>>>
>>> detect that you have hit the stop thus now stressing the whole system
>>> including possibly breaking the cable or winch. That is why I suggest
>>> the
>>> three to four feet of safety room which might be better if six to eight
>>> feet. Eighty-one feet of antenna height verses the eighty nine wouldn't
>>> make any difference and you have plenty of safety room to stop your
>>> motor.
>>>
>>> Just some thoughts.
>>>
>>> Howard #3, W A 9 Y B W
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 9:05 AM
>>> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello Howard, thanks for your input. I can easily fabricate a
>>>> motorized
>>>> winch by buying a 1 or 2 HP Grainger motor and a 90 degree transmission
>>>> from
>>>> Hub City in Oowa and some pieces of steel. Stick weld the whole
>>>> contraption
>>>> together and bingo, a custom built electric winch. I have done that
>>>> very
>>>> thing before, but I have gotten lazy in my 64 years on this planet, Hi.
>>>> I
>>>> will check prices with US Tower, and make up my mind. I could
>>>> certainly
>>>> put
>>>> up the tower with the manual winch, then fabricate the electric winch
>>>> afterwards and make the switch.
>>>>
>>>> Best 73
>>>>
>>>> Alan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Alan R. Downing
>>>> Phoenix, AZ
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: For blind ham radio operators
>>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>>> On Behalf Of Howard, W A 9 Y B W
>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2014 4:44 AM
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
>>>>
>>>> Alan,
>>>>
>>>> I don't have that specific tower from US Tower, however, I have the
>>>> HDX-572.
>>>>
>>>> Actually my tower was manufactured by Trusteo Tower which was purchased
>>>> by
>>>> US Tower sometime in the mid to late eighties I believe.
>>>>
>>>> The HDX-572 is 72 feet fully extended and is four sections instead of
>>>> the
>>>> five for the TX-489.
>>>>
>>>> When I purchased the tower in 1978 I couldn't afford the electric winch
>>>> and
>>>> went with the manual Fulton.
>>>>
>>>> We have a lot of wind and storms here in central Illinois and if I did
>>>> it
>>>> again, I would purchase the electric winch. I'm not sure you can buy
>>>> this
>>>> tower with a manual winch any longer, only the electric.
>>>>
>>>> As for cranking it up and down, it isn't really that bad. Obviously
>>>> coming
>>>> down is easier than going up. I haven't really timed it but I can
>>>> probably
>>>> go full height in under thirty minutes with a few short one or two
>>>> minute
>>>> breaks.
>>>>
>>>> If it wasn't such a hassle to get all the antennas down, remove and
>>>> pour
>>>> a
>>>> new foundation, I would consider replacing the tower with the motorized
>>>> HDX-572. I don't even know if there is a company I could hire to do it
>>>> or
>>>> not.
>>>>
>>>> If you have no need to raise or lower more than one or two times a
>>>> year,
>>>> probably not worth it.
>>>> 73,
>>>>
>>>> Howard #3, W A 9 Y B W
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2014 7:32 PM
>>>> Subject: US Tower TX-489
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Does anyone on the list have a TX-489 tower by US Towers? If so, I'd
>>>>> like
>>>>> to know if you use a manual winch, or the optional motorized winch. I
>>>>> plan
>>>>> to put this tower up when the WX turns cooler, but I need to decide
>>>>> now
>>>>> whether to buy the motorized winch for it or not. I don't raise and
>>>>> lower
>>>>> my tower very often, so I am not concerned about how long it takes to
>>>>> fully
>>>>> lower or raise it, just how much work it takes.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for any suggestions.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Alan
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Alan R. Downing
>>>>>
>>>>> Phoenix, AZ
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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