Hello again Howard, I was my fault for not explaining my configuration
clearly. I did consider adding a motor drive to the OEM manual winch, but I
came to the conclusion that it would be easier to design a winch from
scratch. I suppose the availability of parts played a role in my final
decision, but it just seemed simpler to start from scratch. The motor and
barrel switch are both available at Grainger, and Hub City gear drive units
are also commonly available, so everything I needed was easy to get. I own
a welder and cutting torch, so fabrication was not a problem, so I started
out down my own path and ended up with a very powerful electric 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 12:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: US Tower TX-489
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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