The motor essentially only gets the show going.  The antenna load
essentially matches the weight of the counter balancers, so very little
power is necessary to extend or retract the tower.

73


Alan R. Downing
Phoenix, AZ

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Jim Gammon
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2013 11:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Luso towers

I was curious about the method used to raise and lower the tower, 
hydrolic, pneumatic, brute force, I couldn't imagine.  Jim WA6EKS

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Howard, W A 9 Y B W" <[log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Date sent: Mon, 16 Dec 2013 07:26:31 -0600
Subject: Re: Luso towers

Hi Alan,

I saw one of these towers at Dayton this past spring.  The one on 
display
had a base width of around 36 to 40 inches.  The tower was inside 
the
building and laying on its side.  I tried to examine it to see 
how the tower
was raised and lowered and it looked like there was a large 
counter weight
that rode up and down the side of the bottom section on tracks.  
This
counter weight, I assume would offset the weight of the remaining 
tower and
antenna lode.  This tower was definitely very heavy duty.  The 
legs of the
bottom section were about the diameter of my arm at the elbow.  
Amazing!!

The display model was sold.  I do not know the specifications of 
this
display model.

Howard #3

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan R.  Downing" <[log in to unmask]
To: <[log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2013 12:46 AM
Subject: Re: Luso towers


 The width of the bottom section is 65 inches, less than I would 
have
 guessed.  Width of the top section is 18 inches.  I don't know 
what the
 foot
 print of the rotating base is, but that may well be 
significantly larger
 than the first section of the tower itself.

 Here is an interesting fact, when buying any of these towers, 
you must pay
 for a Luso construction engineer to travel to your station from 
Japan, to
 supervise the entire preparation and installation activities..  
You must
 pay
 all of his expenses, including airline tickets, hotel room, etc.  
The
 reason
 for this is to assure that the tower is installed correctly.  My 
friend
 that
 just bought the 90 foot model, had to pay around $5 grand for 
the
 engineers
 presence.


 Alan




 Alan R.  Downing
 Phoenix, AZ


 -----Original Message-----
 From: For blind ham radio operators 
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
 On Behalf Of Colin McDonald
 Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2013 10:36 PM
 To: [log in to unmask]
 Subject: Re: Luso towers

 heavy duty alright at around 15 tonnes...that sounds a bit on 
the heavy
 side?  A heavy duty 68 foot del hi only weighs maybe 500 pounds
 total...this

 must be a very very large tower? that is, very large spread at 
the bottom
 to

 support so much weight at the top?
 Obviously a 68 foot del hi is only rated for about 12 square 
feet of wind
 load though lol.
 I can't imagine shipping on a beast like that haha.
 73
 Colin, V A6BKX
 --------------------------------------------------
 From: "Alan R.  Downing" <[log in to unmask]
 Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2013 8:14 PM
 To: <[log in to unmask]
 Subject: Luso towers

 Hello list,



 Has anyone on the list looked into Luso towers when shopping for 
a new
 one?
 For those that aren't aware of Luso, it is a Japanese tower 
builder of
 heavy
 duty electrically operated crankup towers in heights from 90 
feet to over
 300 feet.  They accommodate antenna, rotor, and mast weight of 
up to 2200
 pounds.  The 150 foot model is rated to accommodate 140 square 
foot of
 antenna, and goes from a fully retracted height of 42 feet to a 
fully
 extended height of 145 feet in 29 seconds.    Masts of up to 8.6 
inch
 diameters are accommodated with multiple thrust bearings.  Each 
model is
 available with a number of options, including a rotating base, 
and
 automatic
 retraction when winds exceed a preset level.  The 150 foot model 
weighs
 29700 pounds excluding options.



 A friend just took delivery of the 90 foot model with the 
rotating base
 and
 automatic retraction system.  Because of my recent good news on 
the
 health
 front, I am seriously thinking of ordering the 120 foot tower 
with the
 rotating base, automatic retraction, 4 inch mast with thrust 
bearings,
 and

 a
 prop pitch rotor with Green Heron controller.



 If anyone has investigated the Luso offerings, I'd appreciate 
discussing
 them with you.



 Merry Christmas everyone, and a very happy New Year.



 Best 73

 Alan