TOWER AND RADIO AMATEUR ANTENNAS SETUP

(This is an English translation of the original text)

          
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Text and Photos:    

I seem, to install a tower and antennas, seems a simple work, but it is not ...., in fact I think that it is one of the meticulous things but that can be made within the radio liking, because the optimal operation of a station depends on a good installation. When I began with this of the radio amateur, many people said to me, " spend 100 in antennas and 10 in radio ", and is something of certain in this... 

In the particular case of this tower, we presented and displayed next all the process for its location and installation. 

Firstly, the best location looked for, so that it was left but remote of high voltage cables and trees that are in favor of the sidewalk; in addition the area of the roof was considered, in relation to the wide one by stop (15 meters but the mast and other antennas), so that of that form the retained ones were proportionate to the height. Decided the place, a sketch became, to know in where the anchors would have to go, but near 120 degrees each one, so that the triangle was but exact the possible thing. 

One is due to also take into account, that is what it is going away to raise the tower, because on this depends the wide height and of the structure, (for this case) 35 centimeters of tower wide was used , and 5 sections of 3 meters, but the closing that measures 60 centimeters, is to say a 15,60 Mts total, the closing takes a rowlock for arrow of 2 inches, through where it passes the mast that is the one that supports all the antennas over this; this one mast by the part of down goes subject with clips " U " Bolt type  to the rotor that is the one that rotates to the antennas, and the size and capacity of this also is in relation to the size, and wind resistance of  all the antennas that are in the mast, that is a galvanized tube (pipe) certificate 40 of 6 meters in length, with an outer diameter of 2 inches (1/4 of wall). The rotor that settled is a Tail Twister " T 2 Xs " Hy-Gain, that is one of the great rotors of Hy-Gain, and that offers high " torque " and wind resistance, in addition to which it can work with quite great and heavy antennas. 

The tower has retained in each vertex of the triangle, and takes 3 to half of the  tower to 7,50 Mts. and other 3 in 15 Mts. in the superior part  to, these go subject to the anchors with the turnbuckles, and to the tower, by means of ironworks (chains with cable clamps and Thimbles) by where passes the cable of each retained. Retained  has ceramic strain insulators each 4,50 Mts., because in spite of manifold and found theories IF each retained is due or NOT to isolate, (they say that if, others say that not), but in fact books and some studies deep advise to break continuity of each cable so that the antennas do not resonate, in this case as an antenna for 10, 15, 20 and 40 Mts settled, Ing. Jesus Grandizo XE1JG calculated each insulator to that measurement, because it was but the suitable one in which it did not affect to each length or segment of wave, specially for the HF antenna. 

All the material used , like the tower segments, ironworks, anchors, retained, tensile, thimbles, turnbuckles, cable clamps, etc., etc. is of which provides Mr. Juan Valencia, of Antennas and Accessories for Radio communication, who prepared the rowlock and ends, board of support of the rotor and retained with its insulators, ready to get to settle. 

A tower of these dimensions, must anchor perfectly, because otherwise it would be possible to be fallen (as already it has happened), for such effect were used anchors of 80 centimeters with  1/2 well inch diameter, same that cross all the concrete one armed of the slab and closing between the rods, and by the outer part of the wall, are limited with a board of 1/4 of inch where the nut is retained that screw in the end of the anchor, that is what avoids that leaves its position. All the installation ran on the part of the well-known Ernesto Morales " MORALITOS ", who in three sessions dispatched so to speak all the installation, (a day the preparation of anchors, tightened tower and of the same one, in another one the antennas and the third painting). The perforation of the concrete one took control of a reel of 1/2 inch with a length of 70 Cmts. 

Anchor

With the anchors in its place, the base in " the center " of the roof was placed almost, and I say almost, so that one took advantage of trave that happens to a flank of the center of the roof and that it supports in the columns or castles that come from the foundations, in addition I take advantage of to put this base upon the end of one of those castles, reason why the tower is put exactly upon a castle. Trave was perforated to put a tappet of expansion of 7/8 (for 1/2 screw), that goes in the center of the base and that serves like support and trim as the same one. 

List the base and anchors, began to pile up so to speak the tower sections, that as already we commented measure 3.10 Mts exactly. and 19 kgs weigh each one, first is easy to put it in the base, because they have different diameters, to insert in the following one, but, already raised the tower, it is not the same to be putting the others by the weight and fine adjustment that they have the pipes. The 3 first sections were put, and they were tightened provisionally with cords. 

Moralitos doing Gallic of equilibrismo in the 1 ª , 2 ª and 3 ª section 

After placing the three first sections, the retained ones were put that go in the part of down to 7,50 Mts, that is half approximately, and of there, of new account, the other sections rise. This it is the difficult point but because there is to raise them (with pulley), but the part of above that not yet is tightened moves too much, and but still whenever a new section is inserted. Moralitos although in the part of above the sections of the tower they moved much, never lost its smile. 

Moralitos placing the last sections 

On the following day, the first which it did Moralitos was to raise the mast that measures 6 meters, and the first antenna that put is the one that goes until above, a VHF Diamond F-23 144-140 MHZ, 7,8 Db., a meter fifty but under this a Cushcraft 11 elements antenna  147-11 was placed directional, 13,2 Db. 144-148 Mhz. 

Later, the rotor base  was placed with  " 1/4 U bolts " the board of the rotor that is of 1/4 of inch of thickness and the rotor, like 90  Cmts. under the rowlock to leave the ready and tight mast in its position. 

Antenna that follows, and which the part of down goes in (of which it is of the mast by outside the tower), is TRIBAND Cushcraft A4S, for 10, 15 and 20 Mts., with the 40 Mts Kit. A74 Add-on kit (This Kit is an addition that widens one of the elements of the antenna 1.50 Mts. by side), which still makes difficult but to raise armed it, because in addition it has an extra trap and small elements crossed in the ends that are entangled yet to his around. 

Turnbuckles and ceramic strain insulators  

I always asked since they made to raise those big antennas the part of above of a tower, and good already saw it... Firstly it is necessary to arm the antenna and to give the dimensions to each element (and between the traps) depending if it adjusts for PHONE or CW, because the lengths vary, the measurement to the center is used for one and another one, and is the one that occurred to each section and element him. The armed antenna has of wide a length of 10.29 Mts. the great element but (with the 40 Mts. Kit) that he is the excited one, with a  4.18 Mts Boom. (in fact this antenna although is of 4 elements is not of but great nor the monstrous ones; this has 8 Db gain). 

Armed of  the A4S antenna

In order to raise the antenna the tower, Moralitos it fixed two cords to the end (by a flank), and slid them to a window until the part of down mooring them the one to a door and other, with which it made a species of bed so that by means of the pulley when hauling, the antenna went sliding by these cords to way of track, task that was problematic, because the short elements (the crosspieces) of the 40 Mts. Kit,  they enlisted in everything. 

With the antenna in the part of above, Moralitos became to raise the tower, was moored with its belt and fixed the "U Bolts" clips of the Boom to the mast, but or less to about 40 Cmt. of the rowlock. The weight of the antenna is of 13 Kilos approximately, but it is necessary to take into account that nonsingle is the weight of the antenna, but the handle arm that exerts with the dimensions of the same one, that is to say, the handling from the antenna to that height is truely difficult and dangerous, in addition about which the wind does not leave it it quiets. 

After aligning VHF the directional antenna of and the one of HF, it fixed the mast to the rotor and it oriented it towards the North, and it was come to connect the line of slope of the HF antenna, that is connected by means of 2 shoes to each end of the element Nº 3; there coaxial cable RG8/U takes a Choke or Baloom that consists of 8 returns (loop) to the cable with a diameter of 6 inches; this is so that the antenna is copling better.

A4S Antenna Specifications

In order to finalize, one connected fotoceld and lamp with a 15 Watts neon filament, who generates 900 lumens a greater luminosity similar to the intensity of 60 Watts normal lamp bulb.

On the following day,  rose to a lateral support of 1 inch galvanized pipe, that measures 1.50 horizontally Mts. anchored with 2  " U Bolt " to the steps of the tower; this tube has a pulley in the end, in which an inverted " V " dipole  is hung, to work the other bands in HF Also was placed in a lateral support an antenna Hustler  G7  with 7  Dbgain, separated to a meter of the Tower, with coaxial cable RG8 Heliax, antenna that is used for the Radio Club Satélite, A.C BBS in VHF Packet, (XE1RCS); this antenna works perfectly, reason why the BBS is working better than nape of the neck with a sensitivity for the very good connection. The VHF antennas  that are until above of the mast handle in a radio equipment with 2 steps coaxial switch  MFJ 1702B. The HF antennas are handled as well also with a coaxial switch. 

In 2002 was instaled 2 new antennas (Dual Bander VHF-UHF Midland) and (Cushcraft "D3W" WARC Rotable Diploe)

Coaxial Switches

Like final part, a copper rod was put "copperweel" in the garden, that serves to land all the station (with which it lowered to the noise and statics considerably), and painted the Tower  lish: with the colors and sections standard, (in 7 parts, 4 orange and 3 white). 

Complete all the instalation

MORE TOWER & ANTENNAS  PICTURES

Finished installation The total measures were of the following form: 

Tower of 15,60 Mts. (Until the rowlock) 51.18 Feet.
Overall height of the Tower and mast: 20,60 Mts. (67.50 Feet) (with antenna Diamond 26 Mts to the end)  Height of the Tower mast and antennas of the level of the ground taking into account the height of the house that is of 2 floors: 31 Mts. (101. 70 Feet) (to the end of the Diamond antenna.

NEW ANTENAS 2005-2006

A finales de 2005, se hizo un cambio TOTAL de las antenas, por otras de mayor ganancia e implementando un BRAZO ANTIROSION, ya que las antenas nuevas son de mayor peso y tamaño.

 Special gratefulness to XE1ME, Arnulfo Mazutti, XE1JG Jesus Grandizo, and very specially to Ernesto Morales " Moralitos ", by the support so that this station was working to 100 %. 

Quarters of Radio and Antennas of partners and friends of the RCS. 

Radio Club Satélite, A.C. Repeaters

Transmitting from Mexico City

             Transmitting from Mexico City

Information of interest relative to the subject:

Ernesto Morales "Moralitos" Torrero e instalador:
     Tel: 5 793-52-66

© (Copywrite) Rights Reserved to Joaquin Solana & Radio Club Satellite, A.C. 

México D.F. May 7, 2000

Last Update 11/02/2006

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Since May 15, 2000