[Antennas] Automotive battery blanket

[Jim Hargrave]

I have a Lo temp "Thermo Cube" in my well house with an electric heater. 
You can leave it connected without forgetting to turn it off until next 
spring.

Go to Amazon.com and search for: B0006U2HD2

It plugs into a standard electrical outlet or extension cord. Mount it 
to the rotor and then wrap the battery blanket around the rotor and 
thermostat.+
The one I have comes on at 35 deg and off at 45 deg F.

Jim w5ifp at gvtc.com

On 2/27/2014 2:58 AM, bill wrote:
> Never heard of that.
> Sounds like the perfect solution.
>
> I just read your email a few moments ago, It's 02:01 am on Thursday 
> morning a balmy 14degrees out but going down.
>
> I knew there was a better solution.
>
> Thanks guys....
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2014-02-26 6:08 PM, Sam Ferris wrote:
>> Tyr an automotive style AC battery blanket wrapped around the rotor.  
>> Needs
>> an AC line up the tower on a switch in the shack, but it works quite 
>> well.
>> I have used these for years here and it works quite well.
>>
>> Sam
>> VE5SF
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: antennas-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:antennas-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David
>> Sent: February 26, 2014 1:45 PM
>> To: antennas at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: Re: [Antennas] unusual question but....
>>
>>
>> Hi Bill, Happy Wednesday!
>>
>> Those pipe warmers are UL aren't they? Dangerous? Please elaborate.
>>
>> I use a small 120VAC light bulb in a small metal cabinet that has 
>> things I
>> don't want frozen and/or sluggish. Actually, I use two bulbs, just in 
>> case
>> one burns out and it is cold before I notice the burned-out bulb.
>>
>> Maybe it is too far to run an extension cord or whatever...but what 
>> powers
>> the rotor?
>>
>> Hmmmm.... Use the power for the rotor to power a heater or light 
>> bulb. Maybe
>> there could be a switch/relay to cut the bulbs out and power the rotor
>> whenever the rotor is needed if the current supply is small.
>>
>> David B.
>> W7DBH
>>
>>
>>
>> ** Chicagoan, I live a few miles from Ohare Field.
>> ** We have had one of the worst winters in a long time.
>> ** While this is a recently 'checked out & serviced' rotor, it's really
>> ** having a tough time turning my old Wilson Crank up tower.
>> ** Slow and sometimes a tad slow to start turning. Once it's gets 
>> going and
>> ** turning it's better, just those first attempts in the morning.
>> ** It is a new cap in the control box. I always keep a spare.
>> **
>> ** Has anyone come up with a good way to keep them warm?
>> ** As you know, the rotor is at the base of the tower and turns the 
>> whole
>> ** tubular tower. Sort there is some bit of resistant torgue at the 
>> start.
>> ** I bought one of those small plastic storage bins, carefully cut it so
>> ** that it fit around the rotor portion and the bearings.
>> ** Just to keep the frozen snow off of the rotor. (I do mean frozen 
>> as we
>> ** then had a day of freezing rain that put a crust of HARD snow over
>> ** everything.
>> **
>> ** We are back down to near zero again and expecting more.
>> ** Too late for this winter but has anyone ever come up with some 
>> sort of
>> ** way to keep a rotor warm. Those electric water pipe thawing gizmos 
>> seem
>> ** dangerous.
>> ** Anybody???
>> **
>>
>>
>