[Boatanchors] Transmitter moving help

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Mon, Apr 18, 2011 at 10:52 PM, LARRY D GODEK <telegrapher at q.com> wrote:

> Hopefully we've though of everything but if you've got some suggestions i'll take notes.  Don't want to hurt this baby as it's a HB job and extremely nice.

I'm going to guess that you're not making a long trip with this
transmitter, Larry. An extended period of time over the road is cause
for more concern and extra effort since the shock of pot holes and
other bumps in the road are what cause the most stress and
(potentially) damage to the rig. I've moved rigs from BC-610/T-368
size up to multi-cabinet transmitters weighing thousands of pounds.
The physics are pretty much the same for all of them, though the
heavier the components, the more possible damage is.

Definitely don't lay it on its face without making accommodations to
protect the knobs or, more importantly, the control shafts. Upward
pressure on these as you bounce down the road could do a lot of damage
to things like air variables.

After removing all the heavy iron and tubes, look things over to see
how they're assembled and supported. This should tell you a lot and
guide your final decision. Hardware shaking loose can do a lot of
damage too. Check chassis and cabinet connections, see how they're
made and if there is adequate support. If not, wad up some towels,
blankets, or packing pads to fill in the voids.

One thing I like to do is wrap the transmitter cabinet in packing pads
or blankets, then run around these blankets with clear packing tape to
hold them in place. There is no tape contact with the cabinet or
paint, but it helps keep the blankets wrapped around the cabinet for
protection, especially important if you're going to lay it down. Do
not use cardboard as protection against the cabinet unless you're
planning on a repaint. The slight shimmy as you drive along the
highway will cause it to act like sandpaper against the paint.
Cardboard looks smooth, but it's not.

BTW, I moved a 1400 lb Collins 300G from SW Colorado to VT on its side
in a U-Haul trailer with the tubes, transformers, front door, and side
panels removed, with no ill effects. Although it doesn't use the
typical chassis/deck construction, there were still plenty of smaller
(5-10 lb) transformers and chokes installed on the inside panels. None
of them caused any damage or problems over the 2000+ mile return trip,
with plenty of bumps and bounces. If your transmitter has any
protrusions on back like door handles, side transport is a good
choice.

The extra effort you put into looking things over beforehand will be
well worth your investment of time.

Good luck with it!

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4