[Lowfer] Eric's LF Vert

[Eric Smith]

Ok, Peter -- I'm answering your questions here.  I'm sure that my 
solutions are gonna make for some laughter or at least expose the depth of 
my newbie-ness :)


On Mon, 17 Mar 2003, Peter Barick wrote:

> Looked at the Web site and I see 4 radials with skirt wire. This image
> prompts some questions I hope you can answer.
> 
> 1. You stated there were 8 radials, are there 8 or 4 equal radials?

There are actually 8 radials -- well, almost.  There are 2 8' lengths of 
5/16" aluminum mill rod.  They cross in the center making 4 4' radials.  
Each rod has 1/16" holes drilled through them every 1'.  Through these 
holes are strung 4 skirts of 22 gauge wire making four skirts (3 of them 
inside the hat radius and one at) at 1', 2', 3' and 4' radius.  They 
actually form a square and you (I) can just make them out in the first 
picture.  The other 4 "radials" are 22 gauge wire (which is why you can't 
quite see them in the picture) which run from the center to the outer 
skirt and are soldered where they cross each inner skirt and at the outer 
skirt.  The thing ends up being square because it is only the aluminum 
rods doing the supporting.  So the other 4 "radials" are actually a little 
short.

> 2. What lead you to limit the height to 30 feet and not higher, say, 40
> feet?

The same thing that led me to limit the top hat radius to 4' and not my 
hoped-for 10' -- my choice of mast material.  I used 10' sections of sch 
40 pvc.  1 is quite stiff (upon lifting by myself -- a requirement) ... 2 
together bend only slightly.  3 together bend a significant amount.  With 
the addition of the tophat -- well, as is it was all I could do to get it 
in the air.  I started raising it from the tophat end, pushing it up as I 
walked toward the base.  My wife said it was really squirrely, and came 
close to the ground before it finally started gaining altitude.  When we 
discussed whether or not I could have done it with that fourth 10' section 
in there we decided that it may not have gone with even another 5'.  I 
nearly lost it!


> 3. The pole seems to have close couplings, is it made up of random
> lengths? (Locally, I see available 3" pipe in 20 feet lengths.)

No, there are 3 10' sections.  What may appear to be additinal couplings 
are abs zip ties holding the wire on which is the vertical element.


> 4. What type of guy line is being used? And are there 4 guys? 

There are only 3 guys (which were tightened and adjusted more since the 
picture was taken) made of polyester braid.  They terminate in electric 
fence insulators which are connected to the flange with twisted up 
stainless steel safety wire, and the anchor end insulators are connected 
to eyes with the same saftey wire.  The eyes are screwed into treated 
wooden posts sunk into the ground.


> 5. What is used to hold the radials, how are they mounted? How is that
> mount then affixed to the mast?

The mount is a "floor" flange (I think it's called -- I'm no plumber, 
either) of and for pvc.  The 8' mill rods are centered across the top of 
the flange.  There are short (3") pieces of protected 5/16" hardwood 
dowels (2 of them) wired to the outside edge of the flange to support the 
rod that is on top.  This is all safety wired and abs zip tied!  Heh heh 
-- sounds funny, but it is rock solid.  A masterful wiring job :)

 
I know it is a pathetic attempt -- falls way short of what I had been 
dreaming about.  I can only try to improve upon it.  At least I am on the 
air, though :)

Let me know if my descriptions don't make sense or if you have any other 
questions about it OR, especially, how I could have done it better.


Regards,
Eric


> Thanks in advance for any info.
> 
> Peter
> _______________________________________________
> >From the Lowfer mailing list
> Send messages to: Lowfer@mailman.qth.net
> To sub/unsub visit: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>