OptiBeam OB9-5HD with Hy-Gain Tailtwister Rotator

Описание: I finally found a good deal on a used Hy-Gain Tailtwister Antenna Rotator. I mounted the rotator low in the antenna tower so it's easier to work on if necessary. I used old chain link fence top rails linked together running from the antenna down to the rotator. The tower is about 70 feet tall and the rotator is mounted about 12 feet from the ground. The down pipes are self supportive, I fabricated a ball bearing support that carries the weight of the antenna and the pipes. I used a pedal crank from an old bicycle that I just simply welded to the top of the antenna tower. It's not fancy but it was cheap and works well. The down pipes are also supported by several centering braces to there isn't any flapping around when I turn the antenna. With all that the rotator does not carry any weight from the pipes or antenna. The only work it has to do is to turn the antenna. I was able to turn the antenna by hand to make sure nothing was binding up. The only downside to this setup when it's windy the antenna will swing a few degrees to either direction. That's because every joint between the several pipes has a little play and there's also somewhat of a twist due to the length of the pipes. It doesn't have any effect on the performance of the antenna and it maybe even a good thing since it provides somewhat of a cushioning effect to the rotator brake. But we'll see, only time will tell. For now this works and I finally can dial the antenna in more than just one direction. Thank you for watching, 73 KY4XV