Well you always have to err on the side of caution while dealing with powerlines. I remember in Louisville a guy putting up a TV antenna on a push up pole let it get over in some power lines and it electrocuted him and his wife tried to get him off of it and killed her as well. So be safe on that you get no do overs in that situation.
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MACO VQ3
- Thread starter Mudfoot
- Start date
Well. When I began this oddessey I had in mind the VQ2. I failed to account for the the VQ3 being double the boom length.
This means the Max2000 will have to come down and this go up in its place.
Theres literally nowhere else due to constaints with those damn powerlines.
Theres a TINY chance I might be able to run the Max2000 just round the side of the house still avoiding powerlines but it likely will foul my double carriage gate in the fence. More calculations are in order. Even there it will be within 6 feet of the beam. Is that going to create problems oh elmers? Obviously those following this drama know I have a switch and wont be operating simultaneously but will it still create problems?
This means the Max2000 will have to come down and this go up in its place.
Theres literally nowhere else due to constaints with those damn powerlines.
Theres a TINY chance I might be able to run the Max2000 just round the side of the house still avoiding powerlines but it likely will foul my double carriage gate in the fence. More calculations are in order. Even there it will be within 6 feet of the beam. Is that going to create problems oh elmers? Obviously those following this drama know I have a switch and wont be operating simultaneously but will it still create problems?
I am having some huge problems logging in I have no idea why. I can do it from my work computer through their VPN which is not ideal for many reasons but not my cell phone or my personal comp anymore as of 2 days ago.
If I go silent that's what's happened.
If I go silent that's what's happened.
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Oh yeah a Big Ten-4 on power line safety! Local Tow Truck Company called for a coax connector fix, I knew the guy as a friend. His commercial VHF tower was only 6 feet from the High High Voltage Lines.
I told him the tower has to be moved away from the power lines to keep from setting his building on fire and killing everyone in the building. He agreed and had a professional contractor moved the tower about 100 feet away from any power lines. The graphic on line photos of bodies fried to a golden crisp did the trick. Yeah keep your antennas /towers and such away from those killer power lines.
A Public Service reminder to save your A$$.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
I told him the tower has to be moved away from the power lines to keep from setting his building on fire and killing everyone in the building. He agreed and had a professional contractor moved the tower about 100 feet away from any power lines. The graphic on line photos of bodies fried to a golden crisp did the trick. Yeah keep your antennas /towers and such away from those killer power lines.
A Public Service reminder to save your A$$.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
Antenna is in bits on living room floor.
Apparently Maco doesnt include the bit of masting to go from antenna boom to rotor because that would be too....hard..?
For a place whose business is based in aluminum?
Seems rediculous to me. It wasn't forgotten its not in the parts list at all. Odd as the piece IS required to have a functional antenna with a rotor?
Anyway had to order a piece off Amazon it will be here Wednesday. Maybe by this weekend wife and I can get Maxx2000 down and VQ3 up. I'll be stuck with just the beam at 1st till I find a way to locate the max2000 somewhere safe from the power lines as only spot will now be occupied by the beam.
Apparently Maco doesnt include the bit of masting to go from antenna boom to rotor because that would be too....hard..?
For a place whose business is based in aluminum?
Seems rediculous to me. It wasn't forgotten its not in the parts list at all. Odd as the piece IS required to have a functional antenna with a rotor?
Anyway had to order a piece off Amazon it will be here Wednesday. Maybe by this weekend wife and I can get Maxx2000 down and VQ3 up. I'll be stuck with just the beam at 1st till I find a way to locate the max2000 somewhere safe from the power lines as only spot will now be occupied by the beam.
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Boom to rotor is mast...not antenna parts. 1 inch X 18 inch galvanized pipe at Home Depot or Lowes is good. Would definitely not use aluminum.
Strange that you say that as Maco specifically calls out use of 2" aluminum for this purpose in the instructions. Yes its a fair point that boom to rotor isnt technically antenna but for beam noobs such as myself it wouldnt have killed em to add a 12" piece. Its already the same material and size the booms are made of.
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BJ radionut
Supporting Member and 6m addict
Almost what I have with VQ3 but thats got a shorter boom length, shorter element length and lower gain (in theory probably because of the shorter boom and separation) and its 10 pounds heavier (Probably due to box tubing).
It is in concept though the same thing. That ones probably more strongly built but other than tornadoes we dont get straight line winds here much and of its a tornado neither would survive anyway assuming my house did lol. My wimpy RCA TV rotor wouldn't hold that much I'm not even sure it can hold the 22 pound Maco. We will find out though. Good read!
The supposed specs for this RCA rotor are almost impossible to find but I finally found em.
RCA rotor RCA VH226F
50 lb max at 6 inch away from the rotation axle. The max torque is 300 lbs/in.
No Idea if this will hold the 22 pound or not.
When I bought this I had planned on the 8 pound VQUAD but then I got alligator eyes....
Have a feeling ill wreck this rotor fairly quickly thought I have loctitied the motor screws and added lubrication as suggested as weak points for this cheaply made rotor. Least the gears are metal.
It is in concept though the same thing. That ones probably more strongly built but other than tornadoes we dont get straight line winds here much and of its a tornado neither would survive anyway assuming my house did lol. My wimpy RCA TV rotor wouldn't hold that much I'm not even sure it can hold the 22 pound Maco. We will find out though. Good read!
The supposed specs for this RCA rotor are almost impossible to find but I finally found em.
RCA rotor RCA VH226F
50 lb max at 6 inch away from the rotation axle. The max torque is 300 lbs/in.
No Idea if this will hold the 22 pound or not.
When I bought this I had planned on the 8 pound VQUAD but then I got alligator eyes....
Have a feeling ill wreck this rotor fairly quickly thought I have loctitied the motor screws and added lubrication as suggested as weak points for this cheaply made rotor. Least the gears are metal.
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BJ radionut
Supporting Member and 6m addict
Yes that's the one but they wont quote specs took me forever to find any concrete specs not sure where I finally got them from.
Whether or not that thing can swing a big 22 pound triple delta w 13 ft foot boom remains to be seen.
Whether or not that thing can swing a big 22 pound triple delta w 13 ft foot boom remains to be seen.
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Got all rigged up including the wires, havent got the gama match on yet though its done ready to go on and otherwise its ready to go should have it up Monday will be pulling down imax tomorrow.
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Help gurus! How do I tune this cursed gama match thing Im having a hell of a time yes I'm tuning on a pair of plastic sawhorses near ground its not ideal but 100 plus texas heat neither would be a pissed off wife putting ot 30 feet up and down again help me hpw to tune the VQUAD / VQ3 Gamma
Such as higher on 40 do this
Higher on 1 do this. I know wont be ideal till get it off ground but this is my option for now help me elmers
Such as higher on 40 do this
Higher on 1 do this. I know wont be ideal till get it off ground but this is my option for now help me elmers
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