[amsat-bb] Tower Idea

[sco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

I would like comments on the following proposed idea for a tower arrangement:

US Tower TX-72 with motor drive and crank over (72 feet in height plus 10 - 
15 feet of mast above the top of tower).

M2 rotor to turn the mast.

Force 12 XR-6A  (10-40m Yagi on a 18 ft boom) mounted about one foot above 
the top of the tower.

Yaesu G-5500 rotor mounted "pole style" at the top of the mast. It would 
have my short M2 yagis for 2m and 70 cm plus dish for S Band.

If I put the satellite array on the HF tower there will be at least a 150 
ft (min) cable run to the tower from my shack, plus another 50 feet up the 
tower.

This combination would give me at least a 10 ft maximum separation between 
the antennas. Should be fine then with no interference problems for the 
Force 12 or the satellite array (since it would be on the top). Since the 
tower would be a crank over i should be able to get to the satellite array 
to do adjustments. The M2 rotor is very very strong and dependable and 
accurate so there would be no problem to turn the array for HF work or have 
it stopped at a known heading for the satellite rotor (G-5500) to take over 
when i wanted to do satellite work.

Is this a practical and workable approach?  I do NOT want to use the G-5500 
to turn my HF antenna because I have my HF and satellite stations in two 
separate desk areas of my "ham shack". plus I do not like the look and feel 
of the G-5500 for HF work. Therefore that is not an option. I either do the 
above or need to put up two separate towers, one for HF and one for 
satellite. Because of the issues with my trees (I am in a forest, it looks 
like) that would require at least an 80 ft+ tower (to clear my trees) for 
satellite work. Has anyone pole mounted a G-5500 small satellite array on a 
10 -15 ft mast at the top of a 72 ft motor driven crank up/crank over tower?

If this can be done it will save me at least $4-7,000 plus I will have a 
motor drive on my HF tower (which i would not do if I must buy two towers).

Les
W4SCO
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