November 12, 2011 The 3 Element SteppIR is attached and cranked up

Posted on December 24, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

When Saturday November 12th arrived, I had not planned to have this project all but finished. Dave K9UK and Charley KA9NQL had different ideas. Following a cup of coffee at Jo’s Java the decision was made to assemble the SteppIR. With assembly about done, there was nothing else to do but attach the antenna to the tower and crank it up. By the time I returned from the hardware store, the tower was on the ground and the work began. Within a couple of hours it was vertical and I decided, once Dave and Charley left that it was going up.

Assembly on the ground of the SteppIR

You are looking at the director cone that was missing from the package and thus the Nov. 5th work day came to an abrupt hault.

The fiberglass poles are being assembled.

Charley KA9NQL installs a temporary mast to steady the antenna.

A look from the end of one 40/30 Meter Loop to the other. K9UK at the other end and KA9NQL is holding the boom.

The fliberglass tubes are all installed and weather boots tightened. The hinge plate is visible here.

I wasn't sure it was going to fit, almost reaches from patio to back fence.

KA9NQL & K9UK attach the SteppIR to the mast.

Final adjustments and tighnting of the "hinge" plate.

U-bolts being attached to the mast through the "Hinge" Plate.

Another view before all is finished.

4 U-bolts hold the "Hinge" plate to the mast and 4 U-bolts hold the boom to the "Hinge" plate.

A closer view of the "Hinge" plate after being attached to mast and SteppIR.

Close up of the N6DSM fabricated "Hinge" Plate (N9DAN drilled the holes for the U-bolts.

Close up view of "Hinge" plate.

K9UK installing the Director Element.

Ok, here we go, it is attached and I started cranking up the tower.

Yep, it is really going up!

Impressive?

Almost there and all is well.

It is vertical. Height is 20 feet.

Looking West from the back fence toward the tower.

Still looks good from the front of the house.

It wasn't quite horizontal, so back down and a slight adjustment.

Yes, I think it is horizontal now and partially cranked up.

View from the front of the house, partially raised.

Sunday morning, Nov. 13, cranked up to 55 feet-but missing 6 meter reflector. (We got in too big of a hurry)

A few clouds but it looks great and works fantastic.

Thanks to all of the wonderful help to get it this far. A few more things to do before it is completed, one of which is the installation of the 6 meter reflector and a mechanical latch to keep the “Hinge” plate locked into position.

November 5, 2011-final assembly of the 3 Element SteppIR with 40/30 Meter Loop-

Posted on December 24, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

These photos show the final assembly of the 30/40 Meter Loop kit. We then mounted the “hinge plate” fabricated by N6DSM and final adjustments by N9DAN.

K9UK (left) and KA9NQL (right) make final assembly of the 40/30 Loop look easy.

Dave K9UK & Charley KA9NQL making adjustment to the N6DSM Hinge plate.

Close up of the 40/30 Loop "Return Tube" The fiberglass elements are green in color.

The completed 40/30 Loops tied to the fence until final assembly.

Tower Goes up (for the First time) October 28, 2011

Posted on December 24, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

October 28, 2011, after dealing with some low flying helicopter that wouldn’t leave us alone, the Tri-band (2 meter, 1.25 meter & 70 cm ) vertical antenna was mounted at the top of the 10 ft. mast and the tower was ready to crank up for the first time. I needed help and some showed up just in time. I tried the “thumbnail” approach to these photos.

Low flying Helicopter checking out the install

We had to wait until the Helicopter did the final inspection

Finally, he is leaving!

This is where I turned "cranky"

The winch system on the US Tower does it job as I crank it up.

Cranking is still a challenge at this angle.

Almost but not quite there.

Is it vertical yet?

I think I made it!

Putting the anchor bolts in.

It doesn't look bad from the front of the house.

Now the hard cranking begins, 55 feet is a long way up.

It is going up isn't it, sure seems slow.

It is almost there!

Yes, I am at the bottom, still cranking-maybe N9LIS will help?

Off came the jacket and N9LIS is now the "cranky" one.

W4GRN wanted in on the action, of course, 2 cranks and the tower was all the way up.

A shot looking South as the tower now stands fully extended-SteppIR is next.

It sure is all of the way up-just making sure.

Now that is what I call a "job well done".

Another look at the tower from the front of the house as it is fully extended. (Note to self--Needs SteppIR installed)

Tower Base starting to take shape

Posted on October 24, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

If you are not familiar with this posting format, the older posts are near the bottom and the most current are on the top. Reverse order from the way this project really happens.

This is a current view of the US Tower “Raising Fixture” mounted to the “T” Base. This was taken Monday morning October 24, 2011. I have provided a view looking both North and South.

Raising Fixture mounted to "T" Base (looking North)

Raising Fixture mounted to "T" Base (looking South)

SteppIR 3 Element with 40/30 Meter Kit coming together

Posted on October 24, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

If you are not familiar with this posting format, the older posts are near the bottom and the most current are on the top. Reverse order from the way this project really happens.

Putting the SteppIR 3 Element together has been a fun project, but it does take time, and getting in a hurry only complicates the process. This past week, I ran into a technical problem and Jim at SteppIR was able to get me back on track. I have made it past the “motor test” and will start to assemble the antenna in the back yard this week. This post includes a few photos of the assembly process.

Charley KA9NQL helping me with wiring the SteppIR Motors

Me (W9KXQ) tightening one of the 10 nuts & bolt sets on the SteppIR Motor Housing

A closer look at the completed SteppIR Motor housing

Me (W9KXQ) Looking over the progress

Inside the Driven Element SteppIR Motor housing

Completed connection wire installed per instructiions

Copper Beryllium Tape visible inside the SteppIR Motor housing

Copper Beryllium Tape as it feeds into Element support housing

It all fits together

Cable Connector for 12 conductor control cable into a DB-25

Antenna end of 12 conductor cable with attached connector

The boom to mast plate mounted connector box ( a very neat upgrade)

SDA 100 Controller-all tests completed

Here are the fiberglass element housings (we are not done with these yet!)

SteppIR Antenna Systems professional label

The tower comes close to home.

Posted on October 16, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

After a busy morning, we finished our cleaned up, moved the pile of tools and wooden forms back to Kevin’s trailer. Then the tower was picked up and moved within inches of its new home. Then we took a brake after KA9NQK showed up!

Only a couple of trips carrying everything this way.

Here goes the tower. It is a US Tower TX-455 55 ft. crank up Tower (ustower.com )

US Tower Corporation Link

The tower is closer to home than it was a week ago when it was still in Kansas.

KA9NQK (Kim) is the one taking the break.

Another view!

Ok, now my turn! W9KXQ over and out!!

Thanks to all who have helped so far in this project. I could not have done it without each of you. A big thanks to Kevin for his “work of art”!

More later, stay tuned.

Concrete Pour-Friday October 14, 2011

Posted on October 15, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

Finally, our concrete was ordered and arrived about 7:40 AM. This was about an hour after Kevin arrived, and almost before I finished my second cup of coffee. By 1:30 PM everything was completed including the concrete being finished, forms removed and the tower moved close to the concrete base. Now 2 weeks to wait for the concrete to cure and me to get the 3 Element SteppIR built.

Forms and concrete guide ready for the first concrete to be poured.

The concrete is delivered and released one bucket at a time.

Here comes the first load of concrete.

Here is the first load of concrete being dumped into the hole.

Looking down on the first bucket of concrete.

I am using a "Pencil Vibrator" to get the concrete level. This was work.

Kevin installs the actual "T" Base that the tower mounts to.

Kevin making sure the base is in the center and doesn't move as the last of the concrete is shoveled in.

Kevin shovels in the concrete around the "T" Base.

Here comes the concrete by hand.

Concrete carefully spread around the "T"Base.

Ok, it is full of concrete (7 Yards) but not so pretty yet. Stay tuned!

Looking better? ( The camera is on the East side of the concrete base.)

Pretty is starting to happen as Kevin "strikes off" the concrete.

I am just looking on! Honest, I won't put my "foot in it"!!

It is just about there, and looking so good!

Yep, the boards had to come out to finish the concrete.

Kevin is putting the finishing touches on the base including the edge.

Of course I had to have a "hand in it"!

Every ham tower base must have the appropriate call letters and date inserted.

The finished product! A work of art! Thanks Kevin for all of your hard work.

Steel to Reinforce the concrete base

Posted on October 15, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

Here are a few photos of my ,labor. Of course I had to be taught how to do this and Kevin had his hands full. Hard to teach a “old dog”!

Here is the finished 2 ft. square of steel 6 ft. tall.

I did do most of this, of course Kevin had to get me started.I am working on the 3ft. square steel cage.

I was trying to get up after being down on my knees.

The completed steel cage is a 2 ft. square wired inside a 3 ft. square. There were approximately 200 tied wire connections.

Steel cage being "downloaded" into the hole.

There she goes, all of my hard work being "put down".

Centering the cage in the hole.

Looking down to see the cage. Looks to be centered.

Another view as we were centering the cage.

Finished for the night. Concrete to arrive early Friday Oct. 14th

Final Tower Base Preparations

Posted on October 15, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday October 12-14, 2011 were busy days for this project. Over that period of time, I took many photos of the project and of course there were some “sidewalk supervisors” who showed up to check on this part of the project. With all of the photos that I have taken thus far I will spread a few of them into several posts. Hopefully you don’t get bored before you see all of the photos. The project is not finished, but we are closer.

K9UK showed up to make sure there really was a hole in the ground.

Kevin digging the hole by hand (4.5 Ft. square 6 foot deep) W4GRN also is making sure that the project was on schedule.

Steel to build the cage the reinforces the concrete

Hole is getting deeper.

Ok, let me check this hole thing out!

There was a little bit left in the bottom that needed to be removed.

Forms are installed by Kevin.

Tower Base Preparation Begins

Posted on October 12, 2011 by W9KXQJohn

The long awaited day has arrived. October 10, 2011, a beautiful fall day in Greenville brought time for KA9NQL & I (W9KXQ) to prepare the spot for the tower base. Our work included removing a section of the chain link fence, removing the NVIS antenna from the back lot. We then marked off the area for the tower base hole and had the sod removed for use later. The photos complete the story for this post. Of course, we had a rain delay on Wednesday October 12th.