Return to the HOME page for NN4

Build your own....

Tiltplate Details...for the original TiltPlate1 and TiltPlate2 designs are in the file below. It will cost about $600 for parts and materials and take about 15 hours to construct. Please be careful if you plan to substitute components or revise the design. The pressure of the wind at 60, 80 or 100 MPH is very high and will exert significant forces on the plates and bearings.

The new TiltPlate model and the monster version TiltPlate are for sale only and not included in the powerpoint. Click on link below for a PowerPoint showing construction details for the prototype models. (16 MB file)

http://www.nn4zz.com/Data/TiltplateV7.ppt

(free viewer from Microsoft if you don't have powerpoint -- google powerpoint viewer)

Picture Gallery - Homebrew Pictures

Prototypes -- (not for sale)

TiltPlate1 (the original) prototype

In continuous service since 2004...
Tiltplate installed on tower, April 3, 2004
Assembling the Steppir Antenna on the tower

TiltPlate2

A direct rotor mount version. In continuous service since 2005.

Paolo / I1ODP

Paolo I1ODP of Genova Italy built a TiltPlate for his 3el steppir at his summer country home. He is planning to build another one for the 4el at home. The tiltplate allowed him to build the antenna on the ground and without assistance.

Dick / PA3DUV

Please find some pics attached showing the PA3DUV execution of the NN4ZZ tilt plate. This tilt plate is designed to carry a 2 element 80 meter beam, up 60 meter (180 feet) on a hydraulic crane. Since the boom is not round but square aluminum tubing (80 x 80 mm) I had to use 5 degree offset blocks to compensate for the 5 degree tilt angle. These offset blocks are machined from aluminum stock. For the bearings I used large nylon bearing blocks, the shaft is a section of 50 mm (2") heavy wall aluminium tubing. The bearing blocks are bolted to the 1/2 " plate with stainless steel stud bolts, over the blocks a 5 mm stainless steel plate is bolted in order to remove any strain from the nylon. The tilt plate will be used during the CQ WW contest @PI4ZI. Look out for the big signal from the Lowlands. Al, thanks and all credits for this terrific idea.

73, Dick

PA3DUV

CQWW SSB contest UPDATE, Nov 16 2008

Please find some pics attached concerning the launch of the 80 m beam with the crane and the tiltplate.

Launch took place in the dark, and the beam was used in the CQWW SSB contest on 80 meter. The tiltplate made beam deployment a VERY easy job. The launch time was only 7 minutes, while launching it without tiltplate took us more than 1.5 hour last PACC contest. The beam sits 60 m high (180 ft) on top of a 300 ton hydraulic crane. During the CQWW SSB 2008 there was a stiff wind, but the beam was absolutely stable. It is a heavy antenna and due to the 6 degree angle the resulting sideways force was enough to keep it fixed. Nylon bearing blocks, reinforced with stainless steel studbolts and a 5 mm stainless steel cover plate proved to be reliable and very strong. I will build a second copy of this model which will be used for deployment of the 4 element 40 m beam.

73, Dick

PA3DUV

Toly / UA4HTS

KD7UI / John

Here is a picture of the completed tilt plate. It took way more time than I thought. If I hadn’t had the right tools I couldn’t have done the job properly. Building one of these is enough! Hi

I have about 600 bucks in this job and that’s not counting my time!

Al’s price is fair and anyone that think otherwise, has never built anything, specially to his standard and quality.

Did you build a TiltPlate? Send me your pictures........