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1992-06-22
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2KB
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48 lines
SUBJECT: Towers, part 8
Trouble Spots: Towers can present many problems to the amateur
radio operator. There are some points to consider when installing a tower
that can save you trouble later.
Site location is probably the single most important factor for a tower.
The base must be analyzed completely. Soil conditions, ground water level,
seepage, etc must be taken into account. I mistake I made was placing my
tower next to the house. In Florida, most homes have an overhang instead
of gutters. The rain ran off the roof and ate the ground around my
tower. I discover that the tower had tilted almost 15 degrees. While the
earth was still moist, I used my pick-up to straighten the tower and then
tied it off. After the ground dried, I poured in another 500-lb of
concrete to enforce the base. It's been standing on it's own now for
five years.
A friend of mine had a beautiful tilt over tower. It worked well until
the sapplings his wife planted grew up into full trees. He did not have
to tilt the tower over for nearly five years, but when he had too, it was
a no-go situation. The trees blocked the tower. Much to his wife's dismay,
the trees were removed.
Power lines are a hazzard. Calculate the worst case event, a tower
crashing to the ground, and look at what it may strike.
Sometimes the placement of the tower is dictated by surroundings and
pitfalls can not be avoided. The current tower I am running is a crank-up
base tiltover tower. By itself the tower tilts over nicely, but with an
antenna, my neighbors fence restricts how far it can go.
Placement of a ground rod in the center of the base foundation, will
save a lot of time and provide a good ground for the tower and antennas.
A protective locking cage around the base will keep the kids off the
tower and save you from a law suit.
Drive shafts save much wear and tear on a tower. Do not overload
the tower with more than it can handle, especially if your rotor is
located on the top.
Never climb a crank-up.
Always use a safety belt when climbing.
-WS