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[TowerTalk] Gin Pole Strength

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Gin Pole Strength
From: K7LXC@aol.com (K7LXC@aol.com)
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 20:36:28 EST
In a message dated 99-03-15 07:10:40 EST, k4oj@ij.net writes:

> By weighting the bottom end of the gin pole you can pick from lower than the
>  middle and will not have the top be top heavy per se, granted this makes
the
>  heavy mast even heavier but it offers you additional control.
>  
>  I have taped a sledge hammer onto the bottom of the mast amongst other
>  heavy/dense materials on hand at the time.
>  
     Taking a heavy mast and adding more weight to it doesn't make for a happy
ground crew but is a reasonable technique. 

>  Even more important I have found is a temporary rope tie at the top of the
>  mast.  Once the pipe is oriented vertically, take a short length of rope
and
>  tie it around the top end of the pipe along with the lifting rope.  When
you
>  get the top of the mast even with your top plate you can untie this loop
>  since it is about to travel out of your reach.
>  
>  This will aide in keeping the pipe vertical for all but the last few feet
of
>  the trip...by now you are steering the mast for that critical moment of
>  insertion.  Without doubt this is the toughest thing to do on a tower in my
>  opinion. Your  inability to be anywhere but below an ideal work height
>  forces you to be working with your arms over your shoulders and muscling
the
>  pipe in place.

      You can also just tape the top of the mast to the haul rope and cut the
tape as it passes by you. Another technique is to have the pick point on the
mast above the midpoint; then it goes up vertically with no problem. What you
do at the top of the tower when the haul line knot hits the top of the ginpole
is to flip the mast 180 degrees. Since you've got it captured at the ginpole,
it'll just rotate until you have the short end in your hand (a short rope
attached to the 'top' will allow you to pull it down to you). Then you just
lower it through the thrust bearing/tower top. This produces the maximum
'pucker factor' when dealing with masts but it does work well. It actually is
easier than it sounds. 

Cheers,   Steve   K7LXC

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