I have used a modest little Easyway HD 41 crank-up, tilt-over tower for a
few years in Atlanta. That's the old style of tower that has a finned base
which is buried approximately 6' in the ground. I tended to overload the
tower a bit, stacking an A3WS with 30-meter add-on kit ten feet above a TH5.
I cranked it down during the really bad storms, like the "storm of the
century." With the clay soils of north Georgia, it seemed to stand up quite
well, and I really appreciated the convenience of the crank-up, tilt-over
features.
Now I've moved to north Florida, and I noticed when I installed the base
that the soils are sandy. I've installed the TH5, but I'm a bit reluctant
to stack the A3WS above it without additional support. I'm afraid the
resistance of sandy soils to overturning moment will be considerably lower
than clay. One idea that's occurred to me is to pour some concrete around
the base, and to install guys on the lower tower section, the part the top
section "nests" into. I live in an area that's relatively well protected
from the wind, and of course, I can still crank the tower down before bad
storms.
I'd appreciate any comments or constructive suggestions.
73,
Steve K4WA
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