[TowerTalk] Speaking of wood supports

["Tower (K8RI)" <tower@rogerhalstead.com>]

The note on  using a wood Gin pole jogged a very old memory.

Wayyyy back when I was first licensed, I built a simple A-frame out of 2 
X 4s (when they were really 2X4s). It was multiple layers for 
reinforcement and was about 30 feet tall (as I recollect)

It hadn't been up all that long. Maybe a few weeks when we had a pretty 
strong wind. Out there in the flat lands there isn't much to slow it up.

I was operating on 75 when I noted a low frequency hum.  I couldn't find 
what was making the noise, but it was one that seemed to penetrate right 
through me. 

I happened to look out the window and saw the A-frame vibrating like a 
tuning fork. It was moving so fast you could see the standing waves.  I 
was looking right at it when it let go.  It sounded like a 12 gage 
shotgun.  The largest piece I found was less than 3 feet long.  As I 
recall, some of those pieces flew over 50 feet.

I don't think I'd want to use wood for a Gin pole except for very light 
duty.<:-))

--
Roger Halstead (K8RI ARRL Life Member)
Worlds Oldest Debonair (N833R S# CD-2)
www.rogerhalstead.com


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