Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] tower installation HG52SS

To: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] tower installation HG52SS
From: chas <chasm@texas.net>
Reply-to: "Tower and HF antenna construction topics." <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:02:21 -0600
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Michael Goins wrote:
> Guys, I'm needing some help here.
> 
> I am installing a HG52SS about 16 miles north of San Antonio in an
> area that is nearly all solid rock and I have two sets of factory
> specs on installation instructions from HyGain. One says (and I'm
> going from memory here, but I'm pretty sure I am correct) 30X30X42"
> for the hole and the other says 42"X42"X5.5 feet for the hole. The
> issue is that under an inch or so of soil here it is virtually all
> solid rock. We are now down about 3 1/2 feet into solid rock on all
> four sides, and it has required a large jackhammer and many hours to
> get there. Assuming the base hole is to be designed for both
> compressive and lateral movement, there is no way it is going
> anywhere, either way
> Michael Goins, k5wmg



Mike is trying to burrow into solid limestone which is prevalent all over the 
Edward's Plateau until you get up to Lake Granite Shoals or about 40 miles 
North of Austin when you get into granite.

but from Fredericksburg to the NWest of SAT south to Hondo and back East to 
black gumbo on the East side of I35, it is all limestone.

and if he got two feet into it, my hat is off to him.
if it were my HG52 sitting on site, I would have flattend off about 4 sq ft 
of base rock, drilled holes for the 1/2" base plate's all thread 1"+ diam 
bolts about 4' long,  set the base plate on its double nuts on the bolts in 
their holes and about 4" proud of the rock surface then poured a slab with 
rebar or heavy remesh.  let it sit for a couple of days and then hoist the 
base of the tower onto the base plate and  bolt it down.

I would call that a done deal for that area of Texas in that sort of ground.
Then, I would bring in about 12 cubic yds of iron ore from East of Austin 
(look up Camp Swift) and spread that some 4" thick under top soil for a 
ground and radial surface.  sod over it and call it done.  if you want, lay 
some remesh in the iron ore as you spread it or some 20' sticks of 3/8 to 
1/2" rebar and hook them up for a ground field THEN spread your iron ore over 
it, then topsoil and put some sod down on it.

my opinion.  I have black gumbo with 4 to 6" iron ore on top of it under some 
4" of topsoil and sod and it is superb for a radial and reflectant field 
under my antennas, vertical or horizontal.

fwiw

73

chas

-- 
chasm@texas.net   k5dam  Houston, TX

<a href='http://militarysignatures.com'> <img 
src='http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member14013.png' border='0' 
alt='militarysignatures.com'/></a>

--
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>