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Re: [TowerTalk] Question about lowering a Fold-Over tower

To: Gedas <w8bya@mchsi.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Question about lowering a Fold-Over tower
From: Joseph or Ruth Patrick <hdmc38@bellsouth.net>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 17:58:19 -0800 (PST)
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hello Gedas

 This is the best set up I have seen so far from the TT reflector. Great 
Design, 
cost effective, and appears to be VERY SAFE. Always The #1 issue in these 
situations. Congratulations you have captured the coveted Engineering award of 
the month.
 73 DE K4XZ Joe Patrick
God Made Man
Sam Colt Made Them Equal 




________________________________
From: Gedas <w8bya@mchsi.com>
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Sent: Fri, February 3, 2012 9:18:38 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Question about lowering a Fold-Over tower

Hi Dick, looks like you have had lots of very good suggestions.  I too would 
very strongly advise against trying to use any passenger vehicle for your 
application.  I have three 70' universal towers with various HF and VHF 
antennas and once, a long time ago, let a friend talk me into trying to use 
my full sized Chevy 4x4 on hard packed gravel to slowly pull it up...I knew 
better and did not want to try it but in the end I gave in.  What a joke and 
a disaster !  Do not go there.

Anyway, while it is not as elegant as the falling derrick method, here is 
what I use on my 3 towers.  Just a couple pressure treated 6"x6"x18' timbers 
bolted together and sunk into 5'-6' concrete at a slight angle.  Heavy chain 
in the back also into concrete to supply extra support.  Two pulleys and a 
geared winch allows me to raise and lower each in a matter of minutes.  Have 
been using these particular three for 16 years and the same technique but at 
a different QTH for over 30 years.  About the only thing I would do 
different would be to purchase slightly longer timber to raise the pull 
point a tad.  Or just get a nice 20' I-beam and sink that in cement.  Not 
the answer for everyone but it works for me and keeps me off the tower 
(which is a very good thing) hi-hi.

Here are a couple shots:

http://gedas.cc/v/Misc/HAM-1/09030167_G.jpg.html

http://gedas.cc/v/Misc/HAM-1/02190008_G.jpg.html

http://gedas.cc/v/Misc/HAM-1/02190009_G.jpg.html


73 Gedas, W8BYA
Gallery at http://gedas.cc

Light travels faster than sound..
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.




----- Original Message ----- 
From: <RLVZ@aol.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 8:10 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Question about lowering a Fold-Over tower


> Hi Guys,
>
> I'm going to lower a 90' Heights aluminum fold over tower with  my car
> tomorrow evening.  I've done this before without destroying the  tower so
> hopefully I can have another successful lowering!
>
> My question is what is the best height on the tower to  attach my Nylon
> Strap for lowering the  tower?
>
> A few thoughts:
>
> 1) The 90' tower folds over  at ground level and has a 36" wide base.
>
> 2) In the past, I attached my nylon strap  around the tower at aprx. the
> 35' level and then attach a 1/4" steel cable to  the nylon strap and raise 
> and
> lower the tower with my car.
>
> 3) I keep the top of the  tower 13' off of the ground so there's room to
> attach my 24' boom  Yagi to the top of the tower.  Keeping the top of the
> tower 13' off of  the ground makes it easier to lower and raise the tower 
> with a
> vehicle than if  the top of tower was on or near the ground.  That said,
> with the  top of the tower 13' off of the ground it's still quite touchy
> raising and  lower the tower as only as a small movement in the vehicle 
> makes a
> big  change in the tower.
>
> So I'm looking for the best strap height to lower  the tower and the best
> strap height for raising the tower.  After  using the 35' height before... 
> I
> don't think that one height is the ideal height  for raising and lowering
> the tower.  Since it's easy to locate the nylon  strap anywhere on the 
> tower
> I'm looking for the best height for lowering and  best height for raising.
>
> All thoughts appreciated!
>
> Thanks-
>
> Dick- K9OM
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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