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Re: [TowerTalk] Aluminum Towers

To: TOWERTALK@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Aluminum Towers
From: Cqtestk4xs@aol.com
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2012 15:04:08 -0400 (EDT)
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Jerry
 
Aluminum towers tend to flex....not a bad thing.  but, the  flexing does 
cause the bolt holes to "egg"  over time...resulting in a  bigger and bigger 
hole, which causes more flexing and a bigger hole...and so  on.  
 
There is a difference in climbing a steel tower and an aluminum  tower.  
The flex on the aluminum tower can be unnerving if you don't climb  a lot.  I 
feel far more comfortable at 200 feet on a guyed Rohn 55 than at  60 ft on 
an aluminum tower.
 
YMMV
 
Bill KH7XS/K4XS
 
 
In a message dated 8/9/2012 6:24:44 P.M. Greenwich Standard Time,  
jerryw6uv@gmail.com writes:

I plan  to install a 50' tower and a tri-bander for 20/15/10 and was
originally  considering a U.S. Towers 55' crank-up model. While researching
towers, I  came across a company called Universal Towers that sells  
aluminum
free-standing towers.

Based on the specs, the Universal  Towers HD-21-50 aluminum tower looks like
it might be a better fit for the  following reasons:


- * At $1989 it's $2K cheaper than  the U.S. Tower crank-up
- * It only weighs 190 pounds (spread  over five 10' sections), versus
>800 for the crank-up,  making it a lot easier to get off the truck with
fewer  people
- * The base doesn't require a rebar cage, making  installation simpler
- * It won't rust


The HD-21-50  is rated at 21 sq.ft. at 110 MPH, while the U.S. Tower
crank-up is rated at  30 sq.ft. at 50 MPH.

The installation instructions for the aluminum  tower says to assemble the
tower on the ground, attach the antenna(s), and  then walk it up. In my
case, I don't have 50' of horizontal space to do  this. Is it feasible to
climb this type of tower and assemble it vertically  section-by-section with
a gin pole? (Whatever I put up will be installed by  a professional tower
installer.)

Any reason why I shouldn't consider  this aluminum free-standing tower?

- 73,  Jerry
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