For several years I have been dreaming of a 90’ tower next to my home
located near the coast in South Carolina. But, I could never find a
practical way around my county’s requirement that any tower must meet a
130MPH 3-sec gust. A further problem is I live on a 5 acre heavily wooded
lot. The county requires a permit to cut down a single tree. That made it
impossible to get a crane into my backyard to erect the tower. If it
weren’t for that problem, I would have gone with something like a Big
Bertha that I understand can meet this wind loading requirement. However,
there is a trail from the road to near the tower site that is wide enough
to allow a Bob Cat and a back-hoe or the like to get to the site.
Fortunately, I subscribe to this reflector because a couple of other hams
on the reflector suggested a crank-up tower. They suggested I could try to
sell the county on the fact that a fully retracted tower can meet the
130MPH requirement.
Yesterday, I met with all 5 members of the county planning department and
presented this “nested” approach. I circulated a photo of the nested tower
(I didn’t pass around a photo of the tower fully extended) and further
explained how I might be helpful for communication in an emergency
condition. Something won them over and now I am jumping through all the
other hoops they have, like an archaeological survey!
I need some tips on selecting a motorized crank-up tower that can hinge
near the base to allow the tower to be horizontal. I would like to have an
electric motor to also control the hinging function. (I don’t mean to
spark a debate over which manufacturer makes the best tower.) I am so new
to this that *any *constructive suggestions will be helpful. I am at a
point where I know so little about these towers I don’t know how to ask
intelligent questions. If you own a tower like I am describing, where have
you had problems? Does it go up and down as smoothly and effortlessly as
it seems? Even suggestions like the diameter and material of the cable
that pulls the antenna up would be helpful. How much maintenance am I
getting into?
Thanks for your help.
73, Wayne KK6BT
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