WE9V's comment about the failure of professionally installed nicopress
fitting brings forth the following thought - How do we KNOW (proof test)
the installed strength of our particular connections? I don't use
guy grips because the one and only time I tried using them, bought new
from Texas Towers on guy cable bought new from Texas Towers, a grip which
APPEARED to be properly installed let loose while tensioning the guy
with a comealong.
Does anyone out there test under load both ends of cables they use on
their towers? If so, to what load and how is the tension applied?
Obviously we can't test to destruction but how about loading to, say,
5,000 pounds of tension on the 1/4" guy wire? Most of us don't have
comealongs that are safe with that kind of tension, and a failure of a
guy at that tension would appear to be potentially fatal for the rigger,
but how else do we KNOW that the installation will hold under the design
load?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Terry Zivney, N4TZ/9
00tlzivney@bsuvc.bsu.edu
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