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[TowerTalk] Could not believe my eyes <--Part II

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Could not believe my eyes <--Part II
From: k0wa@southwind.net (Lee Buller)
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 08:32:27 -0500
At 03:42 AM 6/19/98 +0100, you wrote:
>
>Steve,
>
>One thing you didn't say/ask:  Does he have safety wires on the
turnbuckles??  If
>not, they can easily unscrew and loosen the guys!!!!!!  I don't know if he
does or
>not, but if the guys are loose, it's another thing to check.
>
>[The safety wires go through each turnbuckle TWICE, once at each end and wrap
>through the fixed end of the guy anchor and through the loop in any guy grips,
>thus eliminating the possibility that the turnbuckles can turn in any
direction.
>Look at the ARRL handbook for details.]
>
>Bill, N3RR

The answer is yes and no.  To be honest, I have saftey wires on the guy
point in the front yard.  (yes, I have a very loving wife)  Actually, it is
cable that loopes through the turnbuckles, the preformed guy grips, and the
anchor point.  That is put together with two saddle-clamps.

The two turnbuckles in the backyard do not have this feature, because I did
not think I would need it.  I know about safty wires too.  I understand the
significance of the wires, but I didn't think that I would need them.  Here
is why, and maybe I've been short sighted if not stupid.  The turnbuckes are
Rohn galvanized turnbuckles I latched onto from a Rohn 55 tower
installation.  They are extremely hard to turn with my hands...and I usually
use a open end wrench (I hate crescent wrenches...knuckle busters) to turn
the turnbuckles.  I could never see then turn and I watched them from
months.  They never moved.

Now I understand, for safty sake, I should have safty wires going through
them.  The plans for this weekend is to do just that.

But, I have seen cable contract and expand....with the seasons.  I think
that is the problem....because all my marks are still where they should be.

why would I admit to all this stupidity?  I don't want others to make the
same mistake?  How is that for an excuse?

Lee 
k0wa@southwind,net


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