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Rohn foldover questions

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Rohn foldover questions
From: K7LXC@aol.com (K7LXC@aol.com)
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 11:58:26 -0400
In a message dated 96-09-21 18:19:00 EDT, you write:
>I bought a used 58' Rohn foldover tower thats on the ground waiting
>to be put up. The spec sheet calls for 4 guy anchors 25' out from
>the base spaced 35' apart going up to the hinge point on the tower.
>It also recommends guying at the apex but doesn't say at what
>distance from the base.
>
>1. Would you use the same anchor points (25' out)?

Hi, John --

    I'm out of town and don't have my Rohn book so I won't guess at an
answer.  I suspect, though, that they should be more at the 80% distance that
is normally recommended.  Otherwise the guys would be at a fairly steep
angle. (Note: I could be wrong.)

>2. I dont like climbing towers to do maintainence work so I thought
>the foldover would be a good choice, but I'm having second thoughts
>thinking about this guying and removing it to foldover the tower.
>Is this a nuisance or not?

       You should be having second thoughts.  Increased mechanical complexity
along with the physical travel of the tower tiltover bits makes it similar to
a crankup -- something's bound to go wrong sometime.  And they do.  The
stresses on the whole mechanism, backbone, cable, etc. are significant and
can fail.  I've rarely seen a backbone section that hasn't bent at some time
or other.  There are several iterations of the design that Rohn has come out
with over the years; each time increasing the size and strength of the design
-- you probably don't know which one you've got.
>
>3.Would I be better off just putting up 25G and pretending that
>I like to climb?

       IMO, yes. Do a good job of installation and weatherproofing and you
shouldn't have to go back up the tower for awhile.  While you can install
everything and have a high degree of confidence in having it last 10 years oe
more with little or no maintenance, you may have a rotator failure in that
time frame.   

73 and good luck,  Steve  K7LXC

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