Hi,
About 30 years ago, my father had a small TriEx tower (55 feet
extended, 3 sections). He guyed it at the top of each section with 3
strand copperclad wire (Mars surplus), perhaps each strand was 12 guage.
Had we not guyed it, I'm sure it would not have stood in 50 mph winds
with the Mosely CL33 on top of it. I was too young to worry about reading
the manufacturer's manual, but I'm sure my father did. (He also was a
mechanical engineer.)
I don't think these guy wires had the effect of adding much extra
weight, although the 1/4 inch steel guy wire I use on my current towers
certainly would.
The tower lasted at his house through 15 years of use. It was then
taken down, and a few years later I put it up at my house. It was guyed
similarly, and lasted until a falling tree damaged it.
Moral of the story - always follow the LXC prime directive, but
don't automatically assume that a crank-up tower does not need guy wires
unless you've seen it in writing in the owner's manual.
73, Dave Clemons K1VUT
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