Noel: You didn't say whether this was a commercial or amateur installation. For my amateur tower I used lengths of #12 solid insulated house wire from Home Despot. I wrapped a twelve-inch length arou
In commercial installations, where deep pockets are the norm, the shelter owner would install intrusion detection and alrm systems on each shelter door. If any of these sensors would be tripped after
TT: Rick is correct. The copper twisted-pair (TP) is considered a distributed reactance element. The loading coils are actually series inductors (remember the 88 mH toroidal coils we all used in the
Jim et al: My comments embedded below. 73 de Gene Smar AD3F distributed are Agreed that the loading coils are lumped elements, but I was referring to the long TP - correctly modeled as distributed el
Bob: There have been numerous postings on this subject previously. You can check through the archives. Two points that I like to emphasize (which I learned on TowerTalk) are: 1. Be very stingy when a
Joe: Don't bother asking. Just go to the electrical department. In every HD and Lowes I've visited they had reels of #12 and #14 solid and stranded wire available in 500 foot lengths. The reels are u
Byron: My comments embedded below. 73 de Gene Smar AD3F HelloI have {1} a report concerning the Cadweld "One-Shots" and a {2} question regarding attaching solid ground wire to tower legs. 1. ...Every
TT: It isn't pretty, and it's not even close to being finished. Comments appreciated. http://home.comcast.net/~ersmar/tower.html . 73 de Gene Smar AD3F P.S. That's my youngest driving the Georgia bug
TT: Thanks to those of you who provided comments, advice and constructive criticism about my first attempts at a web page. I suppose the real reason I put out that ugly set of photos was to illustrat
Tom: I believe the HBX tower series used a couple of bolts at the base as a hinge to erect the tower. If the antennas have been removed, or if the antennas are not massive (V/UHF, small tribander) yo
Trevor: If you want an alternative to consider, check out this posting I made shortly after I had installed my Trylon tower: http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/Towertalk/2002-12/msg00213.html
Mike: As I Trylon owner for three years, let me give you some practical advice: Forget the Trylon Titan for your geography and for your intended height. The Titan series of towers (the self-supportin
Jim: Let me add a few things for your consideration. o Is it realistic to assume only one antenna? Many on this reflector, myself included, have designed and installed tower systems with one multiban
Alan: It would be worth your time to investigate the cost of having a premix truck deliver the concrete to your site and dump it into the excavation. The small, on-site electric or gas-powered mixers
TT: This appears to be the right time to remind the readership of the QST article (Aug 1996) titled " Install a House-Bracketed Tower--the Right Way! " by K1KP. It describes how one ham reinforced hi
Dan: Talk to Joel at RF Connections in Gaithersburg, MD ( www.therfc.com ) . When I bought my one-shots in 2001 they were about $7-$8 each. Don't forget to buy the flint starter (it's only $6 and a l
Roger et al: Your photos bring back fond memories (?) of my driving the ground rods into my back yard! Ouch. Thanks. The sand is a great idea. In addition to plugging up the openings in the mold, it
Tom: I believe the tower manufacturers recommend you apply grout between the base plate and concrete foundation. You might be able to fill in the slump with this same material. Two birds with one sto
Jess: Loos guy wire tensioners, at the bottom of this page: http://www.championradio.com/rigging.html . 73 de Gene Smar AD3F How do you measure the tension on your guy wires when installing a new tow
Warren: I have only a few comments: 1. Concrete can run you anywhere from $50 - $100 per cuyd delivered and emplaced. Call your local concrete supplier (Yellow Pages) and ask for their costs. What ab