Crank up towers are safe. They do require adequate maintenance.
I have had my Tristao 71 footer (now US Tower) for nearly 30 years at 4
locations in two states. It has ridden through 5 tornadoes, 3 hurricanes
and many wind storms.
In those 29+ years I have replace the wire rope twice, one pully, and the
winch. I have had a welder on my roof to fix a cross bar sheared off by a
prop pitch and have cleared out three batches of bees/wasps. The lower wire
rope broke once bringing the system down, but my use of steel pipe stops
only let it drop about a foot. Maybe I have been lucky or maybe Lou Tristao
knew how to properly engineer a crank up...I support the latter.
I use a crank up as I can work on my antennas from the roof. I also have
the fold over mechanism if I ever want to move it again or restring it again.
I have used telephone poles and Rohn 25/45 too but the Tristao has been my
best investment in ham radio equipment!
73, Dave K4JRB
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