Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

[TowerTalk] Crankup Aluminum Tower

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Crankup Aluminum Tower
From: spindoc@digital.net (Richard Spindler)
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:07:31 -0400
Hey, Phil!

Useful suggestions!  Thanks!

Dick Spindler, N9AM


----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Clements <philk5pc@tyler.net>
To: Richard Spindler <spindoc@digital.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 1999 8:37 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crankup Aluminum Tower


> I have never seen your model of tower, buta couple of
> general suggestions:
> 1. You still need the rods at the base of the tower, well bonded
> with copper strap (Polyphaser) Your arrestors need a place to drain.
> (Don't forget the rotor protector (Polyphaser) at the tower base also)
>
> 2. Bond the coax shield at the top AND bottom of the tower.
>     If you take a hit, hopefully only the vertical run of coax
>     down the tower will be damaged. Coil up several turns of
>     coax at the bottom. Lightning hates to make turns!
>
> GL!
> Phil, K5PC
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Richard Spindler <spindoc@digital.net>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, October 21, 1999 6:53 AM
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Crankup Aluminum Tower
>
>
> >
> > I am in the process of erecting a nice AlumaTower crank-up 75
footer.
> >
> > This reflector has been a help in several respects, but some of the
most
> > important issues discussed reveal that I am tower-savvy-impaired
despite
> > reading what I can get my hands on.
> >
> > First, the issue of lightning protection.  It looks to me as if the
> > three sections of the tower are essentially insulated from each
other
> > with plastic pads which prevent them from rubbing against each other
> > when the tower is cranked up.  So it seems to me as if, even though
I
> > ground the legs to kingdom come with radials and multiple rods, the
> > major lightning path is going to be right down the old coax.  I'll
have
> > PolyPhasers at the tower base and again at the entrance to the
house,
> > but that whole ground-at-the-tower-base issue seems moot.  Am I
missing
> > something here?  Is there a custom of bonding the sections
electrically
> > somehow?  Looks like a real problem to me.
> >
> > Secondly, the issue of guy tension.  I have read several treatises
on
> > properly installing and tensioning guys.  It seems to me that if I
try
> > to tension my (PhillyStrand) guys to 10% of breaking strength, I am
> > going to have a tough time cranking the tower up all the way in the
> > first place, and have a pretty good chance of breaking the cable
which
> > cranks the tower up in the second place.  I plan to guy each
section,
> > since we have a 100mph wind speed figure here in this county
(Highlands,
> > Florida), so I would have nine guys tensioned.  I don't see any
> > information on this issue in the stuff I got from the manufacturer,
but
> > I have written for it.
> >
> > There must be fellows (I hesitate to say "guys") here who have faced
> > these issues.  Any advice?
> >
> > Doc Spindler, N9AM
> > Sebring, FL
> >
> >
> > --
> > FAQ on WWW:
http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
> > Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> > Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> > Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
> >
>
>
>


--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>