I am erecting a Tri-EX HZN 471 next week.
This tower is more than 35 years old but in good condition and recently
taken down by a relocating ham.
The original configuration of the tower has three 1 inch round tubes
with turn buckle sections acting as guys. These three "guy tubes"
attach to the tower approximately 20 feet up and to concrete pads
approximately 8.5 feet out from the center of the tower.
In my opinion the "guy tubes" are not stiff enough to provide resistance
to pushing and must be limited to the same pull resistance that is
provided by guy wires. It seems to me that the tubes would be easier to
damage than guy wires.
Can anyone shed light on why the manufacturer might have chosen to use
tubes rather than guy wires?
Due to a change in mounting I will have to shorten the "guy tubes" to
reuse them. The process of shortening the tubes will create new or
different potential points of failure. The angles of the guys and
attachment points to the tower will remain as the manufacturer specified
however the ground attachment points for the guys will be elevated. Due
to this I am considering replacing the "guy tubes" with guy wires of
suitable strength. Perhaps 1/2 galvanized cable with oversize turnbuckles.
This is a 70 foot tower with a 20 foot boom pole. I understand it was
rated for 37 square feet of wind loading.
I read somewhere that guy wires can affect transmission when the entire
tower is used as an antenna. Perhaps the "guy tubes" were used to avoid
transmission issues?
Thanks for your advice.
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