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Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Guy Calculations

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Guy Calculations
From: Grant Saviers <grants2@pacbell.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2019 22:46:08 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
What really goes on in a guyed tower is pretty complex. A simple static analysis might be possible with a spreadsheet, but not a realistic analysis IMO.

Kurt K7NV a long time ago did a Finite Element Analysis of a simplified tower structure using the standard Rohn section properties. His model is not a detailed model of the actual lattice construction, hence failure modes are coarse approximations. His website has that analysis last time I looked and it is quite instructive as to how a guyed tower behaves. k7nv.com

Recall tower axiom #1: Follow the tower manufacturer's design unless a PE provides an analysis. If what is wanted is different than the catalog designs, then it is time to hire a PE. Many configurations are possible that are not in the catalogs.

Unfortunately, two PE's I have used are refusing amateur radio tower analysis jobs because too many hams don't implement to the plan, or don't want to pay the fee, or want to argue with the numbers. The hassle, cost of the required software, and liability risk aren't worth it.

Grant KZ1W

On 10/13/2019 7:51 AM, Tom Hellem wrote:
Does anybody know of a tool for calculating the forces associated with
sizing guy wires on a tower? It feels to me that this would lend itself
rather easily to a spreadsheet where one could enter the variables of his
installation and the spreadsheet would spit out the results.
I found a few rudimentary calculators on line but they don't seem to quite
take it all the way.

Any engineers out there willing to share something like this? I think it
would be very useful to anybody who has or is contemplating the
construction of a guyed tower. I personally know of a few installations
that look like a catastrophe waiting to happen and not being an engineer or
tower erector I am having a tough time convincing the owners of these
installations that they should make some improvements.

73
Tom Hellem
K0SN
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