Hi Allen,
Is there any chance that water could have built up to the level of the
splits and frozen in there? That is the only reason I have heard of for
tower leg splits of the kind you describe. On a warm day, you could drill a
very small hole in the tower leg right at the bottom where it comes out of
the concrete base and see if a stream of water comes out . . . Let us know,
will you?
If your professional installer did not take care to make sure the tower legs
would drain the water out the bottom, I think he owes you a new free tower
installation and free replacement of the bad tower sections.
Stan w7ni@teleport.com
Allan W. Schlaugat wrote:
> Early this year I put up a 180ft tower of Rohn 25G to be used only for
> a 440 Mhz repeater vertical at the top and one run of 1 5/8" heliax.
> Everything went up without any problems and it was erected by a
> professional tower installer and everything followed the specs in the
> Rohn 'bible' with the help of many local hams on the ground.
> Today while a friend was on this tower to install a termporary side
> arm at the first guy point he noticed something that caused him to get
> off the tower and literally run away.
> On the south tower leg below the first guy point (33') the leg has
> split like a frozen water pipe 18" below the guy bracket for about 3
> inches between one of the Z braces. 5' above the guy bracket there is
> another split but that one is only 2 inches long between a Z brace.
> The 3 inch split looks like it is still 'running' with the metal not
> rusted.
> About 3 weeks ago we had a good 50+ MPH wind here that took down one
> commercial tower so that is probably when the damage occurred.
> My question to the masses of Towertalk is if anyone has any
> *temporary* solution. I am thinking of a sleeve and clamp arrangement.
> NO, this tower *will* be coming down but any temporary arrangement
> would be something to allow for the unstacking of the tower and
> removal of the antenna and feedline in the spring at the latest.
> What can be done now to minimize any continuing splitting of that
> tower leg? What might of caused it.. guy tension problem?
>
> The tower is located away from everything in the middle of a pasture
> field and there is a 8x8' shed underneath the tower by the south tower
> leg. Guy points are NW, NE and S.
>
> Excuse me while I have another anxiety attack... ARGHH!
>
> 73 Al N9ISN
>
> --
> Allan W. Schlaugat * APS #186089 * Albertville, WI USA
> Amateur Radio: N9ISN * Member of the Lumber Cartel (tinlc) Member #1390
>
> #33#33#33 WISCONSIN BADGERS 1999 Big Ten Football Champions #33#33#33
>
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