Try that it sand! :-)
73 Dwight W9YQ
----- Original Message -----
From: <K4BEV@aol.com>
To: <TOWERTALK@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Base Construction
> I have a US Tower TX-455 crank-up / fold over that I
installed single
> handedly.
> (I do contests in the unassisted catagory and didn't want
to take a chance.)
>
> The ground here is very good to dig into - no rocks, very
few roots.
> I dug the hole using a sharpshooter (thin, long shovel), a
posthole digger
> (to get the dirt out of the hole), a shovel without the
handle (for the
> bottom), a bucket and a ladder. Also had the XYL check on
me fairly often to
> be sure I didn't bury myself.
>
> I busted the ground up and squared the edges with the
sharpshooter. Removed
> the earth with the posthole digger, shovel and bucket. And
even got a few low
> spots in my yard filled in with the dirt from the hole as
a bonus.
>
> It only took 3 or 4 days (long days) to dig the hole --
many were impressed
> how square it was (including the guy in the concrete
truck).
>
> This was a LOT of HARD work! I wanted to do another one
when I finished!
> Makes you feel pretty good to complete a job that most
everyone else says
> can't be done. My buds were adamant that I should get a
backhoe or auger --
> the logic being that you can't dig a hole that deep and
narrow by hand.
>
> The only bad news for the entire project was that the
concrete truck really
> left some big ruts in the yard and busted a sidewalk.
>
> Bottom line : It can be done -- just depends on how bad
you want it.
>
> 73, Don K4BEV
>
> P.S. Although there is some danger involved, I never had
even a hint of cave
> in while doing this. I always had a line tied to me and to
a block about 15'
> from the hole, just in case. Having a lookout posted
topside should be
> required.
>
> --
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http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
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>
>
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