Dan's second para is the most important part of his advice and pretty universal
- map out the move steps and details . . . and don't cut corners!
I have set up my motorized TX-472 (about 1300 lbs) twice and used a tow truck
flat bed to haul and the same truck mounted crane and operator for both. The
last time we moved it from Tower base & QTH #1 to Tower base & QTH #2, about 10
miles apart - convoyed both lift vehicles and my car and another helper (so, a
total of 4 people: Me, Ham friend, Tow truck driver, and crane op) - in under 2
hours. That included hooking up straps to the tower, pulling the last two
bolts, setting on the flatbed and tying down, rolling to new QTH, hooking crane
straps back up, untying, and setting on new base (already poured and hardened
with second base fixture) with two securing bolts and 4x4 crutch to take the
top end of tower weight. Total cost < $300 for the truck and crane . . . with
little risk of tower (and Beam pieces - on the same tow truck) damage and NO
Physical Risk to Ham buddies or recruited strong back kids! Don't cut corners -
towers are heavy and expensive . . . get a couple of
Pros to help make it happen. Its worth the money to not have to deal with
liability and damage.
Good luck,
Alan K9MBQ
-----Original Message-----
>From: K0DAN <k0dan@comcast.net>
>Sent: Jun 18, 2013 4:05 PM
>To: Andre VanWyk <kr5dx@yahoo.com>, Mickey Baker <fishflorida@gmail.com>,
>towertalk@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Replacement - what would you do?
>
>This is true.
>
>Also, if you know someone with a mid-sized tractor with front-end loader,
>the job can be done if carefully thought out, plenty of slings and ham
>helpers (young strong ones) are available. With a retracted self supporting
>motorized tower, you are dealing with perhaps 1000-2000 # of dead weight.
>Trick One is to get the mass off the truck (almost certainly requires some
>kind of machinery which can handle it with some gentleness). Trick Two is to
>move it from the offload to point to near the tower base. This can often be
>accomplished with the young ham friends (lots of them), but safety/liability
>are a consideration, and on-site machinery will generally make this job
>quicker/easier/safer.
>
>It will probably save you a lot of time/effort/cost if the tower footings
>are installed, in place, concrete hardened, etc. That way you don't tie up
>people + machines while you do the early installation work. It helps to do a
>LOT of pre-planning of the job, write down a formal critical path list, etc.
>It is all about Project Management.
>
>Good luck on your project!
>
>73
>dan
>k0dan
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Andre VanWyk
>Sent: June 18, 2013 14:39
>To: K0DAN ; Mickey Baker ; towertalk@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Replacement - what would you do?
>
>If you purchase from a tower vendor, they will load it for you. You need to
>arrange offloading at your QTH. For tower offloading, talk to a local
>wrecker company or if you have a buddy with a truck mounted crane, you are
>made.
>
>73
>NJ0F
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>From: "K0DAN" <k0dan@comcast.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:31 PM
>To: "Andre VanWyk" <kr5dx@yahoo.com>; "Mickey Baker"
><fishflorida@gmail.com>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Replacement - what would you do?
>
>> If shipping towers, whether used or new, be sure to inquire if machinery +
>> labor is available to load & offload! The contents, of course, are very
>> heavy, and typically the carrier contracts to deliver from loading dock to
>> the far edge of your driveway/property, but not set in place where you
>> want it. If the carrier does not provide it (forklift, "turtle", etc.)
>> the last couple hundred feet is on you.
>>
>> Even for a base, rebar, boxes of hardware, etc., this could be the case.
>> Caveat Emptor.
>>
>> 73
>> dan
>> k0dan
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Andre VanWyk
>> Sent: June 18, 2013 10:57
>> To: Mickey Baker ; towertalk@contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Replacement - what would you do?
>>
>> Mickey,
>>
>> I have had great luck using Uship.com on moving several towers and large
>> antennas from all over the United States.
>>
>> In fact, I am moving two large Crank-up towers, (one being a Skyneedle
>> that
>> is 27' long retracted!) with a bunch of antennas etc from AZ to MN for
>> less
>> than what you are mentioning.
>>
>> You list your item, and carriers running empty in your direction will bid
>> on
>> your load. They are all insured and I have had great success over the
>> years
>> getting larger items to me.
>>
>> ..and no, I am not affiliated with Uship. I am simply passing a good
>> experience over to fellow hams.
>>
>> 73
>> NJ0F
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Mickey Baker" <fishflorida@gmail.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 10:13 AM
>> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Tower Replacement - what would you do?
>>
>>> As many of you know, my LM-354HD broke a cable and crashed recently from
>>> a
>>> fully extended position. The reason for the crash is that the previous
>>> owner had provided the wrong replacement cable for the tower. I was luck
>>> in
>>> that my beam was not on the tower at the time, but the tower is a mess.
>>>
>>> I've been looking for a replacement that would fit on the current base -
>>> RCB-70 in a robust base as specified for the LM-470 and the LM-354HD. No
>>> towers in good shape have popped up.
>>>
>>> A while back, I reached out to Tashjian and learned that freight from
>>> their
>>> factory to my place is about $3,000 - more than half the cost of the
>>> replacement tower itself.
>>>
>>> My questions for the group:
>>>
>>> 1. Has anyone engineered a way to use the Tri-Ex/Tashjian base for
>>> another
>>> tower? Aluma tower is relatively close by and, if I could make the
>>> current
>>> base work, I would save shipping and have a lighter "temporary
>>> installation" tower that is light enough to easily move.
>>>
>>> 2. Has anyone worked out a way to save shipping costs from Tashjian? For
>>> example, if two or more people from the same geographical region (or on
>>> the
>>> path to Tashjian's facility?) ordered towers, they could hire or take
>>> their
>>> own truck and trailer.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate the group's thoughts on the above.
>>> --
>>> Mickey Baker, N4MB
>>> Fort Lauderdale, FL
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
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