Guy Line Tension

[Roger D. Johnson]

Roger L. Elowitz wrote:
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> I know that this just might sound a bit silly with all you big guns and tall
> towers but... who better to turn to for advice?
> 
> I just put up a 3-section (9-ft ea) push up mast on the top of my garage
> with the lowest section bracketed to the side of the house for just about
> it's full 9-foot length. The second and third sections are guyed in three
> directions with 1/8th inch diamond braid dacron Kevlar core line that is
> supposed to be rated at 450# tensile strength.
> 
> On the top of the mast is a Ham-M rotor, a Cushcraft A-144-11 2m beam, about
> 4 feet above that is a 23-el ATV beam and way above that (about 8-ft) is an
> AEA isopole for two meters.
> 
> Now the question I have has to do with guy line tension. My friend, who is
> an Industrial Arts teacher and who helped me install the set-up, says that
> the guy lines which run down to the garage roof at a steeper angle than the
> guys to the house roof- need a greater amount of tension to keep the mast
> vertical. This he claims is because of the shallower angle naturally
> requires more tension.
> 
> Well, I have a bad track record when it comes to doubting people, (BETTER
> stainless IS NOT MAGNETIC) but, I had the opinion that the angle of the guy
> to the tower should make NO DIFFERENCE when it comes to tensioning them and
> that I should aim for equal tension in all the lines.
> 
> To be on the safe side..... I left the guys with the steeper angle much
> tighter than the others. Of course, I don't have a tension gauge so I really
> have no idea if I am anywhere near the maximum rating on this guy material.
> I do know that the mast is as vertical as I can possibly make it.
> 
> Your thoughts on this subject- on the reflector, would be much appreciated
> as perhaps this subject applies equally to guying any structure with any
> material.
> 
> Thanks all,
> 
> Roger, (easily snookered) K2JAS
> 
> 
> 
> --
> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
> Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems:                 K7LXC@contesting.com
> Sponsored by Akorn Access, Inc & KM9P
I have no idea about guy tension but all that stuff above the rotator
surely exceeds the allowable side load unless you have some sort of
rotating guy ring. 

Happy Holidays.....Roger

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 K7LXC@contesting.com
Sponsored by Akorn Access, Inc & KM9P