[TowerTalk] Name that tower?

[AA1K jon zaimes]

OK game show contestants, here are your clues:

20-foot sections, triangular, bolt-together construction, galvanized.
19-inches on a face.

The three vertical elements in each section are made of V-shaped steel, with
the bottom of the "V" flattened out. The V is 2 inches on the sides, one
inch on the "bottom". The bottom of each leg is swaged out to go around the
top of the section below it. There are 10 bolt holes at the end of each leg
for mating with the next section; four holes in the flattened-bottom of the
"V" and three holes on each side. I neglected to write down the thickness of
these pieces but I think they are 1/4 inch thick.

There are horizontal angle-iron pieces every 23.5 inches. Each of these is
18 inches long, 1 1/4" wide, 1/8" thick. The horizontal members are on each
face of the tower (not just steps on one side).

There are diagonals forming an X on each face, crossing over from one
horizontal member to the next. These diagonals are flat galvanized steel, 1
1/4" wide by 1/8" thick. 

Guy wire connections are made to U-shaped brackets made of 1/2" round steel.
The tips of the "U" are bent back in toward each other and welded to a
28"-long, V-shaped piece of steel of the same design as the vertical tower
elements. This steel is nested on the inward side of the vertical tower
elements and bolts to them with the bolts used to hold the horizontal and
diagonal tower elements. The U-shaped bracket for the guy attachment is
angled downward. No guy wires remain, but an egg insulator (attached
directly to the guy point with a big 1/2-inch thick U-bolt) measured 6.5
inches long and 4 inches diameter. There are attachment sets for four sets
of guys.

The 172-foot tower is comprised of eight 20-foot sections, one 10-foot
section and a short 2-foot section on which there is a 1/2-inch-thick flat
top plate. Four holes near the perimeter of the top-plate appear to be for
mounting something to it -- there's a round "shadow" where it was mounted;
perhaps for a red beacon light. The tower was painted red and white over the
galvanizing, perhaps used as an AM broadcast antenna. No base remains, so
mounting type is unknown.

I will weigh a 20-foot section tomorrow; my guess from hefting it is it's
200-300 lbs. 

If you are familiar with this type of tower, I'd appreciate any info.

73/Jon AA1K



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