[TowerTalk] Opinions on U.S. Towers Tubulars

[K7LXC@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-05-28 12:42:42 EDT, JC_Smith@designlink.com (JC Smith)
writes:

> In your reply to Dick you say that a crank up tower can make the permit 
> process
>  more difficult.  I'm wondering why?  In my community they are looked on as

> no
>  different than a fixed tower at their maximum height, but in some areas I 
> know
>  they make it easier to put up a larger tower (with the restriction that
they 
> be
>  retracted when not in use).  We have a neighboring community that almost
>  REQUIRES crank ups.  They have a 30' height restriction for the tower when

> it's
>  not in use, but no restriction on the maximum extended height when it is
in
>  use.  (One guy put a packet cluster antenna on top of his HF Yagis.  It's
"
> in
>  use" 24 hours every day.)

     Since you asked, most times obtaining a building permit entails having
stamped PE drawings in your document package. Crank-ups are mostly rated at
50 MPH where the minimum TIA-222 wind speed is 70 MPH. UBC and other building
codes are generally in the same ballpark. Also, the crank-up drawings are
only PE stamped in their state of manufacture; you need a local PE to stamp
your local drawings. 

       So you wind up having to present engineering data for a down-rated
tower and come up with a wet PE stamp as well. Sometimes local building
departments will accept the manufacturer's drawings, but most times they
won't. 

      Building permit requirements are a lot different than the kind of
zoning conditions that you enumerated. Once you conform to the zoning, then
you can apply for your permit. The PRB-1 and other visible tower fights have
more to do with zoning and restrictions than with building permit matters.

73,  Steve  K7LXC

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
Search:			  http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm