[TowerTalk] Rohn tower base and guy anchor installation

[Robert L. Shohet]

Hi guys,

I am psyching myself up for the big project (for me it is big anyway)
and would like the benefit of your valuable experience:

1) What are the recommended dimensions (width, length & depth) of the
hole for a Rohn 45 Tower base using a flat base plate and pier pin? 
(Hopeful tower heights are 100' and 130')

2) What are the dimensions of the concrete that needs to be poured into
the hole? (ie. if the hole is 4' deep x 3' long x 2' wide how much does
the concrete need to come out abouve the hole?  

3) Can the concrete simply be poured into the hole (without a wooden 
form) or MUST a wooden form be used?  If a wooden form should be used,
how much room should I leave in the hole between the "walls" and the
form?

4) With respect to grounding, will the following scenario work?:
At three of the "edges" of the hole (and BEFORE the concrete is poured)
bang in a ground rod and connect the ground rods together with #2 wire,
then pour the concrete and connect each ground rod with #2 wire to each
leg of the tower?  

5) If #4 is not advisable, does it become "better" if I put in a wooden
form with the groundrods between the wooden form and the edge of the
hole (ground rods OUTSIDE the concrete) and do the same thing?

6) Would it be advisable to connect some of the rebar to the ground rod
before I pour the concrete or should it not be touching?  If the ground
rod and the rebar should touch, can they simply touch or must they be
mechanically bonded together in some way?

7) Regarding the guy anchors, what are the dimensions of the hole and
concrete for eacy guy anchor?

8) Do wooden forms need to be used for the guy anchors or can I simply
pour the concrete?  Do I need rebar in the guy anchor hole?

9) I assume that the anchors are put into the ground at about a 30
degree angle from horizontal.  Is this ok?

10) How deep into the actual earth (below the bottom of the hole) should
the anchor be twisted into the ground?

11) Would you recommend using eye-to-eye or eye-to-jaw turnbuckles for
the guy wire installations (I will be using 5 hole equalizer plates) and
why?

12) How important is it to ground the equalizer plates at the end of the
guy wire (the guy wire will be broken up by a few insulators along the
way so guying the end of the guy wire will probably not help a lightning
strike at the tower)?

I know that these are lots of q's, but I want to think about and plan a
good installation BEFORE anything goes into the ground.

Thanks very much for your help and interest!

73

Bob KQ2M


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