[TowerTalk] HAZER/GLEN MARTIN SYSTEMS

[Ron Castro]

I have been using a 50 ft Glen Martin (12" tower face) for the past year in
a commercial application where we placed a 1-bay commercial FM broadcast
antenna and a small 450 MHz vertical on the supplied 10 foot pole.   We were
testing the antenna on various parts of the property, and we have so far
erected it in three locations, using the TF-1300 temporary base fixture.
Here are some observations:

It takes more than four people to stand it up, unless one of them is Arnold
Shwartzeneger!  Four will do it if you have a nice tree and a
block-and-tackle to help pull it up.  Otherwise, six works OK.

Assembly was easy, except each section is bolted together with 24 nuts and
bolts.  The nuts are nestled into the "V" of each tower leg (60-degree angle
aluminum) in such a way that you can't use a ratchet or a nut-driver to
tighten them.  They have to be tightened with an open-end wrench, and since
they have nylon "hold-tight" inserts, the process takes forever!  Also, some
of the connecting brackets appeared to be drilled off-center, complicating
the work.  Because of that, the tram did not slide over the connections, and
had to be re-adjusted to fit.  A further problem of the off-center drilling
was that the tram wanted to hang up when it passed where the sections fitted
together.

After we took the tower down, carried it full-length down a 200', 30% grade
hill,  (by four guys in total denial about the restraints of advanced middle
age!) and re-erected it, the hang-up problem seemed to subside.
None-the-less, I still keep a tether rope on it to pull it down should it
hang again.

The tram fixture and winch seem to be pretty strong, although we only put
about 40 lbs. dead-load on it, and very little wind load (about 2 sq. ft).
Our next job will be with about 100 lbs. and 4 sq. ft (a 2-bay FM array),
but I don't think there will be any problems.  I think the factory says it's
good for about 200 lbs..

I would have no hesitation putting a C-4 or TH-7, or maybe something bigger
on it, even in a windy area.

Ron, N6AHA



>
>Would appreciate any feed back one can provide on the Hazer tram systems
>be it good or bad. I am interested in experiences with  medium to large
>arrays and  actually, anything
>about the tram system.
>
>Thank you in advance for your help.....
>
>Joel, K2QBV
>
>
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