[TowerTalk] Easy method of digging

[Ken Kinyon]

Hi Dave,
Take my advice. Hire someone with a small back hoe. They make one for a bob-cat.
They will do it much faster and for probably not much more than it would cost
you to rent one.  And if something goes wrong you are not the one getting hurt.
73,
Ken W7TS

------------------------
Kenneth E.  Kinyon
34 Princeton Circle
Longmont, CO 80503-2106
Voice/fax  (303) 684-0037
E-mail W7TS@ibm.net
ALPCA #8339
ARRL-LM

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
[mailto:owner-towertalk@contesting.com]On Behalf Of David Leikis
Sent: Sunday, May 30, 1999 20:50
To: towertalk
Subject: [TowerTalk] Easy method of digging



Hello tower-talkians,

I have what may seem like a rather silly question, but I would like some
advice from some that may have encountered this before.

I will very soon be digging a hole  7 feet X 3.5 feet X 3.5 feet in my
back yard to install my self-supporting crankup tower.  I have checked
out several options to do this and here are the basic options.

1. Get a shovel and dig the hole.
    Problems:
a. Danger of hole collapse with someone in there over their head.
b. Lack of working room to move the shovel.
 c. Need to use a bucket brigade method of getting the dirt out.
d. Lots of hard work.

2. Rent a small back hoe tractor.  ( A good option is the "TerraMite"
yard tractor.)
    Problems:
a. Possibility of hole collapse due to surrounding weight of tractor.
b.  It can dig down 8ft. 4 in., but the 1st boom would not be able to
allow an
     arc of movement to reach into a 3.5 sq. ft. hole easily.  ( I would
need
     to keep moving the tractor back and forth to reach to bottom.)
c.  I could dig back the near side some to allow access of the boom
problem in (c),
     but the base requirements state that the surrounding earth be
undisturbed to
     achieve full wind load rating of base and tower combo.
d. Inaccurate hole dimensions due to my amateur standing as a back hoe
operator.

3. Hire a group of small children with sand shovels and challenge them
to 'dig to China'.
    Problems:
a. Child labor laws.
b. My youngest child is nearly 15.
c. The neighbor kids are already wise to me.


Thanks for any input,

Dave KG7EW


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