[TowerTalk] wind speed near ground vs. higher

[Richard Boyd]

At my (current) QTH I have 120'-tall "tulip popular" trees, typically the
tallest species in our area (One ham nearby has 150' ones!)  The wind speed
increase when you climb to above treetop height is dramatic.  It is clear
that there is much less wind on antennas at 50', 100', etc., in my specific
location.

I can understand that tower company engineers don't readily (shooting from
the hip, etc.) stray beyond the "total tower rating" figures they've already
published, etc.  I think it begs the question of how much additional could
be put elsewhere on the tower than at the top, how much the allowable at the
top is derated by doing so, etc.  Clearly, this would be a much more complex
mechanical analysis that isn't readily available off the shelf or, as N4ZR
said, "in cookbork form."

The best answer I've heard so far is that we don't really know the answer.
(though it could be obtained if we wanted to do the mechanical analysis,
etc.)

73 - Rich, KE3Q




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