[TowerTalk] Unsafe Towers @ field day, Installation Ideas

[mpride@us.ibm.com]

For those of us who climb these FD towers, really prefer to go with steel
guys, turnbuckles, proper clamps and attach to either solid trees (10 to 18
inch diameters and/or screw in anchors or very long steel pipes driven into
the ground 4 ft or more).  Many a FD tower I have put up using these
components, yields a movement at the top of a 50 ft. tower of less than1/2
inch when really shaken - Solid!  Tower legs jammed into the ground has
been quite sufficient to prevent an tower rotation or twisting.  Also watch
the positioning of the guys - try to maintain the 120 degree points between
guys (assuming only 3 guys here).  Have seen installations where it far
less than that, and it was viewed as one of the miracles in physics - how
does it stay up? And, who in there right might would want to climb it?
Couple this with ropes - wow, you have got one sloppy tower setup!

My typical procedure used for erecting a 50 ft. tower is put together the
first 40 ft. and secure with the steel guys just below the top, being sure
to have the guys looped around the leg and rung so it does not slip off
while the tower is being raised, secure with the turnbuckles and anchors,
etc. With 8 people, the 40 ft. is raised - one on the base to keep it from
moving, one on each guy wire, and rest walking up the tower.  Walking up
more than 40 ft. is a real chore. Then finish the tower with the top
section using either a gin pole or with a minimum of two people placing the
section on by hand - assumption here is the tower is Rohn 25, not anything
bigger. The top section is only 40 lbs. and is quite manageable by two
individuals with good upper body strength.  Also a good idea is to fit
check the sections on the ground so there are no surprises.  Apply grease
or other lubricants to the legs to ease assembly and don't let the legs of
the sections being pulled up to the top of the tower touch the ground as
they go vertical, to keep them free of dirt, etc. that would potentially
hinder assembly.  If a mast is involved, put the mast inside the 40 tower
prior to walking it up, then once the tower is up, pull the mast up the
center of the tower and secure.

Another key safety point while at the 40 ft. point, just prior to adding
the top section (especially when the last section is being put up by hand,
be sure to wrap your climbing belt around the leg of the tower, below the
top set of rungs (horizontal braces) to prevent the belt from slipping over
the tower and falling. With the two man approach without gin pole, it is
often necessary to have one of the two be higher than the top of the tower,
to gain the best mechanical advantage. This technique applies especially to
the the older climbing belts where additional safety hooks are not
involved.  Have seen many a situation while messing with a section being
raised or an antenna having trouble reaching its final position, the
climber does alot of moving around and unless that belt is positioned
properly (no chance of slipping off the top of the tower), there is a good
chance for an accident.

Have a safe FD folks!

Regards,

Mark, K1RX



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