[TowerTalk] Freestanding Towers

[J. Kincade]

Gene, I thought crane or boom rental would be an arm an a leg, too. But on
the advice of K7LXC I checked around town today, no problem getting a 92'
boom truck for $66 per hour, with no minimum. Time charged is door-to-door,
so you pay for their travel time. This is NOT the gargantuan 60' long
rip-up-your-yard crane-on-wheels thing, but instead looks like about a
meduim sized 5-ton or so truck with outriggers and a 92' reach hydraulic
boom. You've probably seen them lifting AC units onto rooftops of buildings
for HVAC companies, which is their main bread and butter. They will not do
the rigging, you have to do that. Their driver will only maneuver the truck
and operate the boom. But they will provide any length or number of straps
that you need for your lifts, and carry a variety of hooks. They will even
come out Saturday for $81 per hour vice $66, which I will take advantage of
because the extra $15  per hour for the 3 hours I expect to need them (maybe
less) is cheaper than me missing a full day's work. I was surprised at the
reasonable rates, and I intend to use them instead of endangering myself and
a batch of friends. I suppose they could set the entire 80' 45G at one shot,
if I had the nerve to try to lift the whole thing fully assembled by picking
it at the top, but I'll probably do it in two 40' sections, because I'm
scared of folding up my new 45G. This particular outfit does work for
several hams in the area, as it turns out, and they are very knowledgeable
and accomodating for ham tower requirements. I'd bet every town of any size
has similar outfits. Check with the local HVAC companies and see who they
contract for their routine lifts.
73, Jerry W5KP

----- Original Message -----
From: EUGENE SMAR <SPELUNK.SUENO@prodigy.net>
To: Steve Maki <steve@oakcom.com>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 9:12 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Freestanding Towers


>
> Steve:
>
>      I'm not using a gin pole mainly because I don't own one or know where
> to get one around here.  (Maybe that will scare a few sources out of the
> weeds.)  Thanks for the suggestion, though.
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Maki <steve@oakcom.com>
> To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Thursday, July 26, 2001 9:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Freestanding Towers
>
>
> >
> >Gene Smar   AD3F wrote:
> >
> >>Nathaniel:
> >>
> >>     I, too, have no way to get a crane close to the tower site (OK -
> it'll
> >>cost me a lot of bucks, too.)  So I'm building my Trylon piece by piece
> >>above me as I climb it.  I first fully assembled the bottom section with
> the
> >>base stubs and set it into the hole.  After the concrete cured (a couple
> of
> >>weeks at least) I hauled the three legs for the second section up on
ropes
> >>and bolted them in place.  Then I hauled up the angle pieces for that
> >>section and bolted them in place between the tower legs.  Then I
continued
> >>with the legs for the next 8-foot section.  It's a pain but it can be
> done.
> >>It took me about 2 hours to assemble and straighten out each 8-foot
> section.
> >
> >Why not assemble each section on the ground and hoist into place
> >with a gin pole? I installed many Trylons that way in the 80s and
> >it was a fairly smooth process. I seem to recall thinking, as I was
> >installing the stuff, of ways to minimize my time in the air on those
> >towers, as they are rather rough on the ankles & feet.
> >
> >73,
> >--
> >Steve K8LX
> >
> >
> >-----
> >FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
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> >Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> >
>
>
>
> -----
> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
>
>




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