[TowerTalk] Gin Pole Loading

[Stan or Patricia Griffiths]

Hey Guys,

Kurt, K7NV, just sent me an email where he discusses
sideloading on a gin pole and the fact that right at the
top, when you are just setting the mast into the bearing,
the gin pole will be significantly sideloaded.  There is
just no way to totally avoid this since the gin pole pulleys
are not right directly above the bearing hole, but offset
from the tower center.  This is where a gin pole with a
"swivelling rooster head" could make all the difference in
the world.

What is a "swiveling rooster head"?  Well, the "rooster
head" is that part right at the top of the gin pole mast
where the pulleys are located.  Really BIG gin poles like
are used on commercial broadcast towers have their top pully
mounted on a short arm that can be swung over the top of the
tower which allows the workers to keep the pull ropes and
load ropes nearly vertical, greatly reducing the sideloading
of the gin pole.  This would really be a great gin pole
feature for us to have for these really scary, tall, heavy
mast jobs.

Please take the time to read Kurt's message because his
point is that you can destroy all of the gains you may have
made by the use of a block and tackle by using techniques
that seriously sideload the gin pole at the last second.

Stan
w7ni@easystreet.com




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