[Towertalk] How To Hold Up A 20' Mast On The Ground?

[S. J. Blackwell]

Another thought on the mast subject:
When I recently put up my tower, a 60 foot free stander,the top secton was 
not installed. I tied the top section along side the tower at ground level. 
A block was placed about 20' up the tower. The rotor plate and rotor were 
installed about 8' below the top of the top section.The mast was then 
installed and attached to the rotor. Both beams that were to be installed 
were then assembled on the ground. A second block was then attached to the 
tower base, a bridle made up and attached to each beam and in turn they were 
pulled up to the mast attachment using a small tractor. The brake could then 
be set while yours truly climbed the tower along side the mast and bolted 
them in place. Feed lines and rotor control wiring were installed, fittings 
waterproofed and the loop in the coax made up and the feed lines etc were 
attached to the tower top section.
  I live 80 miles from the nearest crane, so a local tree cutter (lots of 
hardwood harvested here) was cajoled into using his crane(?), a monster that 
is used to lift logs, but could barely make the height for the hoist, but 
did. The whole top section with beams et al were then put in place. The 
three legs joined an the six retaining blots were put in place. The coax etc 
was attached to the tower on the way down.
  I felt that I had to do all of the wiring, as there is no one around that 
had the foggiest notion as to what was being done. I any event, it worked. 
Many ways to do the same thing.
By the way, I am 68 years old and have had three heart attacks, an artery in 
my leg clotted off in the past and a abdominal aneurysm. So it must not be 
tooo difficult.

73
Sam.W5LU

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