[Towertalk] CRANK UP TOWERS - Not a panacea

[Jim White, K4OJ]

I think your fooling yourself...

Having seen what Andrew did - NOTHING - no matter how low it is is any less
likely to become airborne!

I saw the sides of mobile homes wrapped around avocado trees....they were
low to the ground!

If a hurricane is going to come it is going to come and it is going to level
anything it wants to, period.

I feel that you are simply kidding yourself thinking that a lowered antenna
is safer.  It is far less safer as far as servicing - it is far less safer
as far as potential for collapse...

A properly installed fixed tower is like a building - at the top of our 135
footer (Rohn 55) it is rock solid - as if you are at the ground level.  I
swear you could park a car on it...I suspect the fears of tall fixed towers
are those of guys who prefer not to climb and not the feelings of those who
it, especially those who do it for a living...lets hear from some of the
tower pros logged onto this reflector...

If it gives you a warm fuzzy to think lowering your antenna is better -
great - but I would be interested to hear the professional response on this
as far as which type of tower they would rather work on....I think it will
be the fixed one where there is less to go wrong.

73,

Jim, K4OJ

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Otten" <res0958z@verizon.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 11:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Towertalk] CRANK UP TOWERS


> Yes! One of the benefits to having the crank-up /tilt-over tower IS the
> capability of removing it from harm's way during severe weather. Being a
> Florida resident (besides being a resident in the Lightning capital of the
> USA -- we just lost the world title to Rwanda!) we occasionally get a
major
> storm. Anyone who thought their tower might survive -- guyed or otherwise
> during Hurricane Andrew got his hurricane party started a bit too early.
> Common sense would suggest that if homes, railcars, yachts, buildings,
> trees, and just about everything else was in danger -- towers might be
> also??  Having the crank down/tiltover tower tremendously reduces the risk
> to calamity too -- again, simple common sense. Tilted over, my tower sits
> lower than the eave of my home and once tilted is supported by the base
> fixture and the support fixture some 25 feet away. Undeniably, it's MUCH
> safer that way in severe winds than extended to it's full 60' height with
12
> sq. ft. of antenna!
>
> Bill KC9CS
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Christensen" <w9ac@arrl.net>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 12:30 pm
> Subject: Re: [Towertalk] CRANK UP TOWERS
>
>
> > > I got to  disagree with you on this one K4RV...
> > >
> > > No way is having a crank down and or tiltover better - I would go with
> the
> > > guyed tower over and over again - ESPECIALLY AFTER SEEING WHAT ANDREW
> DID!
> >
> > Isn't a major point in owning a crank-up tower that the operator
> completely or at least partially nests the tower when not actively
> > operating?
> >
> > -Paul, W9AC
>
>
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