[Towertalk] screw in anchors

[Jon Zaimes AA1K]

Jerry,

A long time ago in a call area not too far from Delaware, I guyed 70 feet
of Rohn 25 to large hardwoods, perhaps 2 feet diameter. I wrapped several
turns of EHS guy cable around the tree and secured with cable clamps. I
used large nails to keep this loop from sliding up the tree. Every year or
two I would loosen up the cable slightly to keep it from growing into the
tree, and from strangling the tree and killing it. The turnbuckles for the
guys attached to the steel guy wires looped around the tree.

Of course now we all know to follow the manufacturers instructions -- or at
least use something stronger. 

While it is true if the anchor tree falls it will take down the tower, if
the tree not used as a guy anchor falls, it also will likely take down the
tower if it falls on the guys (unless you have Rohn 55 or bigger).

Recently I took down a 125 foot Rohn 25 tower that had been up about 20
years. Two of the three guys used large trees as anchors. The trees were
about 2.5 to 3 ft diameter, and had a large eye bolt bored through or into
the tree. The tree had grown around the eye bolt in one case and we had to
cut the guy free.

These guys were up 8-12 feet above ground. I don't know how high they were
when the tower was installed.

73/Jon AA1K


At 10:39 AM 9/8/02 -0400, you wrote:
>If trees can be used as masts or towers, what about using them as guy
>anchors? Has anyone had any experience with doing that? Jerry K3BZ
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: towertalk-admin@contesting.com
>[mailto:towertalk-admin@contesting.com]On Behalf Of n4kg@juno.com
>Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 9:00 AM
>To: TOWERTALK@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [Towertalk] screw in anchors
>
>
>On Sun, 08 Sep 2002 07:09:20 -0500 Jon Ogden <na9d@speakeasy.net> writes:
>
>	SNIP
>>
>>   Let me tell you,  those screw anchors did NOT go in easily.
>> Very difficult to put in.  I  could feel when I hit the clay and rocks.
>
>> One of the anchors got most of the  way down and hit rock.
>> If we tried cranking it further, we just would twist  the guy
>> rod itself.
>>
>> I think they should hold pretty well.
>>
>> 73,   Jon  NA9D
>>
>
>The BEST time to install screw-in anchors is after
>a good soaking rain :-)   Rocks are a bummer.
>If the anchor is only partially in the ground, it may
>be necessary to try remove it and try a slightly
>different location.
>
>Tom  N4KG
>
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