[TowerTalk] Concrete base for self-support tower

[kb9yku]

thay make some real small backhoe's
i'm thinking of one that are  4 ft wide and like 5-6 ft long
and can dig a  hole 5-6 ft deep
bobcat  make  one

and  i know of one built like a  log spliter
and about the same size  just longer tong

good luck
kb9yku


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave" <VO1AU at rac.ca>
To: "Towertalk Reflector" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 8:13 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Concrete base for self-support tower


> G'day all:
>
> I need some advice.
>
> I'm digging holes for bases for two towers I plan to install at my new
> location.  These towers are 48ft self-supporting towers manufactured by
> Delhi in Ontario, similar to Rohn's old BX series of self-support towers.
> Delhi's specifications for the base recommend two cubic yards of concrete
in
> a 4ft by 4ft by 4ft hole in the ground.
>
> The ground under one prospective tower is quite rocky (Newfoundland is
> nicknamed "Da Rock" for a reason), and the other is both rocky and wet.
> It's darned hard digging, and because these towers are going into a very
> dense forest, impenetrable to a backhoe, the digging has to be done by
hand.
> I am at the point in one hole where the pick just bounces off the rock.
> Because the other hole is both wet and gravelly, digging goes very slowly.
> I'm looking to cut some corners, but I need to know how inadvisable this
> corner-cutting might be.
>
> My questions are:
> - If I made my bases wider, say 5x5x3ft deep (more concrete by weight and
> volume, but not so deep), would this acceptably approximate what the
> designers had in mind?
> - if I stuck to the original design idea of a 4x4x4ft base, would it be
> acceptable for any of that base to be above the soil?
>
> I plan to install KT34s on each of these towers and put up some wires.  I
> dare not put these towers up any higher than 48ft, as we have extremely
> strong winds here.  Besides, I'm 2km from the Atlantic and I'm pretty
> confident I'll do well from here even with shorter towers than I would
> prefer.
>
> Dave VO1AU (ex-VE2ZP)
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
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