[TowerTalk] Non-metallic towers and guy wires

[Chris BONDE]

If wood is not an option for non-metallic or conduiting mast have you looked at the 
plastic pipe.  There are different types of PVC.  I do not know them all but check 
into the UV protected type, say electric conduit, and if supporting wire only guys 
may be needed.  If more than that then some type of filler into the pipe to stiffen it.  
I think that there are a number of plastics that will foam and fill and strengthen.  
Talk to a plastics tech or gear.

One thing that I was told was donot use only the 'glue'  to hold the joints but over-lap 
the joints with spit sections and clamps.

Please let me know how you do, as I would like to make such a mast to hold up 
some verticals and inverted V's that I have in mind.  Maybe they will come out of 
that small mind and do something.

Chris opr VE7HCB 

From:           	"Dave Christensen" <Dave.Christensen at sesincusa.com>
To:             	<k4oj at tampabay.rr.com>, "Red" <RedHaines at centurytel.net>
Subject:        	RE: [TowerTalk] Non-metallic towers and guy wires
Date sent:      	Thu, 13 Nov 2003 09:53:19 -0700

My Dad is raising blight resistant American Chestnut Trees in WI. They
would be perfect. I never thought to ask him. Unfortunately I can't
wait the 30 years I'd need to grow one here. Seriously I'm getting a
lot of good leads. Wood is not an option.  Thanks for all the help.

Dave C

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Jim White, K4OJ
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 8:49 AM To: Red Cc: Towertalk
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Non-metallic towers and guy wires


...there is an old QST - circa 60's I think that had a picture of a
"topped" tree with a rotator and yagi on it.  I would hate to have to
use those tree climbing leg dagger boots but can see where this is a
workable solution!  I bet if someone did that today they would have
the entire village of environmental whackos upon them!

Racing cars/bicycles have a lot of carbon products that are
lightweight but very strong - while an antenna modeling dream, a
non-metallic tower has financially got to be out of the question.

73,

Jim, K4OJ



Red wrote:

> In days of old, when trees grew tall and straight, many towers and
> other structures were built of wood.
>
> Utility poles are good for some purposes.  The station, Desert
> Voices, near Farmington, MN, built and operated to support MARS
> during Desert Storm, had stacked rhombics on 90 foot poles loaned
> and erected by a local utility company.
>
> 73 de WOØW
>