[TowerTalk] Insulated Rohn sections

[Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD]

I have heard from a reputable tower installer that the insulated Rohn sections using ceramic are prone to cracking, especially if the guys are not tensioned properly and equally during installation while working up to the appropriate tension setting.  He has insulators made from stainless steel cups and delrin plastic.  The delrin is turned on a lathe to fit in the cups, forming an insulator with about 2" of space between the stainless cups.  The cups are about 5" in diameter and about 6" long assembled into an insulator and have inserts made of stainless welded to the cups for the tower legs to sit into.  Basically, once assembled, the insulators simply sit on top of one section then the next section sits into the insulator.  No bolts.  The ones I saw were used just above the feed point at about 20' on a full size 160 meter vertical with 8 elevated radials.  The supported 120' of 25G plus the tuning mast on top.
Rudy Marcelletti, K8SWD