[TowerTalk] Raising TV Mast...

[Chris BONDE]

Dave:

I had made a 24ft mast, which is replace by a 30ft mast (but by mounting is about 
28ft).

It is made out of 10ft sections of the top rail of a chain link fence.  I wanted to use 2 
sections of 20ft industrial top rails but could not have them shipped into me for less 
than their price.  The 10ft sections are residential and thinner wall.

With pipes on the ground I slipped the 3 sections together, they are swedged.  I put 
a 2 piece 6 in long sleeve over the lower join, bolted together then a  gear clamp (or 
hose clamp) over the top join.  Above the gear clamp I put a piece of cedar wood, 
holes drilled in for the mast and for three guys which were tie on.  At the top I drilled 
a hole and put there in an eye bolt.  The eye bolt, to be used as a 'pulley' to hoist 
the centre of the doublet, also went through a plastic cap which covered the top. A 
guy was tied at the top around the eyebolt to be tightened in the opposite  direction 
of the feedline (my case home made ladder line with a carrier line in).

Raising the mast required the help of the XYL.  I was able to have 2 of the lower 
guys in eyebolts and she kept them taught whilst I walked the mast up.  The bottom 
was braced against a fixed board to stop the mast from sliding on the grass.  If you 
are going higher than 30 ft I would suggest using the guy on top to help the top up 
maybe with a gin pole near the bottom guys.  When the mast was vertical I carried it 
over to the main pole to hold it, dropped it in then quickly tied the guys.  The top is 
guyed by the 2 legs of the antenna, the top guy and the carrier for the ladder line.

I had a 21ft one up temporarily for 3 winters.  Lottsa rust so took it down.   It behave 
well in the low winds we have here.  But I had to make sure the ice and snow did not 
build up on any of the lines.

Short answer, yes you can do it but be careful.

Chris opr VE7HCB

From:           	"Dan Levin" <djl at andlev.com>
To:             	<towertalk at contesting.com>
Date sent:      	Sun, 26 Oct 2003 20:14:37 -0800
Subject:        	[TowerTalk] Raising TV Mast...

> I'm thinking about using standard "heavy duty" 16 guage 1.25" steel TV
> mast as a temporary support for the middle of my trap dipole.  This is
> not "telescoping" push-up mast, but rather the standard stuff that you
> see on top of everyone's roof - one end swaged down to slip into the
> next section.
> 
> Does anyone know if you can walk up a 30 or even 40 foot long hunk of
> this stuff?  I have no idea how they install it on roofs - I have seen
> what looks like 30' of it fairly frequently.  I assume they assemble
> the pieces on the roof, and then walk it up as one piece - does anyone
> know if that is right?
> 
> I know it needs to be guyed at every 10' joint.  It is only going to
> be up for 3 days, so I don't need it to be too strong.  I'm just not
> sure how to get it vertical in the first place...
> 
> Thanks!
> 
>                           ***dan, K6IF
> 
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