[TowerTalk] Broken Self Supporting Crank Up Tower

[Wendell Wyly - W5FL]

Driving home today after a recent thunderstorm, I saw a crank up
(telescoping triangular tower) BROKEN completely in two pieces with the beam
hanging nearly on the ground.  This was a fairly heavy duty tower with only
a tri-bander on it and only about a 50 foot tower.  He needs a crane to get
it down now.

Never ceases to amaze me that it takes me 8 5/16 EHS guys to hold my Rohn 45
tower and small 2 element quad antenna  and others seem to think a little
piece of concrete is going to hold their crank up towers in the extended
position indefinitely.  I am sure the load was only 6-8 sq feet, but that
was enough.

As Don, K5DUT often said, "Self Supporting Towers in Texas aren't"