[TowerTalk] Broken Self Supporting Crank Up Tower

[Alan AB2OS]

Another thing: as I understand it, the tower manufacturers' permitted 
surface area figures assume that the antenna is mounted immediately at 
the top of the tower. When that same antenna is mounted 5, 10 or more 
feet above the top of the tower on a mast, the forces on the tower are 
increased significantly; the mast may survive, but not the tower itself.

Alan AB2OS


On 06/11/04 10:12 pm Dave NØRQ put fingers to keyboard and launched the 
following message into cyberspace:

> Though I agree with the intent of the comments, which I think was
> "too many guys overload their towers or don't install them correctly",
> I think that it is quite incorrect to categorize all self-supporting towers
> in the same way.
> 
> We all probably know of hams that have done shoddy or under-
> engineered installations -- because towers sometimes fall down ---
> both guyed and self-supporting ones, I might add!
> 
> When I put up my self-supporting Trylon T600 64' a few years ago,
> I selected the size, not based on my area's wind speed of 70 mph,
> but on 100 mph.  With only 15 sqft of antennas on it, I think that it
> will continue to support itself quite well.  And it if does fall, my house
> will probably be missing or severely damaged, in which case the broken
> tower will be the least of my concerns.
> 
> Self-supporting towers are great, even here in Texas,
> IF DONE CORRECTLY.   Guyed towers are fine, too,
> IF DONE CORRECTLY.