[TowerTalk] Re: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 15, Issue 6

[Chuck Sudds]

At 10:40 PM 3/2/04 -0500, you wrote:

I have a very similar situation here in the corn fields of Western Iowa, 
although I opted to bury my guy anchors quite alot deeper.  In fact, I 
called the rural electric company and they came out with their auger truck 
and dug three guy anchor holes 8 feet deep by 24in in diameter. The cost 
was minimal... something like $60.  I chose 3 - 14 foot pieces of 4in 
schedule 80 pipe because of the availability and boy, were they ever 
heavy!  After ruining two large drill bits trying to drill through the 
pipes, I finished up by torching holes in the right places and filling the 
holes with cement.  The tower has been up for 6 years with nary a 
hitch.  Just wish that I would have gone with elevated guys many years ago 
when my kids were little!  It makes mowing so much easier and puts the 
temptation to mess with the guy wires out of harms way when the grand kids 
visit!  Good luck!

Chuck  KØTVD



>    I have a 90' tower with 3 guys at 85' , 55' and 30' that are attached 
> to Rail road rails.  6' above the ground and 4' in cement.
>Although not "I" beams they are similar.  What you must keep in mind is 
>the pull at the top of the rail/I beam is like a lever with ever 
>increasing force at the point of ground entry.  The longer the rail the 
>more force at the ground point.  To this end the rail road rail were a 
>little more to my liking.  I have to admit it took three people to lift it 
>up and place it in the hole they were so heavy.  My tower is a little over 
>engineered because I am in Florida and must think of hurricane strength 
>winds.  So far nothing has happened and it has survived a nearby 
>twister.  Mowing is easy with the wire up 6' above ground and I don't have 
>to worry about my children running and hitting low guy wires.  I plan on 
>another tower with mono-banders on it and will use a similar setup.  I 
>hope this 
>helps.                                                         Ron, N4GFO