[TowerTalk] Chrome Molly tube

[K7LXC at aol.com]

From: "Tower (K8RI)" <tower at rogerhalstead.com>
Subject:  [TowerTalk] Chrome Molly tube.
To:  <TOWERTALK at contesting.com>
Message-ID:  <000f01c4d119$1f9b8550$28d2f718 at roger2>
Content-Type: text/plain;  format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original

>>  I'm looking for some chrome molly tube  to replace the structural steel 
I'm 
using now.

>>I currently  have 2 22-23 foot long pieces of 1 1/2 inch with 1/4 inch wall 
butt welded  together.  Over the splice is a 24 foot length of 2" which just 
nicely  fits over the  1 1/2.

>> This is on a 97 foot ROHN  45-G.
There is a TH5 at 100 feet, mounted on the 2" pipe.
At 115 feet  there is a 7-L 6-meter C3i Yagi mounted on the 1 1/2 pipe right 
at the top  of the 2".
At 130 feet is a pair of 12 L vertically polarized 2-meter yagis  on a 14 
foot cross boom.
There is a pair of 11 L vertically polarized 440  yagis inboard of the 
2-meter yagis on the same boom.

>>   When the winds hit 50 to 70 MPH the thing looks like a blue gill fly rod 
 
that just tied into a Bass. I find it amazing the VHF and UHF antennas have  
held together for two winters.

>>  My thoughts are the  Chrome molly tube would be more rigid, albeit a 
whale of 
a lot more  expensive.

Hi, Roger --
 
Rigidity isn't the driver here. I'm not an engineer so can't address  various 
technical mechanical aspects. 
 
What you DO need to do is to figure out WHAT KIND OF MAST IS REQUIRED based  
on your parameters - your local windspeed conditions (found at 
_www.championradio.com_ (http://www.championradio.com)  under Tech Notes  for all US 
counties) and proposed antenna load. My Mast, Antenna, and Rotator  Calculator (MARC) 
Program will do that for you for ten bucks.  
 
It's been my experience that most people that buy chromoly masts DON'T  
REALLY NEED THEM. And they ain't cheap! 
 
Cheers & tnx for all your TT contributions!
Steve     K7LXC
Champion Radio Products
Cell: 206-890-4188