[TowerTalk] followup question on verticals in trees

[RICHARD BOYD]

Thanks all for the responses on verticals in woods/trees.  I haven't read or 
responded to them all yet, but plan to.

Meantime, I have a followup question that's occurred to me, another 
practical, simple, real world kind of question.

I have some trees in the woods that I am hoping are at least 130' so that I 
can put up fullsize 160M verticals without having them slope.  If it turns 
out they're only 110' or 120', so that I have to have them slope some, how 
undesirable is that?  How much do you expect the performance will suffer? 
What if the trees are only 90' or 100'?  (Although I do think the trees are 
at least 110').  Note:  the tallest trees we have here in Maryland are 
"tulip poplars," also called, I think, "tulip trees," that according to the 
tree book can get to be 150', and I think I have seen some that big over 
near the Severn River (at K3HQ's 30-acre place) -- and I measured the ones 
at my old place as 120' (by climbing my 160' tower 'til the treetops were at 
eye level and gauging it that way).  These trees have a "habit" of being 
"columnar," and I have noticed they do this when they are growing amongst 
other trees.  A tulip poplar growing by itself in the middle of a field 
tends to become rounder, not as "columnar" and straight, not as tall.  They 
aggressively grow tall to get up to the canopy top and get sunlight.

73 - Rich, KE3Q

73 - Rich, KE3Q