[TowerTalk] followup question on verticals in trees

[w9ge]

The reason Tulip Poplars are prone to lightening is because they are 
generally the highest thing around.  The one next to my barn/shack is now 
110 feet tall and dwarfs my 80 foot towers.  It does a nice job of holding 
up a 75 meter delta loop tho.  That tree was one of the main reasons I 
bought this piece of property.  73 bob de w9ge
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Aycock" <baycock at direcway.com>
To: "RICHARD BOYD" <ke3q at msn.com>; "towertalk reflector" 
<towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] followup question on verticals in trees


>
> Tulip Poplars are very prevalent in my area; I  have hundreds. Locally 
> they are logged for lumber for furniture frames, and shipped to the North 
> Carolina Furniture factories..
> I see one drawback to the Poplar as antenna supports; They are prone to 
> lightning strikes. I have many with evidence of "hits". After a lightning 
> strike, the tree will frequently fork above the hit, or develop an "S" 
> shaped  growth pattern. There is also, frequently, a strip of bark that 
> has been peeled off by the heat from the strike.
> Your area may not be as prone to lightning as ours, so this may not be a 
> problem.
> Good luck- Bill
>
> At 10:49 AM 9/16/2004 -0400, RICHARD BOYD wrote:
>
>>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
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
>>Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with 
>>any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
> Bill Aycock - W4BSG
> Woodville, Alabama
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless 
> Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with 
> any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
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>