[TowerTalk] Brand new and appreciate help---Glen Martin tower & more..

[Jim Lux]

At 10:17 AM 12/1/2005, K7LXC at aol.com wrote:
>
>In a message dated 11/29/2005 6:48:20 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
>towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:
>
> >  Just got a general license.
>
>     Congratulations! Hope you have as much fun as I  have.
>
> >  Appreciate all the help that has been shown me.  I want  to put up a 3
>element SteppIR on top of a Glen Martin 9 foot or 17 foot  roof-top 
>tower.  The
>tower will be going onto a one story home (60 years  old) in Los
>Angeles---E.I.A. 70 M.P.H. I am getting a Yaesu G 1000 SDX  rotator.  I 
>have been told it's
>a good (very good) idea to guy the  tower.  I also have an Icom 756 Pro2.
>Thanks everyone for any and  all help....73.....Cary  KI6BMM
>
>
>
>     I've installed a bunch of the GME 9-footers and  they're great. The one
>thing I do is to use all-thread thru backing 2x4's in the  attic. GME 
>wants you
>to use lag screws screwed into a roof joist - it's not  very practical and
>depends on the lag screw for holding power. By using backing  plates in the
>attic and all-thread you spread the forces over a much larger area  of 
>your roof
>than the lag screws.
>
>     (For anyone quibbling about my violation of the LXC  Prime Directive to
>"DO what the manufacturer says", this comes under the heading  of 
>"Improvements
>and Over-Engineering".)
>
>     I'd suggest that the much larger overturning moment  from the 17-footer
>wouldn't be worth the small increase of  wavelength-above-ground height of 
>the
>antenna.


Unless your trees or neighbor's house happen to be 30 ft high, and getting 
the antenna up a bit above them will help.  Depends a lot on the local 
environment, and what your roof looks like (is it flat or pitched?)

Jim...