[TowerTalk] Simple Tower Construction

[D. Scott MacKenzie]

A crank up would work - but I am limited by set-backs.  Having a narrow yard
I would be limited to approximately 25 feet.  Actually - 25 feet wouldn't be
too bad - it would be better than my vertical (I think).  That is why I
wanted to put something simple on my roof.....

My wife is loathe to put any holes in the roof - especially if I do it (she
hides tools from me).  One thing that I was thinking of, was to place a
ladder-type support, with the mast through the center of the ladder.  The
ladder would be supported by several boards located across several of the
2x4 of the wood frame to help spread out the loading....or am I dreaming or
delusional?

KBØFHP

-----Original Message-----
From: ersmar at comcast.net [mailto:ersmar at comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2005 3:08 PM
To: kb0fhp at comcast.net; towertalk at contesting.com
Cc: D. Scott MacKenzie
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Simple Tower Construction


Scott:

     I would not recommend a tilt-over tower on the roof of your house.  The
average residential, framed roof system is not designed to withstand the
forces generated by wind loading on a tower or from raising and lowering a
tiltover, even if guyed at the roof corners.  It can be done, but this must
be an engineerd solution, not something we here in Cyberland can do by
remote control for you.

     You could investigate a small Glen Martin tower for atop your roof.  I
believe some TowerTalkians have installed these and provide some advice.
They don't go up very high, though - less than twenty feet above the roof
from what I recall.  And the taller ones must be guyed to the corners of the
roof.

     You might also consider an alternative - a crank-up along side your
house.  A nearby (to me) ham has one such installation at his hilltop QTH;
his backyard slopes away from his house quite quickly.  He has a KT-34XL on
top of his tower, plus a 2M antenna for FM voice on a sidearm bracket, plus
a 2M packet antenna atop his mast.  He was able to install the antennas
initially from his rooftop.  Over the years the trees have grown closer to
his house and he now must trim the branches to be able to lower his tower.
This is one inconvenient aspect about a tower on a small, treed suburban lot
(like mine, too.)

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F



> I live in a residential area, with a limited yard (1/2 acre).  Because of
> the number of trees and the slope of the yard, the only real location I
have
> for putting up an antenna is on the top of the second floor.  Any
> suggestions?  I intend on using a TH6DXX, with a 6M5X mounted above it.
> Being an old geezer, I would love to have a tilt-over type tower attached
to
> the second floor so that I could work on the antenna.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Scott aka KBØFHP
>
>
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