[TowerTalk] Rohn 25 rust

[Cqtestk4xs at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/29/2006 3:52:00 A.M. Greenwich Standard Time,  
Tom.Georgens at netapp.com writes:

I have a  question about my tower in Barbados.  The environment down
there is  brutal and corrosion is a constant battle.  Over 5 years, I
have  managed to get control over a rust problem on my Rohn 25.  However,
on  a recent trip, I noticed some areas under tape and cables that  have
deteriorated since they were out of site.


Good point.   I pick up lots of used tower and once found the  same thing.  
This tower had been up about 2500 feet from the Gulf.  It  was in reasonably 
good shape with almost no surface rust.  When I  started to remove the tape off 
the upper sections I found the the rust  was so bad that it had eaten right 
through the legs of the Rohn 55.
 
Lesson:  Using to tape to hold down wires causes salt in the air to  collect 
in tapejoints if the tower is located close to salt water.  At my  location 
almost five miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico I did not see any  evidence of 
this when I took down my tower after ten years even though I  used tape.  At 
my QTH in KH6 which will be 3000 feet on the windward  side from the Pacific I 
am planning on using wire to secure hardline and other  cable to the tower.
 
Bill K4XS