[TowerTalk] Tower base

[Cqtestk4xs at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/29/2006 8:30:16 P.M. Greenwich Standard Time,  
n4zr at contesting.com writes:

K7NV did  a computational study some years ago to compare pier pin versus 
fixed base  construction, and found some circumstances, IIRC, where the fixed 
base would  cause failure in the first section at a lower wind speed than if an 
ideal pier  pin were used.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

However,one overlooked advantage of having a stick in the ground opposed to  
pier pin is the ability to drop the guys at any time (or having them fail from 
 an accident like heavy machinery snapping them as happened once on one of my 
 towers) and still have a standing tower.
 
Guys with modest height Rohn 45 and 55 have the advantage of just hauling  an 
antenna up the side of the tower to the top after dropping the guys and then  
replacing them before anyone goes back up the tower to put the antenna in its 
 final spot....can't be done with a pier pin!  It sure beats assembling an  
antenna on the tower or having to rig a tram.
 
I have, as a one man operation, raised a 40 meter KLM 4 el Yagi in this  
fashion to 90 feet many times.  Of course, you can't be stupid about  it.  Raising 
it on a day Ernesto is expected is a no-no.
 
Bill K4XS