[TowerTalk] Crankup Towers

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/1/2006 4:48:39 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  Just wondering.........Who invented the crankup  tower?


    Lou Tristao (sorry, don't remember his callsign)  is recognized as the 
father of crank-ups. In the 1950's when commercial TV  started broadcasting in 
LA, people north in the central valley needed higher  antennas to get the 
signals. He came up with a crank-up  tower to  fill that need. He called it Tristao 
Expanding Towers. This was later  shortened to Tri-Ex which is still around. 
 
    I think he got his son in business with his  tubular tower design which 
was Wilson products. 
 
    He died a couple of years ago. 
 
Cheers,
Steve     K7LXC