[TowerTalk] Homemade tower base for HG-70HD

[Jim Lux]

At 10:13 PM 7/24/2006, Allen R. Brier wrote:
>I bought a used Hy-Gain HG-70HD tower. The guy I bought it from built a
>homemade rebar base for it. I would like to get some guidance from the group
>on the following issues:
>
>
>
>1.      Size of rebar: I need to convert the diameter to rebar "size"
>(gauge)(?).

rebar # is 1/8ths of an inch, #4 is a half an inch in diameter (nominal)

More on rebar at: http://www.sizes.com/materls/rebar.htm

>2.      Welding: The rebar cage has been welded, not wired together.

Could be good, could be bad. Depends on the material in the bars and how it 
was welded.

>3.      Rust: The rebar cage is quite rusted. I assume that I will need to
>clean the rust to achieve good contact with the concrete.
>4.      Design: Does anybody have the design for the HG-70HD base? Of
>course, I can probably use a base for a similar size tower as a go-by.

Is there a manufacturer recommendation? Check the Hygain website and 
download the manual.

>I would appreciate any input I could get to determine if this FREE base is
>good enough, or should I purchase a new one from Hy-Gain for $349(?) I will
>be happy to photograph this base and send it to anyone nice enough to
>evaluate it. I want to make sure the tower stays up in the worst on
>conditions. I know the base is a critical part of that and I just want to
>make sure it is ok.

You're in an interesting situation.. You could spend $350 and *know* that 
it's the right one, or you can spend nothing and gamble that it's the right 
one, that it was properly assembled, etc.  What fraction of the overall 
project cost is the $350?  Do you have any permitting requirements?  What 
are the consequences of it falling down?

Jim, W6RMK