[TowerTalk] Crank-ups

K7LXC at aol.com K7LXC at aol.com
Thu Jun 15 12:18:58 EDT 2006


 
In a message dated 6/11/2006 9:01:34 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  My XYL is urging me to consider a crank-up (and possibly a  tilt-over 
crank-up) to avoid the necessity of climbing the thing, and also  partly 
for a more neighbor-friendly installation.

>  1.  Does anybody have any experience or opinions of the Heights aluminum  
towers? -- in addition to the reviews on eham.net.



    I'm not a big fan of aluminum towers - and  crank-ups in particular. I 
just helped a guy crank up a 100-footer.  IMO some of the hardware is pretty 
small compared to other  manufacturers; it wasn't really confidence instilling. 
It has to be guyed at  each section, thus putting lots more strain on the main 
cables. You have to  crank the whole thing up before you can attach the guys 
and it's a pretty  scary proposition. We had comealongs attached to the guys at 
one level and you  have to do it on a totally windless day. He'd have been 
much better off - and  saved thousands of dollars - by putting up 45G or some 
other tower. 
 
    BTW it's also the same big chore and a  couple of hours to crank it down 
so once it's up - it's up for the duration.  

>  2. If a crank-up lattice tower gets iced up, is it pretty  much stuck at 
its current height until the thaw sets  in?



        Yessireebob.
 
        If you're going to get a  crank-up, I'd recommend one of the steel 
ones by US Towers. You can crank it up  and down any time you want, ice loading 
aside. 
 
Cheers,
Steve     K7LXC
TOWER TECH -
Professional tower services for hams
Cell: 206-890-4188


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