[TowerTalk] new AN-Wireless tower, floundaion question

[JC Smith]

Hello All,

As mentioned previously I am stick-building (like a giant erector set) a new
AN-Wireless HD-80.  I will be posting photos at:
http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a317/k0hps/Tower%20Project/
if anyone cares to watch it go up and the antenna stack go on it.  We just
started digging the foundation yesterday.  It's a pad and pier foundation
(like an inverted tee) with a 9'x9'x1.5' pad and a 5'x5'x3.5' pier.

Has anyone on here ever dug one of these by digging the 5'x5' hole first and
then undercutting the bottom to create the pad?  If so, I'd sure appreciate
hearing how you did the digging for the undercut.  We got the 5'x5' hole no
problem but our experiments (so far) with the undercutting haven't been very
successful.  We are in clay soil, fortunately with no rocks.  If things
don't go better today we will probably dig out the entire 9'x9' hole, pour
the pad, form the pier and backfill around it.

Suggestions appreciated.

73 - JC, K0HPS