[TowerTalk] Am I asking for trouble? - tower loading

[VE6WZ_Steve]

Assuming one has installed a crank-up tower with a motor drive...it
confounds me why anyone would leave the tower up at all unless they are
QRV.

I use the US tower HDX-589 mdpl and NEVER leave the tower up unless I`m
QRV...why would I ??  The tower only takes about 4 min. to crank to full
height with the flick of a switch, so why not leave it down until you
turn on the radio ?? (I`ll probably get lots of e-mails from those who
DO have reasons why, but it works for me)

I highly recommend against buying a crank-up without a motor
drive...these things are big and would not be easy to crank by hand.

I do have a windspeed indicator with the readout at the radio, and if
the wind picks up, the tower is either coming down part way, or all the
way and I QRT. (my tower is NOT overloaded, but I just feel better)

73, de steve ve6wz. http://www.qsl.net/ve6wz/


-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of jknodel M Knodel
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:58 AM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Am I asking for trouble? - tower loading


I would like to get everyone's opinion on this -

I am planning on installing a US Towers crankup tower. These towers are
rated for windloads at 50mph and 70mph. I want to stack 2 beams on the
tower. These 2 antennas would exceed the tower's windload rating at
70mph
but would be well within the rating for 50mph. I plan to install a wind
speed meter and deligently crank down the tower every time the wind
exceeds
50mph.

I cannot install a guyed tower at this location so this is my only
option.
The crankup with these antennas and cranking it down in winds over 50mph
is
my plan. Am I asking for trouble in doing this?? Thanks.