[TowerTalk] advice sought

[Dan Hearn]

Art, 2-5 years is a long time. You are an accomplished and enthusiastic ham.
You need a tower and a yagi. I hope you have no problem with covenants or
local restrictions. If I were you, I would put up a self supporting tower,
fixed or crankup, and go for it. Meanwhile keep trying to get your dad on
the air from his bedroom if you think he would use the station under those
conditions. My opinion, 73 and GL, Dan, N5AR

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of atrampler at att.net
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2007 7:25 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] advice sought


How long would you want to expect to be in a home to justify the expense of
a tower install versus other antennas?

I have a small backyard (70' x 100' roughly) with three trees in/around it
that are no good for dipoles or other wire antennas, but enough room to
squeeze a tower between them.  I also have a Hy-Gain AV640 ready to go up
for 30/40 meter coverage, and a roughly 20' tall, foldover support (4"
OD/3.5" ID diameter pipe on lower section) to get that vertical up a bit,
which allegedly helps the improvement.

Due to health issues (someone else's) I have access to a free Glen Martin
50', 18" on a side tower/hazer and Mosley TA-53M.  My xyl wants the
guy-wires elevated, and I live on top of limestone.  Short story: to put
this up, I'm looking (with coax, new rotor cable, etc) at about $2500,
another $1000 if I want to push it to 60' (which with the trees I might).

Now my wife is talking about moving in two to five years...

Would you guys put up a tower if you thought you'd be moving in that
time-frame, or settle for a vertical?  I may just sell the NIB AV640 and put
up a Big Steppir vertical instead...I couldn't lay down 66' radials, or many
that long, but I could have most longer than 35 feet, so 80 might be OK.
>From all I read, lay down 180 radials or so and I'd likely have a much
better performer out of the Big Steppir vertical than the 3/8 wave Hy-Gain.

I know this is slightly off-topic, but it is tower-related.  WIth the small
yard the guyed tower is not optimal, of course.  The AN Wireless
self-supporting towers look much more attractive and while needing more
concrete, don't need the concrete for guy supports, more phillystran, etc.

Advice is warmly welcomed and accepted.  This is not going to be a contest
station--ever--but a relaxing improvement over my mobile set up (where I
worked 3B7C on 40, barefoot...).  For contests I'm part of the stable at
K5GO.

FYI, the free tower belongs to my dad, N0JT.  At 84 he has so much trouble
getting up and down to and from the basement that he doesn't go on the air,
and I am TRYING to convince him to let me move the rig/amp/rotor control
into his bedroom.  Wish me luck...I'd rather seem him have a few weeks,
months or years of pleasure than just give it to me because of the stairs.
But OTs can be stubborn, right?

73,
Art, KC2G
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