[TowerTalk] Heights Towers Aluminum??

[W3OA]

Hi Dennis -

I have a 60' Heights tower with a fold-over kit and 10 feet of mast out 
the top.

It's been up for 5 years now and I'm very happy with it.

You do need to watch how big an antenna you put on it.  If the antenna 
is too large you won't be able to lower the tower far enough to work on 
most of the antenna from the ground.  I suppose that's obvious but it's 
a trade I thought about for a long time before I decide to get a 
fold-over tower.  I ended up with two Force 12 C-4s, one at 40 feet and 
one at 70 feet.  I can reach the feed points using an 8 foot step ladder.

Another gotcha I found out through experience is that rotor brakes that 
hold an antenna just fine when the tower is up may not hold the antenna 
in position as the tower rotates down.  The antenna, of course, wants to 
rotate so its heavy end is pointed down and the break may not hold it in 
any other position.  This can be an even bigger problem with side 
mounted antennas.

I'd do it again 'cause I don't want to climb a tower.

Good Luck - Dick, W3OA

Message: 6
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:46:23 -0500
From: "Dennis Petrich" <radioart at charter.net>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Heights Towers Aluminum??
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Message-ID: <A577548AEF344F668DEB831F901180B9 at D5V7GZF1>
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Hello all who have aluminum towers.

I am thinking of putting up the tilt-over self supporting aluminum tower 
from Heights Towers.  This one is 69' with the tilt-over kit and is rated at 
21sq' at 80mph. and will take a 12' mast.  I will be putting up 15sq' of 
antenna.

Anyone of you have experence with such a thing??  The whole tower tilts over 
so you can work on the antenna from the ground, an idea I like very much. 
You can see it on their web page. 
http://www.heightstowers.com/fold_over_kits.htm

Thanks in advance for your comments

Dennis, k0eoo 

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