[TowerTalk] Crank up Tower

Sun Feb 24 19:28:57 EST 2008

I have had an Alumatower crank up in use for 11 years.  No problems and no
complaints.  Still looks and functions as new. It is virtually maintenace
free also.  It has a stainless cable.  Just periodic lubrication of the
rollers and crank with PreLub 6.

Jim   W4LC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "WA3GIN" <wa3gin at comcast.net>
To: "Larry stowell" <lclarks at nc.rr.com>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 23:57
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crank up Tower

> I wonder if those blowing smoke on the product ever owned one?  Seems like
> sometimes folks just make a sideways comment that is really not much more
> than a commenter's subjective opinion of "one"...sort of like those wacki
> e-ham reviews where the new ham is blowing smoke about a really good radio
> because he hasn't figured out how to operate it, haha.
>
> Folks considering Aluma Tower have probably already visited the company's
> web site http://www.alumatower.com/ .  There are some pretty impressive
> testimonials from Emergency Management Officials from Florida (the folks
> that deal with severe weather for a living...).
>
> I've seen the trailer tower product that Aluma Tower offers for emergency
> responders. Its hardly patio furniture.  Well built, old school welds and
a
> seriously well designed tower trailer product!
>
> My subjective opinion of one ;-)
>
> 73,
> dave
> wa3gin
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Larry stowell" <lclarks at nc.rr.com>
> To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 2:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crank up Tower
>
>
> >
> > My friends I take acceptation to all this crankup tower "stuff".
> >
> > I have a 75HD Aluma tower, if it "lawn furniture" I'll invite the
> > elephants over to sit. I could not
> > afford to have a 75ft tower erected and do not have friends to help as I
> > had just moved from out of
> > state. Nor did I have or want guys at ground or elevated. So that left
me
> > with the only option in a
> > crank-up. I Looked at US towers and was quoted $2500 for shipping(this
was
> > before the Mid-west
> > shipping). I installed the Aluma by myself and used the "ground post" so
> > no concrete, its been up
> > for 7 years with a C31XR for 2 yrs and now a 4el SteppIR. I crank-up and
> > down depending on the
> > weather and for maintenance( it tilts also and power winch for up and
> > down).
> >
> > I no that there are several different models in the Aluma line so its
not
> > fair to say that the whole
> > line is "weak".
> >
> > 73 Larry K1ZW
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> > [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Julio
> > Peralta
> > Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 2:24 PM
> > To: K7LXC at aol.com; towertalk at contesting.com; k0son at frontiernet.net
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crank up Tower
> >
> > Steve the tower you described reminds me of the Aluma Tower which is
made
> > here in Florida. It very
> > closely resembles lawn furniture. The Heights crank up towers, which are
> > also made in Florida, are a
> > much stronger constructed tower. They kind of look like an aluminum
> > version of a US Tower. I have
> > had experience with both and would not recommend the Aluma Tower but a
> > Heights Tower should be good
> > for any load for which they are rated.
> >
> > Julio, W4HY
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> > [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of K7LXC at aol.com
> > Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 1:02 PM
> > To: towertalk at contesting.com; k0son at frontiernet.net
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crank up Tower
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 2/23/2008 9:02:49 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> > towertalk-request at contesting.com
> > writes:
> >
> >>  I'm new to the list & need some information on Heights  Crank up
> > towers
> > without the tilt over feature. OK here's the background. I use  to have
a
> > 50 ft Universal at my old
> > house. I liked the tower, but 50 ft is now  above my
> >
> > comfort level for working on towers, I'd like to get a crankup and think
> > the Heights would be good
> > one. So, I would like to get in contact with anyone who currently owns,
or
> > has owned a Heights crank
> > up. I've read their  web site & now want to talk to owners & get the
real
> > story.
> >
> >
> >        A customer of mine bought a  100-foot version. He had never had a
> > tower before and bought it
> > because he could  get it in his backyard without too much trouble and
then
> > he'd have a 100' tower.
> > After everything was done, he wanted a professional opinion about his
> > installation. He made one
> > fatal error
> > in locating the guy anchors which we  corrected.
> >
> >        EVERYTHING about this tower  was undersized and under-engineered
> > IMO.
> > The 3 base bolts were 1/2" or so. The  winch and haul lines were
> > inadequate - the winch got real hot
> > as we were  cranking it up. I can't remember if the cables were rope or
> > steel - they  might've been
> > rope.
> >
> >        This was a guyed tower  which meant you had to be VERY careful as
> > it's being cranked up and
> > then the guy  tensions were all on the haul cables.
> >
> >        He called the other day as  he was preparing to lower it and the
> >
> > safety latch that locked some of the  sections wouldn't release so it
> > wouldn't descend. I suggested
> > a couple of things  that I would have done if I'd been there and he went
> > out to lower it. He called
> > back a little later and said that he indeed got the safety latch to
> > release but  as he was lowering
> > it, the winch got away from him and the whole thing  collapsed. The yagi
> > booms bent and the whole
> > tower wound up jammed in the lower  section.
> >
> >        I was saddened to hear  about his calamity because he made some
bad
> > decisions that led to
> > this  unfortunate occurrence. (OTOH I was glad I wasn't the guy that did
> > it.) I would  never have
> > recommended that he buy this tower - 100' of 45G would have been a  much
> > better decision and it'd
> > still be in the air for the next 25 years or more.
> >
> >        If you've got your heart  set on a crank-up, get a US Tower
model.
> > They're steel, well built and US Tower  has been known to go out of
their
> > way for customer service.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve     K7LXC
> > TOWER TECH -
> > Professional tower services for hams
> > Cell: 206-890-4188
> > _www.championradio.com/installs.html_
> > (http://www.championradio.com/installs.html)
> >
> >
> >
> > **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
> >
> > (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campo
> > s-duffy/
> > 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
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