[TowerTalk] Rohn SSV info

[Howard Hoyt]

Hi Allen,

As Robert Morris has stated, there is a wide range of heights and load capabilities available using the SSV parts and sections.  I have been collecting the bits and pieces to put up a 120 foot 8N>3N tower and have a bit of experience to share on the endeavor:  Make sure you check out the orientation of the flange plates on any used SSV sections you are considering buying, or even carting away for free. 

Rohn OEM'ed many towers for the major 2-way radio companies like Motorola in the 1970s and 1980s.  The engineering for these towers was not always performed by Rohn, and as such they will not be able to supply data on them.  They are made with non-standard section geometries and tubing thicknesses, so a new engineering study would have to be performed in order to evaluate their capabilities.  In order to make sure these sections would not be confused with the standard sections, Rohn rotated the flanges in a non-standard way.

On the standard SSV sections for which there is loading data available, the flanges are oriented in the following way:

1N through 5N:  A line bisecting diagonally opposed flange bolt holes intersects the tower centerline.
6N: The top flanges are oriented like 1N through 5N, the bottom flanges like 7N through 16N.
7N through 16N: A line bisecting opposed flange faces intersects the tower centerline.

If the used sections you find meet that criteria, there is a good chance that they are standard SSV sections, and if in good condition will meet Rohn's loading ratings.

These sections were designed for commercial duty, and if in good condition they can even be regalvanized to be essentially as new.

Good luck, SSV are heavy and expensive to put up but the results are lasting.

Howard Hoyt
WA4PSC



 Allen R. Brier wrote:.

> > Anyone familiar with Rohn SSV towers? I may have a chance to buy a 100 foot
> > tower for $1000 at auction. Is it a good deal? Are they easily usable or
> > modifiable for ham use? Will it support a 2 or 3 element 40 meter beam?
>