[TowerTalk] Short tower base question

Roger (sub1) sub1 at rogerhalstead.com
Wed Nov 17 17:08:47 PST 2010


On 11/17/2010 4:17 PM, J.Gordon Beattie, Jr., W2TTT wrote:
> Ed,
> Do what the manufacturer requires and you won't have trouble.
Remember the ROHN "dirt base".  I'm planning on 50' of 25G, bracketed to 
the end of the shop at roughly 18'. There will be a Force 12 C19XR at 
50' and a WARC-7 at 60'.  I'm using a 6' long, dirt base constructed out 
of 1" solid rod with 6" X 10" X 1/8" steel face plates. The tower will 
be guyed at roughly the 48' level using either 1200# test Phillystran or 
3/16 800# test braided poly rope.  I have no qualms about climbing said 
tower
> Ask yourself who is climbing this thing and do you want to save a couple of
> dollars on concrete
At 30'?
> and then have to address an issue should there be a
> failure?  There might be VHF and UHF antennas today and BIG YAGIS TOMORROW.
In my case, if I go with larger antennas I'd replace the tower at that 
time. However I have used 40' of 25G on a dirt base holding a 5L KLM 20 
meter monobander, guyed at roughly the 38' level. It withstood nearly 70 
mph winds plus a monster ice storm that took out over half a mile of 
power line,   Behind the house the power line had such a load of ice it 
was only about 4' off the ground.

However, I don't have room to swing the larger antennas on the small 
tower any way so it's a moot point.  Any thing big goes on the 45G 
system which is guyed at 3 levels. The bottom two use 4000# test 
Phillystran while the top tier uses 6000# test Philliystran.   Guy 
anchors are about 17,000# each.
> Don't take the risk.
Risk is relative and also depends on how risk tolerant the individual 
is.   I tend to be a risk taker with investments, but am quite 
conservative when it comes to antennas, towers, and climbing.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> Thanks&  73,
> Gordon Beattie, W2TTT
> 201.314.6964
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ed Swiderski, KU4BP
> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 9:09 PM
> To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Short tower base question
>
>
> All,
>
> I have a couple full pieces and one cut piece of Rohn 25 that I'd like put
> up against the house with a couple VHF antennas on it. (2m-16el and
> 432-18el) I plan on using a house bracket at about 3/4 of the height was
> wondering if a full size base is neccessary? I have been told by a good
> friend who used to work at installing towers that I can get away with a
> smaller than spec base in this situation.
>
> Thank you,
> Ed KU4BP
>
>
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