[TowerTalk] yearly maintenance checks Re: Preforms

[Jim Thomson]

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From: "Tom Kennedy" <tvkennedy at i-zoom.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 4:58 PM
To: "Jim Thomson" <jim.thom at telus.net>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] yearly maintenance checks Re:  Preforms

> in the process of putting up a 104 foot Delhi, gonna guy it in four 
> places, first starting at the 64 foot mark and then roughly every fifteen 
> feet or there a bouts - placing two 10 element 2 metre twisters by 
> cushcraft and the mounting kit at the top because I wish to sideband 
> contest

73 tom/va3tvk

##  For a delhi, I'd start the 1st set of guy wires at the junction of the 
4th and 5th sections. [38' level]
Those sections are 8' long, but you lose several inch's in overlap.  Ii had 
one up back in the1970's, guyed,
and 10 x sections  + prop pitch/mast, stacked yagi's.   Mine went sections 
8-7-6- then 5S   to the top.

Then guy it at  top of  sections 7-10-13.   The very top guys should be a 
bit below the top of the tower, so you
don't get ant's, coax etc, hung up in them.   IE;  guy it at 32-56-80-102 
Use the delhi triangular brackets made
for guying, then you don't stress the legs.  If any rivets are loose, punch 
them out, and replace with  1/4-20
galvanized G-5 hardware.   You will probably have to drill the rivet holes 
out.  The existing rivet holes are just
a hair less than  1/4" diam.   I'd spray any drilled out rivet holes with 
that galvanizing cold spray 1st, couple
of coats at least.   Our local home depot carries it in big spray bombs.... 
and was better quality than the stuff I got
from the industrial supply store.   It has a certain shelf life, so don't 
get too much at one time.  It has to be WELL
shaken up, before using, and all surfaces clean of rust, grease/gunk/debri 
etc.

##  If the tower is well weathered and old, like I suspect,   I'd get a 
gallon of the galvcon  stuff...and paint the entire
tower with it, then it ends  up a dull gray/non reflective.  Or at least do 
any sections that look flaky. Easier to do
all this on the ground..vs  after the fact.   Go easy on guy tension on 
those towers.  5/32"   /  3/16"   is ample to guy
a  delhi.

later........... Jim  VE7RF