[TowerTalk] Self-supported tower designs

[K8RI on TT]

On 7/14/2011 7:12 PM, Steve Maki wrote:
> The OP is looking for designs to construct the tower, while your link
> shows an install, impressive as it is, using commercial tower parts.

That tower is completely home brew.  All parts were fabricated by John 
WD8RXP.  There were 3 semi truck loads of structural steel along with a 
small fortune involved in building that tower. <:-)) He had enough in 
that thing to purchase one of the current, self supporting,  rotating 
poles 190' tall and loaded with antennas.

>
> Although if time is money, constructing a tower from scratch is not a
> good financial deal.

It took John a good two years to erect that tower, so it was not a time 
saver.  His ultimate goal was to be able to use the quad 440 array and 
control the HF station on his 50 mile drive to and from work via the 440 
band.

>
> BTW, there has been at least two other installs in MI almost exactly
> like the 83 QST example (maybe inspired by), and each of the owners met
> an untimely death. Just sayin ...:-)

I don't think John's Leukemia had much to do with the tower though and 
he didn't cut any corners in the design which was done by a mechanical 
engineer.

I'd not hesitate to build and climb my own tower, but I have the 
background to do so.

Back "in the old days" there were articles about building 60 foot self 
supporting towers "constructed out of wood". I believe there were some 
in both QST and "The Handbook".

Building towers, climbing those towers, flying airplanes, jumping out of 
airplanes with just a parachute, and even driving to work carry risk and 
a reasonable level of skill.  That we kill off about 35,000 a year in 
cars says a lot for the lack of drivers skill.  That the death rate has 
improved from around 50,000 a year is more due to the changes in 
construction of the cars than to any increase in driver skill.  Playing 
with big towers carries more risk than small ones.

73

Roger (K8RI)


>
> -Steve K8LX
>
> On 7/14/2011 4:11 PM, K8RI on TT wrote:
>> On 7/14/2011 3:38 PM, Máximo EA1DDO_HK1H wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I am thinking to build a self-supported tower for my HK1H´s station.
>>> The tower could be around 25 meters high. Four sides
>>> Thinking in something like this;
>> How about this one? It's triangular, but a real brute!
>> http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/skyhook.htm
>>> http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_umpsa6tUB2I/SoPi1PjpbtI/AAAAAAAAABk/9DQ2BrH3jek/S660/PANORAMICA.JPG
>>>
>>> or this one;
>>>
>>> http://farm1.static.flickr.com/98/383631062_89cc03d2f0.jpg
>>>
>>> What I need is a design layout to know what size pipes to use.
>>> Anyone knows where can I found them?
>
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