[TowerTalk] Safety of unguyed tower

[Doug Ronald]

Thanks for the responses I have so far:

 

>3200# of tower, held only with 1" bolts on 32" wide legs?   

That's the info I was looking for. I'll be guying each section as
WA8JXM/N5SDO suggest with Synthetic Textiles' 7/16" braided rope with a
breaking strength of 2150 pounds. The only lateral loads are due to wind.
There are 48,600 pounds of concrete and steel in the foundation, so that
isn't going anywhere.

 

> Is this a commercial project or an amateur radio project?

Amateur - BTW, there is a picture of the 20' sections on QRZ now.

 

>Are the 80ft towers new?

> Has this design been approved by a licensed structural engineer?

Yes. The vendor is US Antenna Products and they have similar antennas all
over the world. They know what they are doing with the structural
engineering. I hired a PE, got county approval, and have already had an
inspection before the foundation and guy anchors were poured.

 

> If they say to use a crane then use the crane.

The problem with the crane is the length of a 70 ton crane. There are 3
hairpin turns to get to the site, not on my land, and the owners don't want
me changing anything. I knew this before purchasing the antenna, but the
vendor's installation manual allows for its erection via a gin pole and
winch - that is the route I intended to take only to find out that now in
2011 they don't support that method. I've had the antenna hanging around for
several years waiting for me to retire.

 

> How much experience do you have installing and climbing towers and
antennas of this magnitude?

Obviously zero, but I plan on coming up to speed without killing myself or
anyone else.

 

-Doug

AE6SY