[TowerTalk] Installing a mast..same thread, different name

[K8RI]

On 4/20/2013 3:52 PM, Steve Maki wrote:
> Fine, as long as the ginpole can be counted on to handle the extra weight.
>
> As others have implied, there is no good substitute for adequate
> headroom, yet just getting a longer 2" aluminum tube isn't a panacea
> either - the sight of a ginpole folding over is a bad sight to behold, I
> know from experience (many years ago).
>
> Once you move from a small Rohn type pole to something that can SAFELY
> handle 20' heavy steel masts and 20' tower sections, you get into a
> totally different realm, where adequate ginpoles are heavy enough that
> they require at least a capstan winch to move them up and down the tower.

I never thought of it that way before, perhaps because I'm so used to 
working with only an observer..IE, someone to go get help if I screw up.

I just naturally graduated into using hoists and winches with most gin 
poles long ago so it never occurred to me to include that part.  I'm 
going to need to take some photos as well.

going in order:

To put the gin pole up/install:  I mount a simple pulley of about 3" in 
diameter at the top of the tower and another a few feet off the ground. 
  I use the spring loaded split hooks for this.

I run a 3/8" double braided poly rope from the bottom pulley, up through 
the one on top and back down to the gin pole mount.  I attach the rope 
to the pole mount with the pole lowered in the mounts so when it goes up 
I'm lifting the mount with the pole hanging down for stability. It's a 
simple matter to pull the gin pole assembly to the top of the tower and 
the soft 3/8" rope makes it easy on the hands.

However as I said I essentially work alone so I use a hand cranked winch 
to pull the rope. This lets me stop and let go of the rope, take a 
break, or answer nature with out things becoming frantic.

I have the winch mounted on a stand on the hitch of our Cub Cadet
I Lower the stand to the ground and drive 1/2" to 5/8" rods through a 
hole in each corner of the base plate (bout a foot square) on the stand 
to keep it from skidding when lifting heavier loads.

So...I crank the gin pole assembly up to where the mount is high enough, 
lock the winch, climb the other side of the tower, and clamp the mount 
in place. Then I loosen the pole clamp and raise it in the mount to the 
desired height.

At this point I disconnect the rope I used to raise the pole and drop 
the end to the ground.  It's really handy for pulling up "stuff" as it 
has one of those spring loaded split hooks on the end.

Now I use the rope from the gin pole through another pulley near the 
tower base and run it to a hand cranked winch.

NOTE: The pulleys allow me to lift loads to the top of the tower with 
out having to get under them or put a side load on the gin pole. I like 
to be far enough out that if something falls, it can't get me.

Tower sections?  I raise the sections until the bottom ends are about 2 
to 3 inches below the top end of the tower legs. Remember this rope is a 
bit stretchy, but not a lot.  Once the tower section is in place, I lock 
the winch and go up the other side of the tower.

The gin pole top is a short goose neck which allows me to pull the new 
section around over the top of the tower. The spring in the rope makes 
lifting the section on to the top of the tower a one handed operation 
with little effort(USUALLY). A bit of a pull and the bolt holes should 
line up, or at least they usually do.


I think that should be more than enough detail. It's an approach I've 
often used and It's an approach that lends it self readily to 
modification while keeping safety in mind. Don't forget and walk under a 
hanging load.

Hope somebody finds this useful.

73

Roger (K8RI)

>
> For operations similar to that being discussed I use a Rohn 25 track
> pole that places the roosterhead 25' above the tower top. The extra
> headroom might seem excessive, but it's a joy to be able to move the
> load around at will without having the load line pulling sideways. The
> three sections of 25 plus roosterhead plus track weighs in at around
> 300lbs, but I don't feel safe with anything less.
>
> -Steve K8LX
>
>
> On 4/20/2013 12:27 PM, Peter Voelpel wrote:
>
>> With my just 2.5m height of the gin pole above the tower I inserted
>> 6m long masts easily. I just added enough intermediate weight to the
>> lower part of the mast to keep it vertical.
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