[TowerTalk] Triex WT51

[Bryan Swadener]

Hi Kathy,
 
The WT-51 (http://www.tashtowers.com/pdf/WT-51_info.pdf and http://www.tashtowers.com/pdf/WT51-01.pdf) weighs 355# and is 21' tall, retracted.  I've seen/heard horror stories about folks trying to walk lighter towers up/down by hand.
 
I know from personal experience that it's all I can/could handle to walk a 26' tall aluminum mast up/down with a 3-element 15m yagi on top (and the rotator was at the BOTTOM of the mast).  That tower is a lot more mass than my mast.
 
Yes, Moseley makes a TA34XL (http://www.mosley-electronics.com/pages/amateur/ta34xl.htm) -- 4 elements on 20/15/10m with a 21' boom
 
I wouldn't let it just fall, even onto something soft -- you could still wind-up with mangled metal.  I'd go for some form of mechanical/electrical  means of lowering it.  Can you use a falling derrick + winch?
 
vy 73,
Bryan WA7PRC

Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:06:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kathy Bookmiller <wb2aio at yahoo.com>
To: "towertalk at contesting.com" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Triex WT51

Hello TT'rs,

I was at an estate sale yesterday. Went there actually to look at the amp. advertised. Was gone but noticed a ham-m control box so took a look to see what it was for. Found a nice WT51 out back. Looks in excellent condition and not very old judging from lack of rust and the concrete base still looked pretty 'white'. On top is what I believe is a 4el Mosley tri-bander. Did they make a TA34?? Never had a Mosley antenna, always Hygain or Telrex in the past. 

Anyway, my problem is how to lower it. I'd put a ladder up to the top to remove the antenna/rotator but how to lower the actual tower over is the question. Didn't see anything I could attach a block and tackle to. I see from the current site, the tower weighs 360 pounds. Now I am a member of the local DX club, but like most clubs today, it is full of old men and couple of us slowly aging? woman. 

So I'm asking, how many folks do you think I would need to walk the tower over? Or any other ideas such as letting it fall onto something soft and crush able like a bunch of cardboard boxes? Ideas?
73,
Kathy, W2NK