[TowerTalk] Crankup tower safety question... (Crankup Danger!)

[Mike]

I have been around a long time and had a few crank up towers, I have never
had one come down or known anyone to have one collapse.  There is a huge
safety factor built in with the cables.  If it is looked after and inspected
on a regular basis why would the cable snap? 

The trouble with a locking mechanism as you suggest would be also prone to
failure and maybe in a more dramatic way, I am sure you would be pretty
unhappy if a 100mph wind blew up and the solenoids controlling the locking
mechanism failed because of a power failure or other reasons and your tower
blew over on someone's house!  I have seen plenty of solenoid systems fail
from weather etc. because they were locked in place and never exercised.

The more simple you keep a winching system the easier it will be to maintain
and less to go wrong.

When you erected a crank up tower you also inherit a responsibility to
maintain it which includes inspecting and lubricating the cables, maybe you
do know of crank up towers cables that have failed, but I bet it was due to
deferred maintenance and not because the cable just snapped.

Mike/K6BR  

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of EZ
Rhino
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 5:21 PM
To: Mickey Baker
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crankup tower safety question... (Crankup Danger!)

There was a discussion on this topic a couple weeks ago, check the archives.
I think it comes down to the bean-counters.  Of course something *could* be
done.   If hams want to pay for it is another discussion!

Chris
KF7P









On Aug 1, 2013, at 18:13 , Mickey Baker wrote:

Patrick, AF5CK's thread on his tower raised an issue that I really don't
understand...

Why isn't there a "lock" mechanism on crank up towers?

We spend lots of money on these things, and, basically, they hang there
suspended by a single cable. We all have either known someone or have had
our own tower's cable (or winch) fail and the tower crashes, with great
damage to tower and antennas.

I could thing of a number of gadgets that could be made to work:

  - A solenoid locking bolt
  - A brake mechanism (Electronically controlled?)
  - Stops every few feet requiring a raise then lower like a safety ladder.

But here I am, about to step off into yet another $10k tower project with
another tower hanging by a cable. (I feel like Homer Simpson - Doh!)

I realize that the market is small and price sensitive for these towers, but
certainly this has been recognized as a problem.

Isn't there a better way? If there is, and I can implement it, I'd do so,
simply for the purpose of making the tower safer for me and my antennas.

Thoughts?

--
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*"Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn." *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
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