[TowerTalk] Crankup Danger

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2013 07:30:04 -0700
From: Bob K6UJ <k6uj at pacbell.net>
To: "TOWERTALK at contesting.com reflector" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Crankup Danger

Me again,
How do you guys with the motorized towers block your towers ?  I am thinking of using 1 inch water pipe.
And where do you block it ?  Since it telescopes, do you you put blocking through every section ?

Bob
K6UJ



On Aug 2, 2013, at 7:22 AM, Bob K6UJ wrote:

> Following this thread made me realize I will now block my motorized tower before climbing.
> I have a US Tower HDX-589MDPL and I have been lowering it down till it stops then climbing.
> But as pointed out, it is supported by the lift cable even when all the way retracted.
> Thanks for the info guys !
> 
> Bob
> K6UJ

##  Some have used a piece of  wood  4x4...and stuffed it through at least 2 of the 3 corners. 
I don’t think 1 inch water pipe  would do the trick.   Maybe if it was 1 inch solid..and u did 
all 3 x corners.   Depending on the model of UST, in my case, it only has to be blocked
below the 2nd section up from the concrete.   IE:  block it some where between 1 ft and
17 ft above the base.   All my upper sections have a lift cable on each face..3 x cables per
section.  Very unlikely that  all 3 x cables on any of the upper sections  would snap
simultaneously.   However my very top section only has 1 lift cable.   This is on an 
old style HDX-689.  So my very top section also needs to be blocked. 

##  when the almost 600 lb, 1 inch thick triangular steel base was suspended over the 9 ft 
deep hole,  I used 2 x 10 ft long rectangular steel tubes for the job.  Each tube is 6 inch wide x 2 inch
tall x  .25 inch thick.  They also had to handle the weight of the 12 x 5 ft long anchor rods.  And each
group of 4 x anchor rods has a 9 inch sq plate on the bottom, .375 inch thick, to increase the 
pullout capacity.  I will  chop up one of the rectangular tubes   to make 2-3 x short  blocking
devices.   The weight on them when installed, will only be the entire weight of the tower  +
ants-rotor mast etc, MINUS the very bottom section +  winch assy. 

##  Any blocking device has to sit on something..like any horizontal braces.  That’s a helluva lot
of weight on the welds for those Horz braces, hence using 2-3 pieces of steel for blockers....just
to distribute the total weight  better.   Like  over 4-6 welds..instead of just 2.   Some 4x4 wood
would work fine, or some scrap steel thick wall pipe-tubing or square or rectangular tubing. 

## when fully nested, you would only have to lift the tower 1-2 ft to be able to insert the blockers
at knee level...so its not that big of an issue  for install-removal.  30 secs max. 

Jim   VE7RF. 
the very bowight