[TowerTalk] Older HyTower

[John Holmes]

In addition, the new HyTower base is made of rather thin stainless steel and
the older one is made of very solid steel. Manuals for newer and older
HyTowers are somewhat different.

John W9ILY 

 From: r miles <greenacres113 at charter.net>
> To: towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Older Hytower
> Message-ID: <6fc25441.4fefa2.1409696bf93.Webtop.49 at charter.net>
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> 
> Not sure if anything has changed electricly but there are important
> mech. changes. Mine is apx 25 yr.s old & folded at the base in a storm.
> Broke all 3 base insulators & bend the aluminium tubes in the concrete.
> I thought I'd just replace the old warped base plate too. No can do. I
> was told by MFJ the current base plate is slightly  larger & the leg
> spacing is apx 1/2'' larger. So I ended up using a 10' section of pipe
> to 'gently' bring the aluminium legs vertical. I heated the base plate &
> hammered it back into shape. Rather than use a propane torch  my son
> suggested MAAP gas. Hotter &  worked FB. A friend suggested some very
> gud non-metalic guy rope. Very gud UV rating & 4400#  rated. I felt it
> easier to use  that than suffer another disaster. The HT is rated 75 MPH
> survival but the late Dec. storm was that powerful or more. In the Mid
> South  Nov & Dec storms can be the worst. Tn often  has Nov & Dec
> tornados.
> I replaced some of the  stinger standoff insulated strips too. The new
> ones are exactly as the ones pictured in  my old manual. Not much has
> changed.
> 
> As to finding a used HT. It can be difficult. This one came  from
> central Fl to NW Tn on top of my car on roof racks. Lots of stares from
> other drivers. Not everyday you see a Ford Focus wagon with 3 tower
> sections & two 4'' PVC tubes holding the stingers cruzing the hi-way.
> 
> I was almost home & stopped to gas up the car. A pick-up truck with
> Wisconsin plates pulled next to me to get gas. The driver walked over to
> me & said: 'Hey that's a HyTower'. I almost fell over! He was a ham on
> vacation & he had a HyTower up at home. Small world.
> 
> K9IL