[TowerTalk] Very new to this

Wed Jul 3 12:00:14 EDT 2013

I live on a salt water canal (250' wide) about a mile from the Atlantic in
a warm climate. You can see the location on QRZ.com.

I've had a 6BTV up for 3 years that is only showing a bit of surface
oxidation. I sprayed it with Corrosion-X when it went up and give all the
stainless hardware a squirt after big windstorm events - twice a year or
so. I recently took it down - everything came apart easily because I used
No-Alox when I put it together.

The concern that I would have about the specific tower is structural. The
"marshes of Glynn" are in a low lying hurricane prone area that have high
wind load requirements for good reason. If you plan on this tower being
there for many years, you might want to examine these issues. The Force12
web site gives little guidance about the design criteria for these towers,
but I'm sure they can produce design documents with wind load calculations.

73,

Mickey N4MB

On Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 10:54 AM, Larry Loen <lwloen at gmail.com> wrote:

> I agree with N4ZR here.
>
> Find out what is required, especially of the base.  It isn't just something
> to keep the tower from sliding around.  It is the _foundation_ of the whole
> tower.  The house bracket can be thought of as merely an alternative to
> guying at the corresponding height.
>
> The base AND the bracket needs to be engineered by somebody who knows, you
> know, engineering.  That definitely includes how the bracket is attached.
>
> Even a small tower is a potentially serious thing.  Do you really want to
> have it toppled over after having taken a big chunk out of your roof?
> Somebody who knows engineering can help with this.  And, the expense need
> not be all that great.  Maybe 300 to 500 bucks.  Cheap compared to a bad
> outcome.  Might even be needed by the local county zoning board anyway.
>
>
>
> Larry Wo0Z
>
> On Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 5:48 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr at contesting.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I can't overstress Dan's first point - do what the manufacturer says.
> >  From the web site: " LPT's need to be either bracketed to house or
> > vehicle, guyed or rigid guy supported."
> >
> > Are you buying this new, or used?  In either case, I would get in touch
> > with the company.  They also say
> >
> > /*"Standard: */12" x 12" base for (4) foundation bolts, 40:1 worm winch
> >
> > /*Options*:/ House brackets, powder coat finish, X-base, T-bar
> extensions,
> > rigid guys hidden cable, 5th section (2" square), custom-cut section
> > lengths"
> >
> > House brackets for a Rohn 25 tower are a whole different animal - but any
> > house bracket may require reinforcement of the wall to which it is
> mounted.
> >  I recall an article a few years ago about putting 2X6 braces in an attic
> > to hold the bracket securely
> >
> > There is no illustration for the 1242 or the other taller ones, but the
> > smaller ones make it pretty clear that what they are talking about is
> > guying or bracketing the base section, because the upper sections move up
> > and down.  Still, call and ask them!
> >
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> > Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
> > http://reversebeacon.net,
> > blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
> > For spots, please go to your favorite
> > ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.
> >
> > On 7/2/2013 10:51 PM, K0DAN wrote:
> >
> >> It depends on what you buy (follow mfgr specs) however if you are going
> >> to do a house-bracketed tower, see if you can download the Rohn specs
> for
> >> their Model 25 tower, which, if IRC requires a small pad and allows
> maybe
> >> 20-30' above the roof bracket, depending on your antenna + wind load.
> The
> >> Rohn specs may not be the right match for your new tower, but they will
> >> help you understand what is required of you for a qualified
> installation.
> >> All this assumes your state/local governments won't require you to jump
> >> thru other hoops.
> >>
> >> Later comes grounding, choice of antennas, rotor, feedlines, etc., etc.,
> >> however the Rohn specs are easily obtained and will get you in the
> ballpark.
> >>
> >> Also, as plugged by others, the "UP THE TOWER" book (
> >> http://www.championradio.com/**UP-THE-TOWER-The-Complete-**
> >> Guide-To-Tower-Construction.1<
> http://www.championradio.com/UP-THE-TOWER-The-Complete-Guide-To-Tower-Construction.1
> >)
> >> contains a wealth of information...if this is your first tower, the book
> >> will pay for itself many times over.
> >>
> >> Good luck and 73
> >>
> >> Dan
> >> K0DAN
> >>
> >> -----Original Message----- From: PHILIP GRAITCER
> >> Sent: July 02, 2013 21:22
> >> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> >> Subject: [TowerTalk] Very new to this
> >>
> >> After 55 years in amateur radio, I am about to get my first tower, a
> >> Force 12 LPT42. I live on a salt marsh, directly facing the ocean, hence
> >> the need for a low profile.
> >>
> >> But once the tower comes, I have no idea how to get it up. I am planning
> >> to pour a pad and strap it to the house.
> >>
> >> But can this collective braintrust point me to a how to manual, or even
> >> someone in the South Georgia area who can guide me?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Phil, W3HZZ
> >>
> >>
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-- 
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.