[TowerTalk] Tower base "challenge"

[Dan Cisson]

Steve, first of all,, you did make a big mistake guying to the trees...trees 
move and pull on the tower....You said you used a screw in for an anchor 
into one stump...that was surely going to pull out eventually.
Anyway, the task and situation at hand-What to do ??You need some good earth 
anchors...like 6 ft long with 8 inch augers on them-They are TOUGH to get 
in, especially if the ground is somewhat hard. But, they won't come out-not 
for 50 ft of Rohn 25. If the tower base is hard to move back to vertical, 
then it likely will suffice to do the job. But you will need to tamp down 
the ground once you get the base straight. Sounds like you originally did 
not make the base big enough. That base should have been 3 X 3 ft 
cubed-which is one yard of concrete. Basically, all you are asking the 
foundation to do from this point on is keep it from sinking any at all...if 
it does sink any at all from being too small, you need to re-do the 
foundation. Again, 3 ft X 3 ft and 3 ft down is enough.
You can go with elevated anchors which requires a heavy section of I-beam 
concreted into the ground, and up above ground probally 5 ft or so which 
allows you to get under the wires with lawn mower and walking clearance.This 
option is somewhat expensive-concrete and steel, and getting it 
installed.Overall, if that base as it is now moves easily, you likely need 
to re-do it.. But if you can plum the tower straight, and shore up the 
ground around the base, you may be able to get by with that...The first and 
the top set of guy wires will hold the tower stable. Be sure to use a good 
grade of galvanized guy cable like 3/16(minimum) ,or 1/4 inch. Use good 
galvanized turnbuckles,minimum 3/8 X 6. NO MORE TREES !!!
Good Luck,, Dan N4GNR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Oksala" <ni3p at comcast.net>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:45 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Tower base "challenge"


>I have a problem, and hopefully the experts on this forum will be able to
> help.
>
> My tower is 50 feet of Rohn 25, with a Force  12 C-3 on top. The tower has
> been up for around 30 years. It has been guyed at 25 and 45 feet with
> standard steel cable. The guys were anchored as follows: Guys A were into 
> a
> pine tree at about six feet; some years ago the tree died, and the stump 
> was
> left to hold the anchors. Guys B were also into a pine tree at about six
> feet, and like Guy A the tree died and the stump was left with the 
> anchors.
> Guys C were about six feet into a large maple tree.
>
> At the end of fall, I disconnect the lower guys as I planned to replace
> them. However time was limited, and the tower was guyed only at the 45 
> foot
> level. Earlier this winter, we in the Philly area had a severe ice storm.
> The result was that - I think - that the ice load on the guys was very 
> high.
> The result was that the screw-in for Guy A pulled completely out of the
> stump; the stump which contained Guy B pulled completely out of the 
> ground,
> with the screw-in still attached; and Guy C was still connected. However 
> the
> tower now has a distinct tilt. Just recently I was able to examine it, and
> the cement base in which the tower was set has actually tipped somewhat, 
> so
> one side is about an inch up above the ground and the other side is a 
> little
> bit below. The base is tilted toward the maple tree where Guy C remained
> intact, and I can only assume that the weight of the ice on the guy wire
> pulled it into this new position. (The antenna held up fine.)
>
> The question I have now is what to do next. I do need to climb the tower 
> to
> replace the rotor cable (unrelated issue) and install an inverted V around
> 40 feet. But I don't know if I should simple reguy it as is, or fix it - 
> and
> if I fix it, what does that mean? Do I need to dig up all around the base,
> straighten it out (by pulling on the top guy wire, which is still attached
> to the tower), and then filling in around it with new concrete?  Demolish
> all that concrete and replace (a huge job, I would think)? What other
> options exist? I should also note that when I put it up I did not use any
> rebar, just the hole and concrete I mixed and poured.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated. If there is a consensus that this should 
> be
> left to an expert (I am 70 years old and used my brain for a living; no
> construction skills)?  If so, any recommendations?
>
> Thanks in advance for your expertise.
>
>
>
> Steve Oksala
>
> NI3P
>
> Ni3p at comcast.net
>
>
>
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