[TowerTalk] Tower base over ROCK (shale) experience??

[john at kk9a.com]

I have all tapered bottom pier pin bases with star guys and I never heard
any noise or saw base movement. It is important that the concrete base can
handle the downward force and that it will not slide sideways. The tower
anchors are extremely important so you still have the challenge of digging
those three holes though the shale, following the factory specifications.

John KK9A


To:	<towertalk at contesting.com>,	"bear" <bear at bearlabs.com>
Subject:	Re: [TowerTalk] Tower base over ROCK (shale) experience??
From:	"Bob Shohet, KQ2M" <kq2m at kq2m.com>
Date:	Fri, 13 Oct 2017 10:49:39 -0400


Yes, A LOT of experience at my qth!

My 130’ Rohn 45G tower rests on a pier pin on a Rohn 45 flat base on a very
wide and long concrete base ranging from only 9” – 18” deep MAXIMUM!  To
spread
out the stresses, I made the concrete base overly large ~ 6’ long by 4’ wide
and I used LOTS of rebar in the concrete in the base which was in a short
wire
cage also constructed of rebar, and all inside a wooden form that we
constructed.  We could not go down any deeper because of all the ledge on the
top of my hill.  Blasting would have been the only other option and it was
not
an option for me.

So, to minimize the tower rotation stresses of the extremely high winds at my
qth, I decided to use a flat base and pier pin so that the tower guys could
“self-equalize” the torque as necessary.  The first day of tower building we
were quickly alerted to just how much stress can quickly build up when,
shortly
after the first 40’ was put up and the tower guys were being tightened, we
heard a ear-splitting incredibly loud metallic BANG!!, which apparently was
just the tower “equalizing” the guy torque by rotating about 1inch  !!!  And
that was just from the first 40’ of tower with nothing on it!

If we ever had any questions about how valuable a flat base and pier pin
installation is, they were immediately and emphatically answered!

Now to answer your question, my 130’ tower holds 3  5L Hygain HG205CA’s (top
rotatable with Orion 2800PX and 14’ chrommoly mast) and an 40-2CD fixed SSE.
These antennas and tower has been up through Hurricane Sandy (110+ mph wind
gusts), Hurricane Irene 85 mph wind gusts, an F0 and F1 tornado (direct hits)
and more Nor-easters and T-storms with 70 – 90+ mph wind gusts than I can
count.   Not to mention the stresses from 100+ icing events since 1998 when I
put up the tower.  No problems with the tower ever.   I must add though
that in
2009, I made the decision to switch from regular guys to star guys at the 80’
and 120’ levels.  It was after the star guys were put up that we had the two
hurricanes and the F1 tornado.  I can’t say for sure whether the tower would
have survived them with just regular guys.  But I do know that the tower base
has never cracked despite all violence.  I would suggest that you use
oversize
guy anchors and equalizer plates as I did and make your guy anchor holes
longer
and deeper as well and use a high grade concrete from a concrete company
rather
than making your own in a mixer.  The higher the quality and smoother the
concrete the better.  And, the bigger and stronger the guys, guy anchors,
equalizer plates and turnbuckles, the better; especially if you are concerned
about the tower base.

73

Bob  KQ2M