[TowerTalk] Guy anchors for AB-577

Patrick Greenlee patrick_g at windstream.net
Tue Feb 20 15:45:04 EST 2018


Is your candidate solution intended to be pulled at an upward angle such 
as anchoring a guy wire?  One of the best straight line pull anchoring 
devices is a Danforth anchor developed by Mr. Danforth for pulling 
landing craft back off the beach in W II and contemporarily used by 
boaters and off roaders (something to winch to when no buddy vehicles, 
trees or suitable things to tie to is available.)  Danforth anchors are 
terrific but are not designed for the upward angles commonly used to guy 
towers. Put your guy's anchor points sufficiently out from the tower to 
reduce the upward angle enough and a Danforth or similar anchor could be 
a good solution for you. Unlike lesser designs the Danforth anchor does 
not depend on its weight to work well and I have used them made of 
aluminum alloy to good effect.

One of my towers with a single set of 3 guys has large steel home brew 
buried anchors sans concrete and has worked fine for years. I dug down, 
buried the anchors, made slits for the parts connecting to the guy, and 
backfilled and compacted the soil. . The plane of the anchor's flukes 
are angled such that line tension on the guy causes the anchor to try to 
bury into the undisturbed soil at the side of the hole toward the tower.

I live free from permits and inspections.  My only connection to 
oversight is if I go high enough to need lights and red and white paint 
to satisfy FAA.

YMMV

Patrick        NJ5G


On 2/20/2018 2:18 PM, N4ZR wrote:
> After spending a frustrating afternoon trying (and failing) to drive a 
> single helical guy anchor for my AB-577 tower, I'm looking for a 
> better solution. I'm trying very hard to avoid excavation, concrete, 
> etc.because I will need to restore the site to pristine condition in a 
> few years. I came across a product called a duckbill anchor that 
> claims 3000 lb working load in normal soil, and can be driven with a 
> sledge or an electric jackhammer, leaving a cable end that is then 
> pulledon to "flip" the anchor into its final position.
>
> Anyone ever used these with a tower, AB-577 or otherwise?  Any reason 
> not to give them a try?
>
>



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