[TowerTalk] Polygon Guy Rods

Sun Sep 8 15:17:51 EDT 2019

Hello Ron:

I think you are making a good choice with Phillystran for your tower installation. It is critical you follow all of the Phillystran manufacture instructions when you install it. The EHS comparison chart is very accurate. There is no reason to install larger sizes, however- you should install what the tower manufacture specifies for the installation you have. That is critical. If it is not in print for your tower, please contact them and get their engineering guidance. There is no reason to guess and there are no rules of thumb's when dealing with these installations. Your life depends on it! There are engineered solutions by the manufacture and you must follow those instructions 100%. Do it right! 

Use qualified professionals to install your tower, accidents happen (several this year already) and you do not want anything bad to happen to you or your friends.

Good Luck and be safe!

73
Tim K3LR

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ron WV4P
Sent: Sunday, September 8, 2019 12:02 PM
To: Wayne Kline
Cc: Tim Duffy; towertalk; jz73 at verizon.net
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Polygon Guy Rods

Thanks for the great replies !
I reckon I will err on the side of caution and use Phillystran.
For the folks using it, do you go by the EHS Comparison chart ? ie: The
HPTG4000I replaces 3/16 EHS and the  HPTG6700Ireplaces 1/4"
Or is there a rule of thumb to Upsize ? What size are most using on
Rotating towers ? Thanks again, Ron, WV4P

On Fri, 6 Sep 2019 at 13:41, Wayne Kline <w3ea at hotmail.com> wrote:

> John,
>
>
>
> IMHO PhillyStran has it’s place in tower installations  BUT  you must
> consider the site for  abrasion. It and polyrod  will fail  in that
> invroment.
>
>
>
> Even EHS 3/16 , ¼ and  5/16  will fail  under  fallen tree /limb contact…
> Ask BGN  or IPK  At IPK’s QTH the PLP  1/4 “ guy grip was still wrapped
> around the ROHN thimble  BUT the EHS was  pulled out and upon examining the
> EHS the wrap twist was no longer that but pulled  almost straight .  Yes it
> was a BIG tree 36”  dia oak and contacted the top layer of guys mid way ,
> snapping two legs of the R-25  ay 50 ft   resulting in crushing the one
> intact leg  down ( read wrinkles  in the crushed leg then bending it 160
> DEG. Down. And the rest of the tower resting at a 60 deg angle.  I assume
> this is a worse case  senero  Tees and towers do not MIX
>
>
>
> Wayne W3EA
>
>
>
> PS yes we cut the remaining guys and let the tower fall  with the weight
> of the tree    bolt cutters to the rescue
>
>
>
> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> Windows 10
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Jon
> Zaimes via TowerTalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
> *Sent:* Friday, September 6, 2019 1:57:44 PM
> *To:* 'Tim Duffy' <k3lr at k3lr.com>; 'Ron WV4P' <wv4ptn at gmail.com>;
> 'towertalk' <TowerTalk at contesting.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [TowerTalk] Polygon Guy Rods
>
> I had my first Phillystran failure here not long ago. It was one of the
> guys
> on my 160-meter (K3LR array!) vertical driven element, and broke when a
> loblolly pine limb fell on it. The limb, which broke off and fell about 10
> feet to hit the guy, later was weighed at about 100 pounds. The Philly had
> been purchased in 1978 and used at four different  QTH's over its 41 year
> life. Phillystran's website says lifespan is 25 or more years; so maybe
> practical lifespan is somewhere in between those numbers. Maybe even a new
> piece would break if such a limb hit it.
>
> Phillystran also is susceptible to chafing if tree limbs come in contact
> with it. I had used a number of pieces which originally were in the clear
> when the towers were installed 20 years ago, but as trees grew limbs came
> into contact and chafed through the outer sheathing. Once the inner Kevlar
> is exposed to UV rays, it may break down. In addition to a major tree
> trimming and removal this year to avoid such contact, I've also replaced
> most of the Phillystran on my seven towers with EHS steel with insulators
> at
> non-resonant lengths.
>
> 73/Jon
>
> Jon P. Zaimes, AA1K
> Tower climber for hire
> http://www.aa1k.us/
> Cell: 302-632-2353
>
> Reviews of AA1K tower work on eham website:
> http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/12922
>
> Hug your favorite tower every day, and always stay connected to it.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Tim Duffy
> Sent: Thursday, September 5, 2019 8:03 PM
> To: 'Ron WV4P' <wv4ptn at gmail.com>; 'towertalk' <TowerTalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Polygon Guy Rods
>
> I participated in a group buy of Polygon Rod in the late 1980s. Quite a
> learning curve.
>
> Even UV stabilized is only good for about 10 years - then needs replaced.
> Difficult to work with.
>
> I had one Polygon rod guy break mid span on my 40 meter tower (it was 5
> years old). That was the end.
>
> Just finished this summer getting all of the Polygon rod replaced with
> Phillystran on the tall towers at K3LR. Properly maintained and inspected
> Phillystran with the appropriate preformed line grip terminations should
> last 30 plus years - no breaks or surprises so far with Phillystran.
>
> 73
> Tim K3LR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
> <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com>] On Behalf Of Ron
> WV4P
> Sent: Thursday, September 5, 2019 7:32 PM
> To: towertalk
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Polygon Guy Rods
>
> Is it still possible to do the group buys on the Polygon pultrusion
> fiberglass rods ? Any Interest ? I have several towers going up soon and
> could use some. Ron WV4P _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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