[TowerTalk] Guy tension gauge

[Steve]

On 11/25/2020 7:39 PM, Steve, NR4M wrote:

> What is the Loos gauge telling you?
> Those things were intended for the type of cable used on boat rigging. They probably do that just fine.
> The finer stranding of the boat cable deflects more easily than the EHS cable would, so I think all bets are off as far as accuracy goes.
> The best you can do with a Loos gauge, and it probably does it just fine, is show you if the EHS tension is equal.
> But, if I recall my physics correctly, -if- all guys at any given level are identical ( same distance to each guy anchor, etc) then the tension on any one will be the same as the other two.
> I have a nice, brand new tension dynamometer and I have been intending for several years on taking pieces of 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch EHS, putting them in series with each other and the dynamometer between BIG trees, and try and calibrate a large Loos gauge.

Mostly correct. If you consider the tower as a flexible column, the 
three guys at any level will be fairly equal in tension. Anyone who 
installs taller R45 & R55 towers knows that intuitively. If it were a 
rigid column, not so much. It so happens though that even big towers 
when engineered for maximum efficiency turn out to be fairly flexible 
because the guy levels are spaced way further apart.

When I mentioned deflection gauge I was thinking of something like a 
Penn-Tech, which comes with a table letting you measure either EHS or 
bridge strand *fairly* accurately.

-Steve K8LX