[UK-CONTEST] Fw: Gin Poles

[Clive GM3POI]

  Yes Dave,
      My couplers have angle iron welded on each
  side of the basic coupler then they are properly 
Zinc
  plated unlike the original versions. these will not
  buckle however in my case, they are  pulled up
  using a sit-on lawn mower!  Works a treat on the 
160m
  vertical etc. 73 Clive GM3POI
 ----- Original Message ----- 
 From: "Dave Lawley" <dave at g4buo.com>
> To: "UK Contest Reflector" 
> <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 9:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Gin Poles
>
>
>> Chris's mention of Barenco (same as Jaybeam?) 
>> couplers leads me to say
>> that it is utter madness for someone to stand 'at 
>> the base of the mast'
>> - I have seen pictures of a mast being raised with 
>> a gin pole, with
>> someone at the base. If a coupler fails or even if 
>> a side guy gets over
>> tight, that is an extremely dangerous place to be. 
>> You could easily be
>> killed or badly injured. There is no need to be 
>> there, the joint between
>> the mast and gin pole will dig into the ground.
>>
>> I always refuse to raise a mast until everyone is 
>> outside the circle of
>> the guys. It just isn't worth the risk. And yes, I 
>> have seen a coupler
>> fail in this situation. It was a Jaybeam one, with 
>> that stupid
>> indentation which weakens the coupler 
>> considerably. The thing tore in
>> half. One fix to prevent this problem is to weld a 
>> spine along the
>> length of the coupler, but this is still no reason 
>> for anyone to risk
>> their life by standing at the base. Just think 
>> about the forces acting
>> on that point.
>>
>> Dave G4BUO
>>
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>