[Boatanchors] Guy Wire Insulator Placement

[brianclarke01 at optusnet.com.au]

With all due respect, Glen,
Usually, I find you give fairly good advice.
But this diatribe you have contributed has no engineering merit
whatever. You have given no statement of design for dead weight, wind
loading, erection, ground support ...  I have designed towers using
both aluminium and steel. Those two metals have different crush
strength, sheer strength, fatigue resistance, weight, ease of
fabrication, cost - I could go on.
To everyone else on this list, get an engineer to assess and certify
any proposed tower you want to erect.
73 de Brian, VK2GCEBEng, PhD, Fellow IEAust 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Glen Zook" 
To:"Rob Atkinson" , "Bill Stewart" 
Cc:"boatanchors" 
Sent:Wed, 24 Jul 2013 10:37:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject:Re: [Boatanchors] Guy Wire Insulator Placement

 Unfortunately, aluminum towers are just not as sturdy as steel
towers!  A while back, I helped a local amateur radio operator get
his quad out of his neighbor's tree when the aluminum tower failed in
a windstorm.  The load on the tower was significantly LESS than the
rating.  I have heard of similar problems with aluminum towers
elsewhere.

 Also, a 60-foot self supporting tower  that can support any
reasonably sized yagi is going to be pretty wide at the base.  Most
towers are not installed using "Johnny balls"!  The vast majority are
installed using a section installed in concrete poured in a hole
against undisturbed soil.
  
 Glen, K9STH

 Website: http://k9sth.com

 ________________________________
 From: Rob Atkinson 
 To: Bill Stewart  
 Cc: boatanchors  
 Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 10:20 PM
 Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Guy Wire Insulator Placement

 If you only want to go up 50 or 60 feet, I'd consider a free standing
 tower.  Then johhny balls and guys are a moot subject.
 I'm told the Mosely TA33 is a good beam, but only covers 10, 15 and
 20.  Have you considered a quad?  Work well at low heights; small
 turning radius.

 A 40 foot free standing aluminum tower could be wenched over for work
 on the ground.

 important question re tower height:  what is your local topography
 like?  i.e., tower down in a hole; up on a hill, on flat ground...?

 Just some ideas but disclaimer:  I have never owned a tower, never
 owned a beam, rotator, any of that and never been a big DX chaser or
 high band op.  just a dipole here at 35 feet for the high bands. 
All
 information above is from listening and reading.

 One thing I'd avoid is those cable/pulley crank ups.  Unless you are
a
 professional mechanic and really know how to treat them, I'd stay
away
 from them.
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