I just installed an older MA-40 tower. As I was cranking it up (w/o
antenna) I thought to myself, "this sure is taking longer than normal
to hit the stops." Just then I looked up and saw the top 3" section
lean over about 15 degrees as the top section came OUT of the bottom
tube. I was shocked! The only thing that stopped that top section
from popping out and spearing through the roof was the round guide
welded to the bottom of the 3" square tubing being trapped inside the
top pulley bracket/guide! The top pulley bracket/guide has a 3"
square hole and the round guide couldn't go through it (round peg, square hole)
I slowly let up on the winch and the cable went slack. Damn it, it
was wedged! I climbed up on the roof and using an extension ladder,
righted the top section and it popped back in the tower a couple of
inches and I was safe to lower it back down.
I told the owner that the tower needs to come back down so we can
figure out why the "stop" had failed. I disassembled the tower and
found that no stops were EVER installed!!! The thing is, the tower
was already apart that day when we installed the new cable and I
didn't even think to check for a stop. The older Wilson and Triex
tubular towers have stops! This is the first of MANY that did not
have a stop! No pre-drilled hole for a bolt or anything! I
installed a grade-5 bolt leaving approx 3' of overlap (standard
overlap for US Tower MA-40) and had the tower back up in under an hour.
I was able to coax the top section back in with a little
jiggling. The problem with this MA-550 sounds like top pulley failed
and the cable is wedged (very rare for that to happen). If this was
me, I'd kick the tower and see if it will vibrate down. We have to
do this with a small homemade tower trailer every time.
But under NO CIRCUMSTANCE, try to tilt the tower when
extended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At 10:09 AM 8/30/2007, Mark Robinson wrote:
>Can't Dick get a rope on the top section to add a positive pulldown
>force when trying to lower the tower? Would that be worth a try?
>
>
>Mark N1UK G3ZZM
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Dino Darling" <dino@k6rix.com>
>To: "Richard Zalewski" <dick.w7zr@gmail.com>
>Cc: "Towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Sent: Thursday, 30 August, 2007 1:03 PM
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Further on Pull Rope and MA550
>
>
>>This is a foolish idea and the tower is not rated to do this. You
>>will probably bend the top two tower sections and destroy the
>>base. Make sure you have someone taking video if you decide to go
>>forward...I want to see the carnage and upload it to YouTube; key
>>words, DARWIN AWARD!
>>
>>How much does the tower and antenna system cost? How much to rent a
>>boom truck? You decide!
>>
>>The amateur game is not cheap. If you can't afford it, don't do it.
>>
>>I know, I'm being a little hard on the Beaver, but do you have any
>>idea how much of a bad idea this is?!
>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>At 09:24 AM 8/30/2007, Richard Zalewski wrote:
>>
>>>Thanks for all who replied. I think I have a problem that will
>>>require me to tilt over the tower with it extended and the SteppIR on
>>>top. I have the MRB base mount. Do you think I need to take any
>>>extra precautions to tilt the tower over with it extended and antenna
>>>still attached? Of course normally the tower is retracted. There
>>>will be more of a moment out there this way but I don't see any way
>>>around short of getting a boom truck first. I tried to shake the top
>>>and it still would not collapse. It will go up and it goes down to
>>>the same point every time.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Tnx es 73
>>>Dick W7ZR
>>>www.w7zr.com
>>>I have taken a vow of poverty.
>>>To annoy me send money.
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database:
>269.12.12/979 - Release Date: 8/29/2007 8:21 PM
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.12/979 -
>Release Date: 8/29/2007
Dino - K6RIX
dino@k6rix.com
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.12/979 - Release Date: 8/29/2007
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