On 3/11/2017 8:16 AM, Jim Thomson wrote:
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2017 21:12:43 -0600
From: Ed Karl <edk0kl@centurytel.net>
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Booms
Hey Troops-
I've been around for a while, always wondered about this. Looking at the
discussion
of square vs round booms. How come the elements are on top of the round
boom?
Seems like less inclination to rotate out of alignment if they were
already on the bottom ...
ed K0KL.
## Nobody mounts els on top of the round booms, they all mount below.
>> guess I've been doing it wrong, but it sure is easier.
Since the els sag at their tips, I see no advantage to mounting els below
the round or square boom. With eles mounted below a boom, you now have
the entire weight of the ele, plus any ice loading, sitting on the mounting
bolts,
like those used on stauff clamp assy..which are only the .25 – 20 variety.
If els mounted on top, you have zero weight on the bolts, or u bolts.
Thats not that big a deal, except for maybe 40m eles, in
which case you would have at least 2 x ss u bolts on each side..or a min of 2 x
stauff clamps per side.
I think you will have a pile of aluminum rubble long before the usual
boom bolts fail - eg 1/4-20 for 10 or 15 for 2" booms, 3/8-16 or 1/2-13
HDG u-bolts for 20/40 for 3" booms and 1/2-13's thru bolts for machined
double saddles 80m 3" booms.
## I would still like to know if I have the maths correct as far as a 4 inch
round boom
vs a 3 inch square boom.
Engineering Calculator agrees with your numbers below
## A 3 inch square boom has a section modulus of 1.323
A 4 inch round boom has a section modulus of 1.45
## A 3 inch rectangular boom that is say has 40 ft long has a projected area of
exactly 10 sq ft.
A 4 inch round boom that is the same 40 ft long has a projected area of exactly
13.332 sq ft.
## Both latest eia- tia and also ubc-97 D specs say to multiply any flat
surface by 2.0
Round tubes are multiplied by just 1.2
## so the effective area of the 3 inch sq boom ends up being 10 x 2 = 20 sq
ft.
The effective area of the 4 inch round boom ends up being 13.332 x 1.2 =
15.998 sq ft
20 / 15.998 = 25% more effective surface area for the 3 inch sq boom.
## Bending moment of a cylinder or tube is just section modulus X yield
strength. This is how they
calculate the max stress where your mast enters the top of the tower, or at
any point along the length
of a yagi ele. Of course, with greater effective surface areas and or longer
eles or a longer tower mast, the
stress increases fast like.
IF the same format Is used for square tubing, then the round boom reigns
supreme..hands down. Round boom
has a bigger section modulus... by 9.6 %. 1.45 / 1.323 = 1.09599 = 9.6%
The sq boom has 25 % more effective surface area.
## mounting els to a round or sq boom is a no brainer, several methods will
work on each type. Thats a moot point.
If Im correct, I see no advantage to the square boom. Its a helluva lot
weaker vs a round boom, assuming the circumference
and yield strength is identical in both cases.....and both booms are the same
length.
Although it might be easier to compress beyond yield stress a round boom
with a u-bolt then a square boom with a plate and two bolts. Seen it
done. U-bolts are sloppy fits and place all the boom stress at two
points - flat boom to element plate and crest of the u-bolt. Why DX Eng
saddles or custom made bored split saddles are much superior ways to
clamp to booms.
4" x .125" wall tube intuitively to me feels a bit fragile re damage
from clamping or handling. Internally sleeving the center of a 3" boom
seems to me a better approach than increasing the diameter. Internal
sleeving works (ie add up the modulus) for round or square tube per
Leeson's analysis. One drawback for 3" and larger is the lack of 0.120"
wall, at least I've never found it. So the joiners for long 3" booms
need to be machined to slip fit, eg 2.750 x .250 wall turned to
something smaller od. btw I have a few to spare of such joiners.
Square booms are a winner for vhf/uhf. Drill holes thru and insulate
elements or not with plastic bushings and a threaded hole on top or
bottom to secure the element with a screw.
Grant KZ1W
Jim VE7RF
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