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Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff - please be safe

To: "'Cecil'" <chacuff@cableone.net>, <donovanf@starpower.net>
Subject: Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff - please be safe
From: "Tim Duffy" <k3lr@k3lr.com>
Reply-to: k3lr@k3lr.com
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 23:06:22 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Be very careful with "real world" testimonials - giving advice to use
products for the wrong application is really dangerous. We are talking about
serious tower projects that can turn fatal if you use the wrong equipment. I
don't care how high the tower is. PLEASE USE THE RIGHT STUFF!

If anyone uses the wrong tower hardware and does not have problems or does
not get killed, I call that "luck". Do you want to bet your life on luck?

Use the EXACT product that is specifically designed for tower applications. 
Do not take short cuts! Pay attention to the tower, guy wire and antenna
manufactures instructions. Tower guy wires are special. Talk to a
professional mechanical engineer with tower engineering experience, he will
tell you.  There is a reason there are two different PLP products for two
very different applications. 

Every year several Hams are killed in tower accidents because they took
short cuts, bad chances or tried to save money - or worst of all, they got
bad advice. What is your life or one of your friend's lives worth? 

Have you ever gone to a funeral of a tower climber?
I have - and it changed my life forever.

PLEASE BE SAFE

73,
Tim K3LR

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Cecil
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 10:44 PM
To: donovanf@starpower.net
Cc: Carl; topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff

Have been for the last 7 years...no issues at all.  The tower products are
just an adaptation of products used in the power distribution business for
years.  I work for an electric utility, one of the largest in the US.  I've
seen both products and see no difference in their design.  The preformed
line products grips are used to guy transmission towers on a routine basis.
We also use them to support fiber optic cables on distribution and
transmission structures.

I chose the PLP grips for my 65' tower...they were a good bit cheaper.  

I also used screw down anchors for my guy points...the ones used in the
electrical distribution business.  Bigger plates, galvanized instead of
painted and heavier duty....for less money.


But it is a personal choice....

Cecil
K5DL

Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 4, 2014, at 3:13 PM, donovanf@starpower.net wrote:
> 
> Hi Carl, 
> 
> Preformed Line Products says: ""Guy-Grip Dead-ends are intended for 
> use on single wood poles associated with distribution construction." 
> 
> If you examine the Rohn tower hardware catalog, they list only Big Grips, 
> never a mention of using wood pole Guy Grips on any of their towers 
> 
> For a few dollars more you can use the BG-2144 Big Grip product 
> recommended by the manufacturer for use on towers. 
> 
> Use Guy Grips for wood poles at your own risk... 
> 
> 73 
> Frank 
> W3LPL 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com> 
> To: donovanf@starpower.net, "Bill Wichers" <billw@waveform.net> 
> Cc: topband@contesting.com 
> Sent: Thursday, September 4, 2014 7:14:00 PM 
> Subject: Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff 
> 
> Not according to the folks that invented them Frank. The Big Grip is a Guy

> Grip for serious towers. 
> 
>
http://www.preformed.com/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_phocadownload%26view%3Dcat
egory%26download%3D44:plp-commcatsec20-2012%26id%3D15:strand-and-cable-produ
cts%26Itemid%3D145&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=nqoIVJWDDcmayAT5hoHQDA&ved=
0CBQQFjAA&sig2=1aPQDpfnvYFm8XWlxXxgjw&usg=AFQjCNEns72sjImeKDRibuLmm62WL9bSqA
> 
> The Preform name is often used as a noun by cable apes (-; 
> 
> Carl 
> KM1H 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <donovanf@starpower.net> 
> To: "Bill Wichers" <billw@waveform.net> 
> Cc: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>; <topband@contesting.com> 
> Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 1:40 PM 
> Subject: Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff 
> 
> 
>> Tower guys should use Big Grips, not the performs used by electric 
>> utilities. You can purchase Big Grips from Texas Towers and many other 
>> suppliers 
>> 
>> 73 
>> Frank 
>> W3LPL 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: Bill Wichers &lt;billw@waveform.net&gt; 
>> To: Carl &lt;km1h@jeremy.mv.com&gt;, topband@contesting.com 
>> Sent: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 13:31:07 -0400 (EDT) 
>> Subject: Re: Topband: WTB: Guy wire stuff 
>> 
>> If you only need a few like this, try calling some of the utility 
>> contractors in your area. They will always have the dead ends and the
guys 
>> that also do the power work will also have the insulators. They will 
>> probably be able to sell you a few without too much trouble. 
>> 
>> BTW, the utility guys will usually call the "dead ends" "preforms" 
>> (different industry, different terminology :-), but they are the same 
>> thing. The telco/cable guys use 1/4" EHS strand for a support line for 
>> their cables so they will always have hardware for that. The preforms are

>> cheap enough from the crew's perspective that they are occasionally used 
>> as temporary "twist ties" to hole up cable prior to lashing. 
>> 
>> You can order the stuff from Graybar too (probably the telecom division, 
>> but the power division can get stuff too), but I don't know about their 
>> prices. I've only ever ordered by the carton at work. 
>> 
>> -Bill 
>> 
>> &gt; What I need is: 
>> &gt; 
>> &gt; Up to 12 502 guy insulators 
>> &gt; Up to 18 1/4" deadends/guy grips 
>> &gt; 
>> &gt; Individually prices from dealers is ridiculous and I dont need case 
>> loads as I 
>> &gt; bought when building the other 3 towers in 90-91 and wound up giving

>> away 
>> &gt; what I didnt use. 
>> &gt; 
>> &gt; Any help appreciated. 
>> &gt; 
>> &gt; Carl 
>> &gt; KM1H 
>> &gt; 
>> &gt; _________________ 
>> &gt; Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband 
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>> 
>> 
>> ----- 
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> 
> 
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