Once you have done the following once or twice you are in like Flynn...or
Coburn, or, well:
Use your arithmetic measurement for how long the guy should be and then make
the piece of guy wire closest to the ground on that first one 10 feet too
long. Since you are splicing the guys by insulating them this first one will
give you a good feel for how close your arithmetic guesstimate is. i.e. if
you have ten feet too much your math is one hell of a lot better than mine!
I assume you are using a bolt cutters for cutting your EHS...they can be had
cheap at flea markets...you have seen them they have the big long red handles
and menacing black jaws.
If you are using an AB Chance or similar anchor into the ground/concrete you
have a closed eye that is your attachment point. You need to pass something
through that eye which will act as a place for you to attach a comealong.
Depending on the intallation you use this will vary as you will need to try
and avoid the actual guy wire's path as best you can. If you have an
equalizer plate you can use an adjacent hole on the plate as an attachment
point.
With the comealong and a Chicagogrip (or another, second, guy grip applied
several feet up the guy wire) moderately tension the guy wire. I say
moderately so you don't pull the tower over or throw it outta plumb from the
gitgo. Once the guys are moderately taught check the tower for plumb, adjust
the guy that needs to be tighter first and, if necessary, later on you can
let out the far side guy(s). If you can tighten that first guy and bring the
tower into plumb there is a good chance you will have also tightened the
other guys in the process. If increased tension does not plumbize the tower,
then you should consider letting out on the other guys.
You will have a lose end pointing at your guy anchor with the comealong doing
the work. I recommend you have a trunbuckle there as it will allow you to
fine tune your adjustments later on. With the force on the comealong, and the
bottom side of the turnbuckle attahced to your anchor you know how long the
wild end of the cable needs to be. Cut it so that it corresponds to where it
should end at the high side of the trunbuckle. Trim it, and marry it to the
turnbuckle's upper end with a preformed guy grip. It should only take a
couple of twists of the turnbuckle at this point to transfer the load off the
comealong and onto the turnbuckle. It will take a couple of hits/misses for
you to find how far up the guy wire to attach your comealong/Chicagogrip so
that you will not interrfere with the turnbuckle, still be able to take up,
and - be able to reach that upper point! Don't make it too high.
We have had great luck with using the Loos gauge as a method for equalizing
the force on the guy wires. While it may not give an exact number it does
give you a repeatable number, strive to have all your guys have equal tension
(this assumes the end points are all the same distance from the base of the
tower, of course).
If you are going into an equalizer plate, remember that as the other upper
guys attach to the plate it should want to change its angle with repect to
the ground as the later guys attach to it. This creates a situation where
the bottom set will be drawn tighter than when initially installed. The best
way to handle this is to compensate for it by having several inches of extra
take up on the lower turnbuckle when it is originally installed so that they
can be backed out as the upper guys tighten, allowing the eq plate to rotate.
I encourage you to purchase a Chicago-Grip (the Florida Rednecks call it a
Pork Chop...when you see it you will know why) - this device when used with
the comealong makes the job of tightening the guy wires no big deal. Having
a second person is a big plus on this job as you can really zip from one to
the other with one guy in charge of attaching the hdwe and the other in
charge of tightening, etc.....I recommend a Dad!
After you have done the first level (assuming you took my advice and got that
pork chop - don't leave home without it) you will zip through the subsequent
guy levels. If you are a member of a club you might wanna encourage the club
to buy a pork chop for all the members to use.
We have used these techniques successfully, repeatedly. Oh yeah, one other
thing - the pork chop is a great way to grab the lower end of your tram line
when you are putting up your antennas....but, we will wait for you to ask
about that in a month or so :-)
73
See You SS CW this November!
Jim, zx k1zx@contesting.com
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