Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Tower guying questions

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Tower guying questions
From: albraun@socketis.net (albraun@socketis.net)
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 96 12:45:14 +0000
        I was working on my tower yesterday and noticed a potential 
problem.  The tower is 100 ft of Rohn 45 with a Mosley Pro-67 on 
top, guyed at 3 levels (33, 63 and 93 feet) with 6700 lb Phillystran.
The guy points consist of 4 ft long screw-in anchors (the big ones 
sold at the farm & home store for tying down mobile homes).  I dug 
holes and poured concrete since I couldn't get them to screw.  The 
holes are roughly straight down, bigger at the bottom, but the
anchors themselves are at a slant, roughly parallel to the axis of
the guy cables.  The concrete cylinders are each about a foot in
diameter.  This installation has been in place for almost exactly
5 years.

        I think that 2 of them may be starting to pull out a little.
The concrete pad for one of them now sits about 2 inches above the
ground level, and the other is about 1 inch above.  There are spaces
just big enough to fit my fingers into that go at least 6 inches into 
the ground on the side away from the tower.  I noticed the 2 incher 
last spring but it didn't occur to me at the time what was happening.  
I don't think it has changed much since then.  

The ground in my area is mostly clay and rock without a lot of topsoil.

        My questions are these:
1.  Is there anything I can do to salvage the installation, such as
putting something into the holes to fill the spaces?

2.  Should I do something right away or could it wait until the spring?  
I'm going to be hard pressed for time to plant new guy anchors before it 
gets cold.

I realize that the best solution is to put down new anchors.  I also
understand that it isn't possible to give reliable answers without 
having seen my situation.  However I'd appreciate whatever thoughts
anyone might have.  Thanks and 73 - Alan NS0B

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Alan Braun MD, NS0B/V31EV *Internet: albraun@socketis.net       *
* Jefferson City, MO        *Packet: NS0B@N0LBA.#cemo.mo.usa.noam *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 K7LXC@contesting.com
Sponsored by Akorn Access, Inc & KM9P

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>