Guys, I'm needing some help here.
I am installing a HG52SS about 16 miles north of San Antonio in an
area that is nearly all solid rock and I have two sets of factory
specs on installation instructions from HyGain. One says (and I'm
going from memory here, but I'm pretty sure I am correct) 30X30X42"
for the hole and the other says 42"X42"X5.5 feet for the hole. The
issue is that under an inch or so of soil here it is virtually all
solid rock. We are now down about 3 1/2 feet into solid rock on all
four sides, and it has required a large jackhammer and many hours to
get there. Assuming the base hole is to be designed for both
compressive and lateral movement, there is no way it is going
anywhere, either way.
This location is where I plan to live the remainder of my life, so I
want it right. The tower will have a 2 el quad on it, and likely
nothing every bigger than a 3 or maybe 4 el monobander as I have never
owned a commercial antenna and have always built my own. With it being
a crank-up, one antenna at a time (especially the 2 el quad) is
sufficient for me.
My question is: Is this sufficient, considering the ground materials?
I am highly considering the hole as is, wth a pad one to two feet tall
around it above ground and tied into the factory rebar base (which I
will have to cut down and slightly re-do in order to make it fit the
current hole). With a sufficiently tied-in top pad, the tower cannot
move in any direction as the above ground part would try to push down
onto the rock around it, which it cannot do (as the rock 1" and less
underground is solid).
An engineer is out of the questions as I am an average guy, teaching
college for what often feels like minimum wage. I am also at least 16
miles form the nearest possible engineer which would add to the cost
factor.
Again, this is an amateur tower installation. The load will never be a
lot as the tower is not rated for a lot of load. It cranks up and
down, and I monitor the weather here, so it would be lowered when
conditions suggested that it would be prudent.
I could sure use some opinions.
Michael Goins, k5wmg
Pipe Creek, Texas
Fast cars, slow boats, big dogs, and summers off to write
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|