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Re: [TowerTalk] Putting in First Tower

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Putting in First Tower
From: Pete Smith N4ZR <n4zr@contesting.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 10:00:04 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

If you are lucky your county will be as laissez faire as mine, but you should check carefully, because a lot of jurisdictions seem to have adopted boilerplate zoning or building permit rules that require a lot of paperwork.

The Rohn catalog is certainly a great first step, but I encourage you to consider a copy of K7LXC's book - http://www.championradio.com/UP-THE-TOWER-The-Complete-Guide-To-Tower-Construction.1 It covers a lot of essential territory.

I went with Rohn specs all the way when putting up my 97' Rohn 25. After a lot of agonizing I decided to go with the pier pin base, even though it required temporary guys in order to climb the first section.

Regarding your point about falling on your property, that's certainly conservative, but with a tower guyed in three directions on at least 2 levels, in most failure scenarios the risk is limited to a much smaller circle than that because the failing tower will be tethered. The one exception to this scenario is if you tie all your guys to single guy anchors, and an anchor fails, in which case the tower may fall more or less like a tree.

If I had my tower to do over again, I think I might invest in a second set of anchors 15-20 feet outside the Rohn-spec location, and connect the top guys there. One added advantage - it gives you more room for a second yagi stacked under the top one - with the Rohn dimensions, there isn't much room to spare.

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net,
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
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On 3/24/2014 7:30 AM, Ron Rosson wrote:
Well the weather here in Colorado is finally getting to the point where I need to get of my backside and start setting plans to get my first tower put up here in Loveland, Co. I have 6 10’ sections and one top section plus 1 8’ section (all 25G). Depending on who I have talked to in person I have got mixed information on using burring the 8’ section or setting a base plate for the tower. Which is the better route? Also In my google searches I have found not tied and true method (free info) for the depth of the whole to dig for the base and how to set the rebar be it I go with encasing a tower section in cement or with purchasing a base plate for the tower. Below is what I know that I need to do:
    - Cement needs to be 3000 PSI rated
- I want to go bigger on the whole just in case I want to go higher than what I currently have on hand - Get with local County to make sure I am ok with how I want to get this accomplished. - Once the cement is poured I have a minimum of 30 days of curing before I can start putting sections together - If it falls it has to land on my property and not any of my neighbors :)

What I do not know:
- Best way to accomplish digging of the hole and setting it up for the tower
        - Disturbed or undisturbed
        - Rebar pattern
        - Dimensions (x by y by z (where z is the depth)
    - How to properly setup the anchors for the guy wires
- Can I guy to the same point from different heights if my height requires a guy at “a" feet and another at “b” feet.

All guidance and pointers is greatly appreciated. If you are local I am open to a visit for some personal pointers to see the lay of the land (so to speak)

TIA

--
73 de KF5JRA
Ron Rosson
ron@oneinsane.org
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