Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] Putting in First Tower

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Putting in First Tower
From: W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 20:44:40 -0600
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I am not a fan of 25g. It is a pain to climb and spend much time on. I have moved on to freestanding towers and as I am nearing 50 even climbing freestanding big towers is not very interesting. I wish I had saved for a crank up but that puts you in an entirely different price range.

Regarding the curing of the concrete. "The 28-day requirement is really a holdover from many years ago, as some projects now specify that the design strength be reached much sooner. In Tennessee, ready mix producers have supplied concrete that reaches 3000 psi in only 24 hours, and sometimes in as little as 16 hours. Of course, this concrete will continue to gain strength as long as it properly cured by keeping moisture available, and will often reach ultimate strengths of 8000 psi or more."

The Rohn specs will tell you about the cages required for the rebar. Have the concrete company add in the fiberglass it is cheap if not free and will help.

I have always sunk the base in a small concrete pad.

Use Phylistran to guy as it will save you hours of headaches, insulators, etc and is not that much more than properly breaking up guys to be non resonant.

Find some locals to help you. Are you active with a local club? The Mile Hi Dx Club and Grand Mesa Contest club have members that can probably help you.

Mike W0MU

On 3/24/2014 6:30 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
_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

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