OK, my first tower. It's old - very old, but in great condition. However, I think it's missing something.

It's a crank up, self-standing tower, but it doesn't seem to have anything to lock the sections. I crank it up and then tie off the crank to keep it from turning the opposite direction and allowing the tower to lower under it's own weight. Only the crank up cables are holding it's weight now. Is that safe?

QUESTION: Shouldn't there be some devices that lock the sections together to prevent them from lowering - or from putting too much constant stress on the cables?

Again, I'm new to towers. Any advice?

Thanks much!

dave

Hmmm... What business is it of anyone how much money I or anyone makes. Before the Academic Communists indoctrinated their students here in the US, it was rude to be overly concerned about another person's private property - especially money.

Ham radio may need to be concerned.

Marxism is making a huge comeback, even though the Socialist nations of Europe are collapsing from it.

One of their biggest ploys is to label certain things the domain of 'the rich' - even though Ham Radio is nowhere near that. They play upon people's envy, jealousy and attempt to shut down anything they believe to be a threat to their particular worldview. This is how every Marxist regime has been created - pitting rich against poor, young against old, black against white, etc.

When it comes to Ham Radio, the free ability to communicate can be thwarted by such a mindset. Don't think it could never happen to Ham Radio, it can.

dave

YOUR GROUNDED!! lol

Well, it's an older Tri-Ex tower (60ft, crank up) and I have been allowed to use it as a remote station. It's sitting on a huge concrete slab, 8 ft. deep and 5 or 6 ft. square. The widow lady who owns it (husband a ham, died 10 years ago) has not seen it used since he died. I'm assuming that the tower was grounded, but I don't see anything that runs from the tower. Could it be ground through the concrete in the ground?

There are a couple 1" steel rods that are sticking up out of the ground about 30 ft. from the tower. The widow doesn't know anything about them. Do you think those are the grounding rods? To me, that's what they look like.

dave

This is the first time I've had a tower. What would be the correct way to ground it?

Thanks much!

dave

Incredible how much weird but great stuff you can find there. lololol

dave

Is it me, or is the Presentation link freezing my computer. I'm a Power User and this doesn't function for me.

dave 

Thanks, Jim. Good food for thought there.

dave

I'll agree. If the State has not kept up with the technology and has threatened the livelihood of the brick and mortar stores, it would seem that the citizens should vote out the money grabbers and vote in some new blood that will be resposive.

I feel their pain (brick and mortar stores), but it's the fault of their elected officials. If those officials are slow on the uptake or thieves, then vote them out. Be the change that the politicians only talk about.

I want to replace the cables on this old but very good condition tower. I'd like to know if there's a place that still sells them, or will I need to make them myself?

Thanks much!

dave

Three mornings ago, I heard them S8 (noise S5) on 40 meters.

If a friend has an antenna analyzer, see what band it's resonant on with that.

dave

That's what I was thinking. Since the antenna elements are usually thin compared to the boom holding them, I would think that turning the elements edgewise into the wind would be best. The boom would be much stronger in resisting the push of the wind.

dave

I've been thinking about the aerodynamics of what would be the best angle for orienting a beam (KLM-34A) for high wind survival - or is there a best angle?

dave

Naw, not yet. Was excited about the enhanced DX tho.