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Author Topic: free stand 30ft tower  (Read 1139 times)

AI5BC

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #30 on: January 28, 2023, 08:15:12 AM »

FYI, hams are not required to follow any codes or rules, we are exempt because we have a license. No one cares if you burn your house down or fall off a tower. You knew what you were doing because you are a ham. 
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K1FBI

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #31 on: January 28, 2023, 08:59:54 AM »

I am pretty sure the Rohn tilt base requires the tower to be bracketed.
Correct, Rohn no longer recommends free standing with their 25G tilt base. I don't know if it's due to cheaper hardware, material, welds or Attorneys but it is NO LONGER recommended.

I have an older unit and use all high yield aircraft hardware.

They make a 5 foot section (which I have) that's made for direct bury in concrete.

With that section they allow free standing up to 40 feet. So I may consider replacing my tilt base with a new pour and the 5 foot section.

My older tilt base and 40 foot tower has been raised and lowered using the back of a truck to "walk" it down and back up multiple times without incident.

 However SAFE is ALWAYS better than SORRY!

BE SAFE!
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KB2WVO

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #32 on: January 28, 2023, 12:11:09 PM »

You do realize you can likely buy used Rohn 25 for $30 - $40 a stick.  50 ft is like $150 - $200.  I have sold and bought 150 ft of it over the years for these prices.  Pretty decent condition.  Slight surface rust on a few of them, nothing into the metal itself.

That crane will cost you a lot more.  Sounds like there is more to the story here.

Ed  N1UR


not sure where you were buying at that price. not here and not no more.. seen 40ft with the top hat for over 400 bucks.. local..
and a new 50ft rohn 25 all guys with .. is 1500 bucks. this is 800 for crane. owner of tower gave to me for free and is addin 300 to the cost of removing it. so out of pocket todate would be 500 for that tower in the picture back a few post. now if i can get the crane down a xtra 100 then 400 out of pocket for me.. not sure i can do 70ish ft thats guessing there 10ft per as rohn comes in 7 and 10ft sections. but i dont htink 7 sections at 7ft be 50ft. that to me isnt 50ft. so 10ft sections times 7 is 70ft. for 500 bucks ..

isnt more to story. not sure why there would be lol ... but there ya have it lol..
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N1UR

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #33 on: January 28, 2023, 01:54:47 PM »

Here in New England - various radio clubs - Hamfests - pretty much $40 - $50 a section for 25G.  I bought 100ft of 45G for $750 about 4 years ago  and decided not to do the project and sold it 2 years ago for the same price.  All very good condition.

Ask around in clubs and go to your local hamfest.

Ed  N1UR
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KB2WVO

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #34 on: January 29, 2023, 08:00:24 AM »

Here in New England - various radio clubs - Hamfests - pretty much $40 - $50 a section for 25G.  I bought 100ft of 45G for $750 about 4 years ago  and decided not to do the project and sold it 2 years ago for the same price.  All very good condition.

Ask around in clubs and go to your local hamfest.

Ed  N1UR
your in the middle . iam up top of the big lake... what clubs are around ? last fest i went to was in ST A . off 89 .. prices were thru the roof. year n half ago or so .. no towers . but wasnt looking at time..
it is what it is lol ..
hey jump on 3975 tonite around 7pm .. love to chat voice..
thanks ..
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N0GV

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #35 on: January 31, 2023, 04:15:32 PM »

Towers need support even if there is little to no wind load on the antenna as the tower itself presents a wind load. No to the unsupported tilting bbase, no to a small 2 cubic foot base. I've got a retracting aluminum tower and the base is about 5 cubic feet of concrete tied into bedrock with a tapered pour wider at the bottom than the top. It is bracketed to the poured column of the house at about 10' and, retracted will manage up thru cat 2 hurricanes with a Cushcraft A4S on it. Above a cat 2 the tower gets unbraketed, tilted over and staked down to the ground using multiple 24" steel stakes at the "far" end (where the top lies). That brings it down to the laminar zone for wind and keeps the torque from wind down while securing it. Biggest danger is tree limbs falling on the tower....
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K6OK

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #36 on: January 31, 2023, 07:53:30 PM »

what say you on a free stand 30ft rohn 25  ?  2 to 3 yards of concrete ?? 

Yes, you can. The previous posts in this thread seem to be outdated or based on guessing?

The correct answer is here: https://www.rohnnet.com/files/25GSS_ASSYPKG.pdf
This is the Rohn package for free-standing 25G

Page 1, upper right, shows 30 ft free-standing is acceptable.  Will handle wire antennas easily.
Page 3 shows the concrete footing, 2.4 yards.  Your guess of 2 to 3 yards was right on the money!

73 Jim K6OK
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K1FBI

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #37 on: February 01, 2023, 04:16:26 AM »

what say you on a free stand 30ft rohn 25  ?  2 to 3 yards of concrete ?? 

Yes, you can. The previous posts in this thread seem to be outdated or based on guessing?
73 Jim K6OK
I guess I "guessed" from Rohn's documentation when I posted this:

They make a 5 foot section (which I have) that's made for direct bury in concrete.

With that section they allow free standing up to 40 feet.
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VR2AX

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #38 on: February 01, 2023, 06:21:48 AM »


The correct answer is here: https://www.rohnnet.com/files/25GSS_ASSYPKG.pdf
This is the Rohn package for free-standing 25G

Page 1, upper right, shows 30 ft free-standing is acceptable.  Will handle wire antennas easily.
Page 3 shows the concrete footing, 2.4 yards.  Your guess of 2 to 3 yards was right on the money!

Should also be read in conjunction with the 'general foundation notes on page 4 especially:

Notes 1-2 - soil conditions and design assumptions
Notes 3-4 - geotechnical site investigation/design checking/supervision
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N1UR

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #39 on: February 01, 2023, 09:46:43 AM »

I know its there on paper, but there is no way I would ever climb a 35 ft tall, free standing Rohn 25G.  Even 45G I draw the line at 30 ft of un guyed span. 

Ed  N1UR
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K1FBI

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #40 on: February 01, 2023, 11:33:29 AM »

I know its there on paper, but there is no way I would ever climb a 35 ft tall, free standing Rohn 25G.  Even 45G I draw the line at 30 ft of un guyed span. 

Ed  N1UR
You can feel it move at 40 feet when you climb it. Not for the faint of heart.

I fully understand why you feel 30 feet should be the max.
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KB2WVO

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #41 on: February 08, 2023, 08:08:43 AM »

well... folks....
its looking less n less doable.... not 100% on condtion of the tower as it stands now. cost of crane and xtra guy to man basket to check it out. even tho the owner of tower now is puttin money in on it ... then this that . more n more adds up ..

so as of right now. its fallin to the probley not goin to happen bucket.
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K1FBI

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #42 on: February 08, 2023, 08:25:40 AM »

well... folks....
its looking less n less doable.... not 100% on condtion of the tower as it stands now. cost of crane and xtra guy to man basket to check it out. even tho the owner of tower now is puttin money in on it ... then this that . more n more adds up ..

so as of right now. its fallin to the probley not goin to happen bucket.
Find somebody experienced with a good harness and a gin pole. You can avoid the crane, if the towers guying is still safe.
 
Also if nobody over torqued the legs of each section. That makes it a pain to separate.

Personally I would take a pass and keep looking for someone selling sections already on the ground. Even if they have to be aquired one at a time.
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KB2WVO

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Re: free stand 30ft tower
« Reply #43 on: February 14, 2023, 12:23:58 PM »



well... folks....
its looking less n less doable.... not 100% on condtion of the tower as it stands now. cost of crane and xtra guy to man basket to check it out. even tho the owner of tower now is puttin money in on it ... then this that . more n more adds up ..

so as of right now. its fallin to the probley not goin to happen bucket.
Find somebody experienced with a good harness and a gin pole. You can avoid the crane, if the towers guying is still safe.
 
Also if nobody over torqued the legs of each section. That makes it a pain to separate.

Personally I would take a pass and keep looking for someone selling sections already on the ground. Even if they have to be aquired one at a time.

i might be heading this way or the other way lol... the guys are scary. i would not send noone up the tower. 3 of them are hooked to a building. tho it has been standing for years . high winds in the 50 to 60 gust.
tho no still wouldnt do it. would have to bucket to rig it up to lift it up and take it apart from the bottom till down to 40ft then lay it on the ground .
one guy says i have double line crane i send one guy up on one line hooked off his back. 2nd line for the tower.
other guy says man basket.
to me the guy sayin man basket is much safer thinking crane op ..

i dont know iam still on the fence . i have a 40ft 45g . i think it is. ill have to messure it again been awhile. was goin to put my 33jr and homebrew 3L 6m and a 8L 2m on it. but nothing to spin that much . the rotor i have is only a 22a or something like the 1st stepup from rad shacks rotor. will probley 3 steps up but wind load i think was 4sq .. not much ..
lots to think about yet on this for sure
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