Title: An Informative Tower/ Antenna Installation Summary - Read! Post by: K1JJ on April 06, 2005, 11:43:22 PM http://www.kish-club.org/towerstuff/towers.txt AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
Here's one of the best summaries I've seen for designing, installing and maintaining your tower and rotary antennas. Written by the ham who produced the mechanical modeling software program, "YagiStress". Read this over a few times and you will be well ahead and far SAFER than the average ham hacker.... :D T TABLE of CONTENTS: GUIDES 6 TOWER CONSTRUCTION GUIDES 6 TOWER ENGINEERING GUIDES 6 LIGHTNING PROTECTION AND GROUNDING GUIDES 6 CLIMBING GUIDES 7 TOWER TYPE SELECTION 7 BRACKET SUPPORTS 8 BASES 8 SELECTING BASE TYPE 8 DIGGING THE HOLE 9 THE RE-BAR CAGE 10 THE CONCRETE 11 CONCRETE DO'S AND DON'TS 12 CONCRETE STRENGTH 13 MAST AND BOOM MATERIAL SELECTION 13 PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS 13 STRENGTH 13 STIFFNESS AND ELASTICITY 16 THRUST BEARINGS 19 ANCHORS 19 SOIL MECHANICS PRIMER 19 ANCHOR TYPES 20 SCREW ANCHORS AND STRENGTHS 20 INSTALLATION OF SCREW ANCHORS 21 GUY CABLES 22 GUY CABLES ACT LIKE SPRINGS 22 HOW GUY CABLES STABILIZE YOUR TOWER 22 ORIGIN OF THE 10% PRELOAD RULE 22 EFFECT OF GUY SIZE 23 TYPES 23 USING PREFORMED GUY GRIPS AND THIMBLES 26 TENSIONING 28 GUY TENSION MEASUREMENT 30 USING LOOS BRAND TENSION METERS FOR GUYS 30 CHECKING GUY TENSION BY COUNTING OSCILLATIONS 32 THERMAL EFFECTS ON GUY TENSION 32 MEASURING TOWER PLUMB 33 TEMPORARY GUYING 33 TEMPORARY GUYS FROM EHS 34 TEMPORARY GUYS USING ROPES 34 LIGHTNING ABATEMENT 35 LIGHTNING PROTECTION THEORY 35 HOMEBREW STATIC DISSIPATORS 36 GROUNDING FOR LIGHTNING PROTECTION 37 EXAMPLE TOWER GROUNDING METHOD FOR LIGHTNING PROTECTION 39 GROUNDING GUY CABLES 41 GROUNDING FEEDLINES 41 COMMERCIAL FEEDLINE GROUNDING CLAMPS 43 HOMEBREW FEEDLINE GROUNDING CLAMPS 43 ASSISTING FEEDLINE AND CABLE GROUNDING WITH CHOKE COILS 44 HOMEBREW GROUNDED ENTRANCE PANEL 44 GROUND ROD METAL SELECTION 46 SINKING GROUND RODS 47 IMPROVING GROUND ROD EFFECTIVENESS 47 CLIMBING GEAR 48 CLIMBING BELT 48 SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT FALL ARREST 50 CLIMBING LANYARDS 50 CARABINERS 51 CLIMBING SAFELY WITH HARNESS AND LANYARDS 51 CARRYING TOOLS 52 HOMEBREW TOOL AND PART POUCHES 53 ROPES & KNOTS 53 MAKING YOUR OWN LANYARDS 54 COWTAILS LANYARD 54 POSITIONING LANYARD 55 CORROSION PREVENTION 55 DISSIMILAR METALS AND GALVANIC ACTION 55 CATHODIC PROTECTION 60 PROTECTING ANTENNAS FROM CORROSION 60 PROTECTING THREADED FASTENERS 61 ANTI-SEIZE FOR FASTENERS 61 THREAD LOCKING 62 WATERPROOFING CONNECTIONS 63 ACCESSORY MATERIALS AND SERVICES 64 INSULATING MATERIAL 64 ELECTRICAL TAPE 65 ACCESSORY STEP 65 ROTOR REPAIR 65 FIBERGLASS SPREADER RODS 65 CRIMP-ON PL-259 CONNECTORS 65 PULLEYS 65 TOWER BOLTS 66 TOOL AND PART POUCHES 66 COLD GALVANIZING PAINT 66 ROTATORS 66 SELECTION 66 ROTOR WIRING 67 ROTOR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION 68 PHYSICAL INSTALLATION TIGHTENING SEQUENCE 68 TROUBLESHOOTING ROTATION PROBLEMS 69 HYGAIN ROTOR PRIMER 69 HYGAIN ROTOR IDENTIFICATION 70 HYGAIN ROTOR LUBRICATION 70 HYGAIN ROTOR INTERNAL WIRING 70 HYGAIN ROTOR TYPICAL ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENTS 71 YAESU ROTOR PROBLEMS 71 ATTACHING COAX AND CONTROL WIRES 73 ROUTING CABLES 73 ATTACHING CABLES TO TOWER 73 FORMING ROTATION LOOPS IN THE COAX 74 MAINTAINING ANTENNA SWITCHBOX RELAYS 74 THRUST BEARINGS 75 ROHN TB3 THRUST BEARING 75 INSPECTING YOUR TOWER 77 INSPECTING NEW TOWER SECTIONS 77 INSPECTING USED TOWER SECTIONS 77 ASSESSING BENDS IN TOWER LEGS 78 CORRECTING MINOR BENDS 78 INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR GUYED TOWER INSTALLATIONS 79 ASSEMBLING TOWER SECTIONS 82 PRE-ASSEMBLY ON THE GROUND 82 GUY ATTACHMENT POINTS. 82 GUY CABLES 83 TOP SECTION 83 GIN POLES 83 GIN POLE TYPES 83 HOMEBREW GIN POLE MAST 84 GIN POLE ROPE 85 RIGGING THE GIN POLE AND TURNING BLOCK 86 GIN POLE KEEPER LOOP 86 RAISING MASTS 87 CLIMBING MASTS 87 RAISING ANTENNAS 88 CHECKING ANTENNA TUNING BEFORE RAISING 88 TRAMMING 88 REMOVABLE TAG LINES 89 ALIGNING BEAMS 89 MINIMIZING ANTENNA INTERACTION 90 CHILD PROOFING A TOWER/ANTI-CLIMB GUARDS 90 ANTI CLIMB DOCUMENTATION 90 METHODS 90 TOWER STRENGTH INFORMATION 91 CALCULATING WIND LOAD AREA AND WIND LOAD 91 WIND SPEED ZONE 91 CALCULATION METHOD 92 NEWER CALCULATION METHODS 94 ANOTHER TAKE ON EFFECTIVE PROJECTED AREA 97 REFURBISHING USED TOWER 97 TOUCHING UP RUST SPOTS 97 SEPARATING OLD TOWER SECTIONS 98 ADAPTING CATV HARDLINE FOR AMATEUR USE 98 CHOOSING LENGTH 98 HARDLINE CONNECTORS FOR AMATEUR USE 99 WASPS 102 BUILDING YOUR OWN BALUN 102 ATTACHING ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES TO YOUR TOWER 105 |