http://www.kish-club.org/towerstuff/towers.txtHere'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....
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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
