Assembling your antenna system

One step farther up (I)

After your transceiver, the antenna system is
the next most important part of your ham
installation if not the first one. Without antenna
you are condemned to look at the sky instead of
taking advantage of its sky waves, Hi !
For the beginner it is not always easy to know
what antenna, what tower, what siing or what
rotator to select. !f you decide to install a tower
and a respectable antenna, here is a good advice.
"isit other amateurs who erected aerials on
towers or masts, see how their hardware is
installed, ask them #uestions about the ease of
handling, if they worked alone, what problems
they encountered, how they solved them, how all
that is grounded, how long last the assembling,
where they purchased their material, at what
price, etc, to see if you might handle such a
pro$ect, and if such an installation can be erected
in your garden or on your roof.
%&'( ) W*+, attaching their -.element
/+m antenna. 0ocument 1ustom
2etalworks
!f this task is not too difficult to handle for a simple "34HF antenna, for the HF bands the
scale of the elements to take in consideration has already did move back some amateurs, and
! personally wait about two years before installing my tower. !ndeed, if the choice of a rotating
system is not a problem, the sie of the tower might be one for different reasons 5price, furtivity,
authoriation, handling, security, etc6, so it will #uickly become your biggest problem to solve !
We must thus divide this problem in two parts 7 first, discussing the re#uirements to work on
"34HF, then the re#uirements to operate on HF what will automatically lead us to answer to
some #uestions such as what rotator to select, what tower design is the most resistant 8, how
to assembly it 8, how to place the antenna on top 8 or how to maintain a tower and its
elements 8
9housands radio amateurs around the world
successfully installed their antenna on top of a
tower, so ! can already ensure you that this task
is in the capability of any amateur, at the
condition to work safely, with appropriated tools
and know.how, as much issues that we are
going to review below.
:o, make one step forward and soon farther
up ! We will successively review the following
sub$ects 7
. How to selection a tower
. 1onstructing the tower base
. Assembling the tower
. 9he anchorage system
. !nstalling the antenna system
%-4;< #uad. =nlarge to see an overall view.
!f you haven<t bought your rotator yet, ! suggest you to read the next page dealing with the
selection of a rotating system for our directive array and then come back to this page.
Practical limitations of your installation
0epending on the country in which you live, any construction made of concrete 5e.g. your
foundations even if they are invisible and will never exceed the ground level6 or an aerial
erected farther than >+m away from the street 5e.g. at the far end of your garden6 or at a height
exceeding about ?+ m 5@@<6 above ground like %-4;< >.element home.made #uad displayed
above 5for -+3?Am6, all these buildings are sub$ect to the approbation . or refusal . of the local
ordinances 51adastre, 9own ) 1ountry 'lanning Acts, 2unicipality administration, etc6. ;o
before embarking you in any ma$or aerial installation, it is advisable to contact your local
ordinances and if necessary to apply for planning permission. !f it is accepted the permit is
usually delivered in a few weeks or after a few months if your building exceed standards 5e.g.
erected over >+m away for the street, higher than ?Am up, etc6.
;ome municipalities will be very restrictive about this sub$ect while others will let you
practically erect what you want while respecting your neighbouring.
Bf course many amateurs do not ask for this approbation from the moment that their
backyard or their roof is large enough to erect a beam without disturbing their neighbouring.
,ut this is at your risks if one day a municipality agent knocks at your door re#uesting your
planning permission or showing you a legal restriction for the height of your tower or the
wingspan of your antenna.
;everal factors are to be considered before installing a tower 7
. 9he sie and weight of the antenna desired
. 9he weather conditions 5speed and fre#uency of wind gusts, risks of thunder, snow, ice,
tornado, cyclone, etc6
. Cisk of earth#uake and underground stability
. 9he ease of assembling of the concerned tower
. Any legal restrictions with local ordinances 5about building, height, distances, etc6
. Free space available in garden or on roof 5to prevent that the antenna falls onto the
neighbor<s property6
. 9he investment 5the tower, the antenna, the rotator, the lightning protection, plus
accessories6
. 9he availability of providers or manufacturers for parts and support
. Dour ability to handle alone the pro$ect 5or with a friend6
Add several safety considerations 7
. (ever place an antenna over or near a power line
. 1heck the advantages but also drawbacks of each tower design
. Always place the anchorage system on your property while respecting all distances 5to
tower, to neighboors6
. ;ecure the access to the tower 5create a safety perimeter, shield the base to prevent
climbing, protect guy anchors6
. :round the antenna, the tower and install a lightning protection.
Always interested 8 Cight ! Eet<s see now how to select, assembling and erecting an
antenna system. We will imagine that you received all re#uired authoriations, that your
neighboors and family are not really irritated or affected by your pro$ect, thus it remains to buy
the material, get some tricks of construction, and of course to find some money, your main
limitating factor after the space available.
Here are some basic recommendations if you want erecting an antenna on top of a tower,
knowing that this sub$ect can be developed on doens of pages and has room for
experimentation. We will discuss about usual installations, leaving aside the biggest ones that
re#uest the assistance of a a crane or even an helicopter... However, do never underestimate
such an assembly if you are not used to such a $ob. We will repeat it at the end of this article, if
you are novice in this matter and thus unexperimented or a simple amateur, do entrust this
work to a specialied company in high iron work. !f you feel confident in this $ob, go ahead !
The light and stealth antennas (II)
,efore to begin, say a few words about the light and stealth installations that are used by
many amateurs living in cities or in areas sub$ects to strict regulations. !f you live in an
antenna.restricted neighborhood, you will have to make a compromise between the
performance and the sie of your antenna system.
Bften you will have to fall back on
shortened beams, wire beams or even
verticals. ,ut even in this case a mast
?+m high made of thick aluminium
tubing doesn<t go unnoticed. !f this is
of your concern, like ,ill :lenn,
AA/,F, whose antenna is displayed
at left, you can resort to camouflage
and attach a birdhouse on your
antenna, or a flag.
!f you work portable, you know that
these installations use pylons
constituted of light material like
aluminium tubings or titanium, poles
made of wood or carbon fiber. 9hey
are not at all suited for a permanent
installation, all the less in a perturbed
region sub$ect to regular high winds,
thunderstorms, and snow or freeing
showers in winter months. 9hese
installations use small masts, often
telescopic attached with low #uality
accessories, and are usually drive in a
few tens centimeters into the ground
or even at ground level for a one.day
activity at ;un, a Field 0ay, a GB9A,
and sometimes abroad during
holidays. !n any case they can be
used as it for a permanent installation.
0o you see the antenna 8 ,ill :lenn, AA/,F, has to
resort to camouflage to erect his Hustler /,9"
vertical, transforming it in a support for a birdhouse !
0uing these short activities, these antennas are sometimes installed without guy wires,
simply supported by a sturdy tripod, a fork maintained below a car tire or attached to the car
frame. ;uch sticks, sometimes of large sie, are first of all suited to erect a few meters high 5up
to ?-m, /+<6 small ground plane verticals, whips, wire beams or dipoles but they will be unable
to support much strain under high winds. At A m high, A kg vertical already bends under wind
gusts and you have chance to break it apart if you don<t attach it with guy wires on top. ,y
definition these installations are portable and the activity does usually not last more than a
week or so. For a permanent and durable outdoor installation, you cannot imagine working this
way or you will #uickly find your antenna bent or broken apart on the ground !
For a permanent installation, your mast must resist to
the forces generated by the weight of the antenna and the
strength of the wind. ;o you must select a very sturdy
mast or a tubular tower made of heavy duty aluminium
5light, not too expensive6, steel 5stronger but heavier6 or
titanium 5light, robust, but more expensive6 able to sustain
a force over ?++ kg hours long.
We do not improvie the assembling of a permanent
antenna. %now that by tempesty wind, gusts can reach
?H+ km3h 5??+ mph6, the wind exceeding often H+ km3h
5A+ mph6 on top of hills. !n open fields, your mast or your
tower will #uite regularly be sub$ect to wind gusts in
excess of ??+ km3h 5&+ mph6 too. !f you desire to install a
light mast in windy areas, ! can already confirm you that a
galvanied steel mast @ mm thick 5?3HI wall6 or a chrome
moly mast H mm thick 5A3?>I wall6, both telescopic and A+
mm 5-I6 in diameter, cannot support such stresses and will
bend 5say -+J off vertical6 or can even break under winds
of ??+ km3h. A towerwork, even IlightI, must replace so
light installations.
An Hex.beam 5a @.kg wire
beam6.
9o resist to high winds, the other solution should be to lower the mast up to -m high or to tilt
it until the ;un shines again. 9his is also valid for towers.
!f you cannot invest in such an installation, you can already resolve partly the problem in
installing the antenna in a lift system, also very practice to service the antenna. Cemain to
secure the tower, but what tower to select 8
Selecting your tower
9he selection of a tower is a serious affair that should respect the professional standards
and offer the highest security. 9owers come with a triangular or s#uare base from @+ cm to ?m
wide 5?+./+I6. A ?+ m high 5@@<6 tower, A+ cm wide at the base constituted of / sections
displays already a weight of about /+ kg 5H+ lbs.6 for the lightest made of aluminium.
0epending the load and surface, a ?+ m high tower should resist to a wind load up to
approximatively -m
-
at ?H+ km3h 5
K
-+ s#.ft at ??+ mph6 and a tower half that sie should
support &AL of this value. 9hese specifications are high and probably hard to meet by low and
mid.range towers. 9hese values or near ones are however supported by all high.end
models. 9his is a prere#uisit if you live in windy areas and if you want to set up a HF beam at
about ?+ m high in all security. ,ut this is not enough, and the second criteria will be the sie of
the base.
4sing an oversied tower is not necessary useful and will be surely more expensive. ,ut
adding a security margin to your needs is more than recommended in this matter. 9hink
seriously about the risks for your family and the neighborhood in the event of an accident. !f the
tower breaks by high winds, the top will fall down first, bending half the tower if it is not
uprooted, and bending or breaking the antenna in the same occasion, as the next pictures
show us dramatically. An HF beam or a large vertical is nothing less than a metallic tree. For
kids this is rather a funny framework on which they can climb easily if its access is not
protected. !n all these circumstances, the falling of an antenna might produce severe damage if
you don<t plan seriously its assembling.
At left, :@:!F<s %E2 %9.@/A beam before the tempest that blow over =ngland in -+++. Wind
gusts exceeded ?H+ km3h causing the collapse of the tower. A nightmare... !t should have been
more careful to install the tower on a tilting base, on your re#uest of course, not the one of dame
(ature !
9owers come in many designs, each offering advantages and drawbacks. A free-standing
tower for example plays with the wind to stay balanced as there is no guy wires to maintain it
steady. When the winds blows on one side, this part of the tower is pulled upward while the
opposite side is compressed downward. 9his movement reaches the base of the tower where it
creates a huge moment that has a tendency to pivot, amplifying the tor#ue. 9herefore the base
of a free.standing tower has two functions 7 holding the tower up and simultaneously prevent its
rotation in one direction or another. 9he base of these towers re#uires thus to be driven in a
deep hole, filled with much more concrete than a guyed tower where the guy wires restrain the
tower, the mouting base being tightly bolten in the anchorage system. =ach section is then
bolten to the next.
Bn the contrary the crank-up of telescopic tower must be stabilied with guy wires. Eike any
telescopic mast, the outer diameter of each section decreases gradually with the height, the
inner diameter of the next higher section being smaller than the previous. =ach section is
attached to the previous with bolts and nuts, and for the heaviest, with a complex system of
cable and pulleys. 9he height of each section can thus be ad$usted or even completely
retracted if you want to work closer to the ground. 2ost of them re#uire to be guyed for security
purposes. 1rank.up towers are also interesting for their portability as all segments excepting
the largest and lowest one can collapse each in the others showing an overall retracted sie
that does not exceed - or @m high. 0rawback, it is not secure trying to climb on a crank.up
tower. Fixings are sturdy and made to last but 2urphy is never very far.
;ome crank.up towers are e#uipped with a tilting base too, an hinge allowing the tower to
be partly folded over or totaly titled up to the ground. 9his system applies to tubular towers and
telescopic masts. ,y the same occasion a rotating system turns the antenna in the right
direction to prevent it to bend or to break at landing... However, tilting towers have led to some
accidents, mainly when some amateurs, not used to work with such mechanisms, tried to climb
on the tower while the hinge was not secured. 9hat stay an excellent system if you country
regularly undergoes high winds like on top of hills.
At last note that some towers, guyed or not, are e#uipped with a lift system 5e.g. Hummel6
at which the antenna mast is attached. ,y high winds the rotator, the supporting mast and the
antenna can easily be lowered to the ground, the tower standing alone in the wind. 9his is also
very practice to check and service the antenna system without having to climb on the structure.
The towers market
,rand new towers are not more expensive than other ham products. ,ut made of a IsimpleI
tubular structure, they worth well their price, all the more that their stability can never be
ensured at ?++L. 9o fix your ideas their price is ranging from M/++ for a @m high 5N<6 roof.top
tower to more than M?A++ for a ?>m high 5AA<6 crank.up tower, plus handling3shipping and
maybe a serious percentage of import and local taxes.
From left to right and up to down, the towers made respectively by Cohn
!ndustries, 4; 9ower, 0e %erf 5,6, A( Wireless and 19A pylones 5F6.
0ocuments %A2,, 4; 9ower, F>=9!3FH,'(, A( Wireless and 19A.
9he secondhand market can also provide you reliable models at one third of that price if not
less. Bnly one precaution, if you buy a secondhand tower, check the inside of tubings where
rust could accumulate or where small cracks could appear. !t shouldn<t, as all towers must be
either galvanied or at least painted 5about @ layers6 or coated against rust. !n all cases avoid
to purchase a tower older than -+ years showing spots of rust or cracks on the outside, looking
suspect inside tubings, showing bended rungs or that were repared after have been damagedO
they might look sturdy from the outside, even climbing on some elements of the structure, but
you have no idea of the way that it supports the strain on the long run. 0o not provo#ue
2urphy a second time !
!f you are searching for a lighter but sturdy pylon look also at military or fire department
supplies that often provide very practical and sturdy solutions like heavy duty electrical crank.
up tripods reaching ?+m high 5@@<6 or heavy duty pneumatic masts reaching ?Am high 5AA<6.
Cemember only that the top element of these IportableI masts are not always suited to support
an antenna over -+ kg 5/+ lbs6, the top being always the weakest point of the structure while
the base has to support all the weight and the possible tor#ue. ;elect thus a model sturdy and
large enough to support the weight of your antenna and the force of the wind. 9his being said,
the towers sold by Cohn !ndustries, 4; 9ower or 0e %erf are probably among the most
appreciated by the ham community.
,ut not be disappointed if you don<t find these brands in your country. A good company
specialied in the work of high iron or aluminium will build you a good tower as well. 9he
material is easy to handle 7 made of hundreds of small elements bolt or soldered together, this
is a simple 2eccano excepting that it is somewhat...bigger once assembled. 9ake only care to
the way that all segments are fixed together and check the #uality of accessories 5stainless
steel, inox, etc6.
9hen remain the problem of the transport 5renting a trailer for example6 and assembling on
site.
onstructing of the tower base (III)
First, do you respect the regulation 8 For
security reasons, like any ob$ect erected in
height near housings, to avoid that the
tower falls on someone or on the housings
by high winds, even if it is bolten in a deep
concrete base 5its top can break6, you must
legally secure your tower in placing it at a
distance of at least ?.A times its height from
any infrastructure !n taking a ?+m high
tower, the legal distance is ?Am from
housings and -m away from the
neighbour<s property, so you need a free
space of @/x@/m 5??-x??-<6 or about ??
ares. We will say to you have it.
9o last years outdoor any tower has be
supported by a sturdy concrete base
respecting if not the professional
specifications, often too expensive, at least
some construction and security standards.
First, for the heaviest or highest
installations do not hesitate to re#uest the
help of the manufacturer for advice or
contact a civil engineering company used
to work with such loads.
A finished H0>+ tower base after pouring at
A0H1. !t will support an A( Wireless tower ?Hm
high 5>+ ft6.
Assembling a tower re#uests skills and a serious planning. !f this is your first construction,
that it is to support a -.element #uad or a bigger gun, it should be interesting that you visit
some near building sites to see how they start work on the concrete base or how they construct
a big pillar for example. Cead also the ham magaines that regularly publish the works of the
best handymen as well as books devoted to antennas published by ACCE or C;:, for
example that usually reserve several pages to masts and supports 5ACCE Handbook, C;:,
Antenna File, etc6. Dou could also find these publications in large libraries.
!f you purchase a new tower, the manufacturer will provide you detailed instructions for
properly constructing the base and assembling the tower. !f you have no plan, you can always
IcopyI the instructions of any other tower or the ones found in magaines, and if necessary
slightly modify the dimensions to your needs, what most amateurs probably do.
The foundations
Any builder used to work with concrete and steel should tell you that a tower should be
erected over a concrete base reinforced with a steel.bar framework on which the feet or the
tower base assembly will be boltened. 9his is the classic way of installing a tower safely. 9he
concrete base is driven in a hole from +.A.?.Am depth 5-+.>+I6, depending the weight, the
length and the design of your tower. 9his hole is -+L larger than your tower in order to insert
without problem the steel framework $ust in the middle of the space. 9he hole must be large
enough so that the anchorage system can be partly sunk in the concrete. 'lace at the bottom
of the hole a few big rocks to support the framework. 9o keep the li#uid concrete in position, a
wood form made of fir wood boards A cm thick 5-I6 is constructed around the top of the hole. !f
the soil is poroux, crumbly like sand or too soft, the concrete might flows into the ground. !n this
case densify your concrete and drive a hole twice as large.
'lans for installing a concrete base able to support a tower up to /+ m 5?/+<6 high. Dou
can reduce the depth to @+ cm for supporting a @.element directive 5K-+ kg max6
erected ?+ meter high. Cefer to the text for the explanations. (ote that many amateurs
drive simply a hole and place directly the feet of their tower in it after have leveled the
surface 5see next images6. 9o prevent sparks during thunderstorms all metal must be
bond each other, using straps or even clamps 5red link between the framework and
anchorage system6. 9hese foundations constitute also a perfect ground connection for
your radio e#uipment. 9his ground made of IrodsI is called a 4fer ground.
9hen construct the steel framework and prepare the anchors 5hence the interest to visit a
building site6. 9he framework is made of four (o.> C=.bar as long as your hole but shorter, that
will be placed vertically near the corners of the hole. All ends should be bent to the inside. 9his
frame is consolidated and bond to horiontal loops made of (o./ C=.bars wired to the vertical
rungs each A+ cm 5-+I6. ;o you need only @ steel hoops on all the lenght of the framework.
After building check all dimensions and that all segments are well perpendicular to each
another. !t is not mandatory to level the steel framework as it will be sunk in concrete but try to
prevent any potential problem.
Although we will review this issue when we <ll speak about lightning protection, in order to
minimie the potential of a spark $umping from the bonded C=.bar directly to the earth, there
needs to be a minimum of ?+ cm 5/I6 of concrete between any metal element and the earth
5like the floor and the walls of your hole6.
9he anchors are specially built to fit your tower mounting base. =ither the feet of your tower
provide the necessary holes on all their length to screw bolts and nuts or the manufacturer
provided a base assembly. 9his base shows four or more holes used to bolt the anchorage
system, hence the necessity that this last is thread.
!f you must made the anchorage system yourself, anchors have to be made of stainless
steel, /+ cm long 5?>I6, sunk at approximatively @3/th of their length in the concrete. 9hey must
stand out of the concrete to bolt the base assembly. 9he optional thread will be adapted to your
nuts. ,ut do not work for nothing as, as we $ust told, the anchorage system, bolds and nuts are
usually provided by the tower manufacturer.
When all tubular elements are welded and assembled, insert the steel framework in the
hole, well vertically, and $ust after put the anchorage system in the middle. ,ind it to the C=.bar
to create a ground system, called in this case an 4fer ground. 1heck immediately that all is
properly set with the level and the ruler. !n case of mistake do immediately the ad$ustment.
The concrete base
From the proper installation of the anchorage system will depend the sturdiness and plumb
5verticallity6 of your tower. However it is very hard to see a misalignment of the anchorage
system with the tower feet or with the mouting base or, worst, a lack of plumb at ground level.
9o prevent this type of problem, if your tower base is not too high ! suggest you to bolt on the
anchorage system the first section of the tower mounting base. 9hat will ensure you that all is
properly set once sunk in the concrete. !ndeed, in this way it will be much easier to check the
plumb on a long panel or a rung of the mounting base, and make if necessary the small
ad$ustments before the concrete hardens.
!n anticipation of these small ad$ustments, prepare aside a wood board, a wood saw, a
hammer, nails, a tape, a level, a ruler and a pencil. !n case of trouble these accessories will
help you to #uicky made a spacer for example, to ad$ust the alignment of the anchorage
system.
9hen, as your concrete base will have to emerge at bit over the ground and that the concrete
will stay li#uid for sometimes after pouring, construct a wood s#uare form around the hole of
approximatively ?+ cm high 5/I6. 'lace a transversal board on top that will be put down on the
wood form. !t will serve to temporary attach the anchorage system to prevent it to sink in the
concrete during pouring and until it hardens.
0riving of the hole ?.Hm deep 5><6 for the tower base and filling with /
tons of concrete at (+CF 5left6 and at W+D"A 5both images at right6.
,elow at left the concrete base at %/GA. (ote that in the first case the
metallic anchors of the antenna are placed in the hole contrarily to the
second case where the feet of the tower are directly lay down in the
hole. 9he first tower is a free.standing model while in the second and
third cases the tower will be maintained with guy wires.
(ow it is time to prepare your concrete. 0on<t work too fast, the concrete is very heavy, and
it splashes ! (ow go #uickly but conscientiously. When all is ready, that the steel C=.bars and
the anchorage are in position, each well bond to the other, that your wood form is firmly
attached around the hole and the anchorage well attached to the wood board, pour the
concrete over the foundations up to the top of your wood form 5thus ?+ cm or /I over the
ground6. Eevel the top and check it is well horiontal. 9his is mandatory if the first tower section
is welded to an horiontal plate like in the picture displayed above 5below left corner6.
!f you cannot drive in the ground over @+ cm depth, what is common in hill areas and ranges,
or if you want lighter foundations to support a small antenna 5P -+ kg, /+ lbs.6, you can prepare
a small hole A+xA+ cm aside and @+ cm depth only 5-+x-+x?-I6, place the feet of the tower
inside and pouring the hole with concrete. Bf course in this case your antenna must be guy.
wired.
;uch small foundations are perfectly able to support a small beam 5up to -+ kg6 for years
under wind gusts over ?++ km3h 5>+ mph6. !t cannot resist long times to winds blowing over
?-+ km3h 5&Amph6 on heavy or very long Dagis. !n this case, to increase the security of this
small installation ! suggest you to sink in the foundation a small wire netting, without to forget
the maintain the tower with guy wires, but we will see that later.
!n all cases check with accuracy the level and plumb of your base and anchrorage system. !f
you don<t do it now, when the concrete will be hard you will need of a pneumatic drill...
Dour concrete base is now achieved and tomorrow you might assembly your tower and the
antenna, lucky you are !
At left the foundation of a H0A+ tower 5?Am high, A+ ft6 at (+F:%. We recognie at center the
triangular tower base that $uts out above the ground level which ends are attached to the wood
boards. At center the finished concrete base of an E0?++ tower 5@@m high, ?++ ft6. At right
installation of the tower base supporting a E0&+ tower 5-?m high, &+ ft6 tower at W-FEA.
0ocuments A( Wireless.
A word of caution about !fer ground
9o prevent you creating a specific external grounding system to protect your hamshack
against lightning strikes, and if you have not started yet construction on your tower, you should
take advantage of the tower<s connection with the earth as part of your external ground or 4fer
ground. ,ut be aware that if the 4fer ground is improperly constructed you do run the risk of
exploding portions of the concrete ! 9his is to prevent such an accident that it is re#uired that
the pieces of C=.bars that constitute the framework be electrically connected to each other,
whatever can write some radio amateur handbook on this sub$ect. !n your example this was
accomplished by welding them to the horiontal steel loops. !n addition, the anchor bolts must
also be electrically connected to the C=.bars. 9his is a bit more difficult to accomplish since
many manufacturers do not permit them to be welded due to the possibility of changing their
mechanical strength. A simple mechanical clamp will work. As we told, in addition there must
be at least ?+ cm 5/I6 of concrete left between the framework and the surrounding earth.
Among other manufacturers 9yco =lectronics can provide you different kinds of
connectors to permanently $oin your steel bars, bind them to rods or other wiring
systems.
,ut for what reason the concrete could explode 8 9ower base concrete explosion is caused
by an arc that takes place within the concrete between two pieces of metal that are
not electrically connected to each other. ;ince the concrete almost always has moisture, the
heat of the spark caused by a lightning strike expands the moisture and weakens or destroys
the concrete. ,y bonding the metallic elements of the tower base together, you achieve two
things 7 no potential for a spark within the concrete and you create a 4fer ground. A strap
emerging off the concrete can then be use to ground your hamshack as we will see in the
pages dealing with the lightning protection.
Assembling of the tower (I")
Although a tower is bulky and relatively heavy, its
installation on its base is not difficult at the condition to use
the proper techni#ue and good tools. 9he lightest towers ?+
m high 5@@<6 supporting for example a /.element beam or a
small #uad can be assembled by one person if you take
your time and are conscientious. ,ut as soon as you want
to assemble an heavy duty tower or a large beam
exceeding -+ kg 5/+ lbs.6, you will need some help, usually
one or two more people
First, like building the concrete base, contact other
amateurs who erected a tower to know what brand and
design they selected, for what reasons, how they
processed for assembling, what difficulties they maybe
encountered, how they solved them, how long last the
work, under what weather conditions they worked and, if
necessary, if they could assist you in assembling your tower
5for a free lunch and a visit to your hamshack !6.
E*?=A<s 9itanex log periodic
4pgrade also of a few steps your security level. 1limbing on a tower is dangerous,
sometimes fatal, if you don<t know what you are doing. ;o, to prevent useless in$uries, check
with the manufacturer if the structure of your tower, the hinged bases, the flat root mounts, etc,
are intended to support the weight of a man 5at least ?++ kg6. Btherwise ! don<t see many
solutions to climb on top of your tower to install the antenna... excepting using a crane
e#uipped with a platform.
Follow thus strictly the instructions provided by the manufacturer
and use the material and accessories of the highest #ualityO your
installation has to last years, not a few days, and be safe for you
and your neighbours if there are.
When you are ready, plan the assembling of your tower and
antenna during a sunny and no windy day. 9hat will already prevent
you enduring rain and wind gusts. 9hen, working whith heavy
masses, sometimes unbalanced, with long steel wires or ropes well
tight, handling tools a few meters high or climbing high over ground,
each of this circumstance is at risk if you have not a clear view of
what<s the matter in the field. An accident does not always happen
to others. 0o not gamble on the chance when working on a tower.
9his is far to be a game and if you slip you can make not only your
life in danger but the one of the other people too. 'lan thus your
installation carefully and try to simulate at least once all steps of the
assembling, including the role of each people, the tools to use, on
paper before to begin.
B(/"'<s antennas.
Tools and accessories
Eike all mechanical $ob, tower work re#uires a proper techni#ue and dedicated tools. Among
these last you will need of an helmet, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches,... without to forget the
essential bolts and nuts.
Add some clothings like the welcome leather gloves very useful to protect your hands while
handling the tubings and the rope and to warm your hands at winter time, an old denim 5$eans6,
a light sleeve $acket with several pockets but allowing you to move freely, and shoes offering a
very hard sole with a deep pattern like any good range boots. Dou can also use work shoes
with steel inserts in the soles or even military Icombat shoesI.
For your safety it is of the uttermost importance that you borrow or buy a safety belt. 9his is
in fact a generic term that we must divide in - elements 7 first, the leather belt, at least A cm
wide or -I, which length is ad$ustable to the perimeter of the tower like an ordinary belt. !t is
independent of the security hardness 5but has to be attached on it6. 9hen you need either of a
strap snap or a safety belt with seat harness that you will attach around your waist. 9his is a
?+ cm wide 5/I6 belt including a leather belt and some fasteners to attach various steel loops or
tools.
From left to right, a full body harness with four 0.rings 5- hips, ? back, ? chest6, a seat harness
belt with a 0.ring at each hip and a lanyard with gorilla hook. 0ocuments B(" ;afety ,elt.
9hese items come in various designs including the full body harness crossed on your chest
and in your back. For your information a safety belt with seat harness cost about M?++. 9ake
also some useful accessories like two steel loops 50.ring6 for the harness or the strap snap,
several gorilla hooks or lanyards N+ cm long 5@ ft6, one or more solid buckets to transport
little tools or larger accessories on up the tower 5no more than ?+ liters or @ gallons6, etc.
9o put together the various sections of a tower three more accessories must enter in your
collection of the most useful tools 7
. a pulley e#uipped with a ring and encasted in wood or metal to prevent the rope to $ump
out of the wheel. !t will be attached on top of the gin pole 5see below6 or any convenient
hook to lift heavy load on the tower.
. a manila hemp rope. 9wice as longer as the height of your tower, it is used with the pulley.
Always select the rope offering the highest resistance, and the larger supporting the
strongest strenght. A diameter of about - cm or +.HI will make the $ob.
. a gin pole. 9his is a special metallic pipe of about /m long 5?@<6 on which is attached a
sliding clamping device, a means to tight it, and a pulley on top. When the tower and
antenna are installed manually, without assistance of a crane, it is used to lift the different
sections of the tower and the antenna mast in order to assemble them without difficulties.
We will develop a bit longer this sub$ect below.
9his is practically all the tools and accessories that you need to assemble a tower and an
antenna. As you see this is not hard to gather. !f you do this $ob for the first time and maybe the
last one too, ! suggest you to borrow the climbing e#uipment and hardware to your radio club
or even to a climbing or scout association. Bne of his member has maybe still this material
under the dust of his workshop. ,efore using them check that the pully, thr rope, the gin pole,
security belts, steel loops and snap.links are in good state. At the least suspicious remove the
damaged part and replace the unit.
#ow work all this stuff $
!t<s so easy that even a kid might use such e#uipment ! ,efore climbing attach your strap
snap or your harness around your waist and attach a 0.rings at each hip, the rounded side to
the outside. !f you use a full body harness don<t forget to insert in the front harness the loop
that will attach you to the tower.
Attach also on the right 0.ring of your harness
one or more gorilla hooks by their snap.link 5the
smallest loop6, leaving the larger hanged on your
side. Bne of this gorilla hooks 5usually the one
place in the middle of your chest using a full body
model, otherwhise one of the ones located on your
waist6 will be used to secure you on the tower. 9he
other one can be used to attach some tools or a
bucket on the tower. ;trapped 8 9ake your helmet
and your gloves, we go !
Bnce e#uipped and strapped, you will probably
look like one of these climbers or skycraper
workers. Working with tubing sections, bolts and
nuts you will #uickly appreciate the use of these
IrefinementsI. While climbing or descending on the
tower, do always attach you with the gorilla hook to
the tower. When you are at good height pass the
security belt around the tower and attach both
snap.links to your steel loops. Attached the gorilla
hook above your head, about H+ cm 5@+I6 up your
waist. !t can be loose. Dou are now safely attached
around the tower.
!f you should have to slip you will be first
retained by the gorilla hook which is only N+ cm
long 5@ ft6, then by the safety belt placed around
the tower. !f you use a simple strap snap, ad$ust its
the position in your back so that it is placed $ust on
your waist, between your pelvis and your kidneys,
never too high to prevent any potential in$ury if you
do an awkward movement. A seat harness is
easier to set from the moment that it is suited to
your sie and well placed like a seat. !t offers a
greater comfort than the strap snap.
9he security items and tools used by
W+D"A to install his antenna system.
;trapped this way your first feeling will be to get entraved in your movements but after a
while you will appreciate this security that will give you in fact all freedom of movement. Dour
safety belt will allow you to move safely around the tower, the feet leaned or not against the
rungs. 9he strap or the harness will provide you also a large and sturdy surface against which
you can lean with all your force when lifting and moving heavy pieces of material.
,ut working on a tower do always think that you are not at ground level and that if you lose a
tool, it will transform in pro$ectile of a few kilograms falling at >+ km3h 5/+ mph6 on the people
underneath..., hence the utility of the helmet, also useful to prevent your head to knock on the
tower rungs.
The gin pole
As introduced above, the gin pole is an handy device, made of a tubing, a sliding and
clamping mechanism, a fixing system and a pulley attached on top. !t is an essential tool when
assembling manually a tower over the ground in using itself as support to lift the higher
segments. 'laced on top of the last section, it helps you to lift easily one tower section after
another or any piece of material on the tower in pulling simply on the rope linked to the pulley.
9he gin pole is of course useless 5or almost6 if you assemble the tower horiontally and erect it
in position in pulling at ?A.-+ people on ropes.
:in poles are made to clamp onto rungs of Cohn (o.-A to (o./A
towers like the W,+W<s H0.- model displayed at left. Among the
precautions to take, always attach tightly the gin pole on the tower and lift
the load at the vertical of the pulley to avoid tor#ue and a possible break
of the pole.
Avoid also to use a gin pole made of several short tube segments
made of different metal 5e.g. a narrow aluminium top section fit into a
larger steel tube6 to prevent weak points and possible break at the
$unction. For security purposes, attach an additional steel pulley on top of
the tower in case of the gin pole breaks. 9he rope or the steel wire will
run through both pulley.
Dou will probably not find this accessory to your do.it.yourself shop,
and as it should be made of aluminium, very few amateurs have the
ade#uate soldering system to built it. !f you can<t find one, the alternate is
to build it with a long tubing at least / m long and to drill a hole A cm from
one end to attach a #uality pulley using a steel wheel instead of 9eflon
5too smooth to support a steel cable6. 9hen pass the rope or the steel
cable into the tubing to the pulley, and bolt in parallel a double system of
4.bolts that you will attach on the tower to maintain the gin pole in
position. Bnly constraint, you will have to unscrew one side of the 4.bolts
5the one attached to the tower6 each time that you will have placed a
section and you will have to bolt it again on the tower one section
higher. Dou can also bolt a E or :.shape anchor on top of the gin pole,
$ust above the pulley, that will help you to hang up the additional section
on the top segment of the tower already erected.
!f you cannot borrow, build or even buy a gin pole, you must find a
means to place a pulley using a steel wheel in height, in order to lift the
differents elements. Dou can for example use the lift attached around
your tower if you use one. Dou can also erect a narrow tower, -+.@+ cm
wide along your main tower and at least @m longer, secured with guy
wires. !t will help you to lift all sections of the tower.
W,+W<s gin pole
model H0.-.
Br a long telescopic pole 5made of fiber glass or aluminium from A+ to &+ mm of diameter at
the base and over -A mm on top6 could do the trick if it is very long, very wide and sturdy. Avoid
in all case a pole made of wood. !f the pole is your sole alternative, drive a small hole @+ cm
dept 5? ft6 in the ground and place the base of the pole inside. 9hen attach the pole with guy
wires and one third, two.third and on top where you will also attach the steel pulley with its rope
or steel wire. 1heck the security of the system in lifting a bag of sand of about @+ kg 5>+ lbs.6
and let it hanged a few minutes. !f it carries the load several times, go ahead, your system is
safe.
,ut for more security your gin pole should be made of a steel tube /+ mm of diameter or
larger or of an uni#ue length of aluminium tubing of at least A+ mm in diameter 5or s#uare
section6 and at least - mm thick, the larger the best to prevent it bends under the load. !ndeed,
remember well that if you cannot manually bend a gin pole made of aluminium tubing using
your own strength, a few meters high, under the stress of a heavy load, a light tube showing a
too small section can be at the limit of its resistance. ;uddenly, without warning, it can bend
and release or let drop the tower section that can hurt one of you if you cannot manage the
situation. ;o take great care in selecting the #uality of your gin pole and its fixings. Eet<s your
friends be aware of this potential problem and of all the risks that they incur in doing the $ob
themselves too.
At last, if you can<t find any gin pole or any other mean to lift your tower sections, if the
assembling of your tower horiontally on the ground is not in your plans, you will have to call
the services of ironworkers and of a crane, using a plaform attached to the shaft to assemble
your tower, and behind it of a good gardener !
Assembling of the tower (")
The guy wires
Cadio amateurs use guy wires to attach the tower
supporting their antenna, but they usually know few
things about the physical properties of these IcablesI
excepting that they prevent the tower of falling ! !t is
time to remind you some notions.
:uy wires attached at various heights along the
structure restrain the tower against the strength of the
wind, translating the lateral force applied upon the
tower in a downward compression force onto the base.
9herefore their tension must respect the manufacturer<s tower specifications. Eoose guy
wires are useless but guy wires tighted as strong as a piano string, enduring pulling forces
exceeding A++ kg 5?+++ lbs.6 will create too much lateral forces, creating an additional tor#ue
onto the baseO by high winds this is on the contrary the best solution to see your bolts and nuts
flying away and your tower topple ! Hence the necessity to respect the specifications and to
tightly anchor the tower base.
!f there are not enough guy wires the vertical spacing between them can be excessive and it
might result in the tower buckling and an uprooting of the base. !dem if the guy wires are not
e#ualy spaced around the tower. !t is recommended to attach at each guy colar either @ guy
wires ?-+J apart 5seen from above6 or / guy wires N+J apart. 9hey must be anchored in the
ground at the same level as the tower base at a distance at least e#ual to &AL of the height of
the tower.
While small and light masts >m high re#uire often to be guyed in the middle and on top to
prevent too much swing, an heavy duty tower ?+m high 5@@<6 bolten in its base can be secured
in using only one set of guy wires attached on top. 4sually for standard height of towers it is
recommended to install - set of guy wire, one at half height, the second set on top. !f the tower
is very long or frail you have advantage to attach the guy wires at all thirds, the third one being
attached on top.
:uy wires play also the role of resonant element if their length is within ?+L of your working
fre#uency. Eike any wire antenna guy wire can Ipick.upI some energy from the antenna and
radiates for their own ! 9his has no other harm conse#uence than modifying the radiation
pattern of your antenna and in a few occasions to generate CF!.
!n practice, two insulators are used on each guy wire, each placed @+ cm or so 5?<6 from the
anchorage point. For more security, if you work with eggs strain insulators 5made of porcelain6
pass the guy wire across the insulator and tie it around it also, so that in case of break the guy
wire will still hold, although loosier. 9o prevent any resonance cut the guy wire so that no
section displays a length in feet that can be evenly divided by ?> or --. 9herefore according a
study made by Gerry Hall, %?90, the ideal guy wire lengths are +./.-m, A./.>m, &.-.H.&m, ??.&.
?-m and ?&.?.?&./m e#uivalent to +.?/ ft, ?H.-+ft, -/.-N ft, @N./+ ft and A&.AH ft. 9hus, for a
?+m high tower, which guy anchors are placed at a distance e#uivalent to &AL of the tower
height, the longest guy wire is ?-.Am long 5/? ft6 minus twice the @+cm re#uired for the thimble
and clamps, so we fall well in the ??.&.?-m range. !f the guy wire is a bit shorter than this value
it is in resonance on -+m and ?+mO if it is a bit longer it is in resonance on ?Am and ?+m too. At
mid.height of this tower, the guy wire is Nm long minus twice @+ cmO here also we fall well in the
good lenghts.
Above, from left to right, the installation of the rotative guy rings at W+D"AO the rotative guy rings
at A anchors sold by Antenna ;ystems with their H@+ telescopic mastO the guy colar using tor#ue
brackets at W*@%. ,elow, =H; steel guy wires attached to their anchors at %/GA. (ote the
safety cable in Ieight.figureI passing through the turnbucklesO a model of guy wire sold by the
french company 0*.;C Antennas using high resistance polyester protected with a ICislanI
polyamid $acket. 9he price of this guy wire is -.-+ Q3m, and at last the roof anchorage system at
W*@%.
:uy wires are generaly made of twisted steel strands able to support a pulling of several
tons. !t can optionally be protected with a '"1 $acket. 9he amateurs should use the standard
Iham approvedI wire of =xtra High ;trenght grade =H; @3?>I or /.&mm thick. =xcepting for
light installations, do not use an aircraft cabling system as it sustains a strenght only &+L as
strong. (ew material allow also to build IplasticI guy wires, in fact made of high resistant
polyester protected with a polyamid $acket. 9hese new design are however more expensive
than the ordinary steel cable.
9o transform a steel cable in a guy wire, buy the re#uire metering to avoid the resonance
and fold back the open ends of the cable on a distance of about @+ cm 5?-I6 around a thimble
to prevent the wire of breaking due to the sharp bending. 9he excess of wire should be tightly
attached along the guy wire with three of more mini.clamps, leaving a few doen centimeters of
wire free. 9his free end will be strengthened later, when all will be installed in the case you
should have to ad$ust the cable lengths, using a serving tool or pliers and wrapping a thin
metallic wire around the guy wire.
(ote that if you plan to pass the guy wire in a close loop to attach it to an anchor 5to a steel
loop fixed on the colars attached on the tower or in the eye of a turnbuckle for example6, don<t
forget to pass first the thimble and the guy wire in the opening of the loop before achieving the
cable.
When the end of the guy wire is IclampsedI and well fixed in its thimble, it can be attached
to the anchorage system. 4se for example the classic turnbuckle, this sort of double.eye.screw
allowing to ad$ust the tension on the guy wire without twisting the cable. ;elect a model which
IeyesI are compatible with the sie of the thimble or smaller than the sie of the bolts if yoy
attach them to the loop of an anchor. !n case of problem you can also use snap.links. At last, to
prevent the turnbuckle from working loose, it is recommended to pass a safety cable in a
figure.height fashion in the eyes of the turnbuckle.
9wo methods for attaching guy wires to an anchor. !n both cases to make a good anchor,
the tilt should be about /AJ. (ote at left that the foot of the anchor is towards the tower,
the force is perpendicular to the wires direction. At right the guy wires and guy anchor
and placed the same direction. 9he single e#ualier plate is an alternate method of
attaching two or more guy wires at the same anchorage point. !n this second example, to
prevent a potential break of a turnbuckle, the guy wires are secured with a safety cable in
figure.eight fashion that is passed across the thimbles and the eyes of all turnbuckles.
The guy anchors and colars
9he guy wires must be tightly attached, one side at several places on the tower, the other
side to guy anchors buried in the ground. 9he guy anchors should be made of stainless steel
bars, ?m long 5/+I6 for @./ cm wide 5?.-I6. Dou have the choice of the model 7 plane, in form of
E.bracket, like a stick with a loop at one end or even using tubing. 9here must have one or
more large holes on top to attach a heavy bolt or any other fixing means. !f you need to attach
more than one guy wire to the anchor, buy an single e#ualier plate accepting @ or more guy
wires and attach this plate to the anchorage system.
First drive a hole ?m depth 5/+I6 and A+ cm wide 5-+I6 in the ground, if possible tilted at /AJ
in the direction opposite to the tower. Fill it with @+ cm 5? ft6 of concrete and sunk the anchors
on ?3/ to ?3@d of their length. 9he emerging part of the anchor must not exceed ?+ to @+L of
the anchor length. As displayed in the above graphs, you can either tilt the anchor in the
direction perpendicular to the pulling force, thus the feets of the anchor to the tower 5left
drawing6, or place it in the same direction as the guy wires 5right drawing6. When the concrete
is hard, fill the hole with soil and mark it well as an obstacle. !n the dark you could forget it and
fall head on on it !
"ery few anchor shafts are galvanied. When driven
in the ground and partly sunk in the concrete, they can
corrrode. !ndeed, the shaft itself acts as both anode
and cathode and its high conductivity makes it a
perfect electrical path between the two parts. 9he
concrete and soil act also as two different electrolytes.
We are thus in presence of chemical reactions able
weaken the metal resistance. !n addition, the soil has
less oxygen $ust above the concrete anchorage and
conse#uently, less resistivity. 9his phenomenon
causes corrosion that is most strongly in effect in the
shaft underground area located between the ground
level and the concrete. =xperience has shown that this
is the area most likely to deteriorate and cause the
tower to fail. 9he anchor can also experiment
corrosion due to Istray currentI if for example your
tower is located close to electrified railways or if there
are welding or plating works. 9hese operations put
also direct current into the ground. 9here are product
to protect your anchors against these effects. 9hey
consist in coating the shaft before driving it into the
ground. Anchor :uard for example provide such
products against corrosion and very instructive
pictures showing damage that might happen. 9hey are
serious... 'roducts exist also to protect steel against
rust using cold galvaniing to name ,rite products.
A steel anchor driven in the ground
and not protected against corrosion
will become rusty and see its
mechanical strength weaken. Dou
must protect it.
!f the depth is limited to a few doen cm use half.lenght anchors. Fill the middle of the hole
with concrete so that ?3@ of the guy anchor is sunk in the concrete. (ote that free.standing
towers do not re#uire guy wires as the wind acts in compression and uplift upon the structure.
0o not attach immediately the guy wires. Attach first the guy colars on the tower as
suggested by the manufacturer. For large towers they come often like rotating steel rings to
bolt to the tower tubular structure. Without these accessories and more instructions, ! suggest
you a method similar to the drawings displayed below.
'lace around the tower, at each third of the heigth or at the middle and on top, a large colar.
Dou can use either rotating guy colars or steel strips A mm thick 5-I6, ?+ cm wide 5/I6 and -+
cm 5HI6 longer than the length of the tower sides 5so ?+ cm on each side6.
2ost of the time to attach your guy wires to the tower, the manufacturer of your tower
provides you two or three rotating steel guy rings to bolt on the tubular structure. !f
you don<t have these accessories here are four methods for attaching a colar and
guy wires to a tower.
(ow you have several possibilities 7
. ;olution A, drill two holes at the end of the colar, the innermost attaching the colar to the
tower tubular structure. Attach a tor#ue bracket around the axis the second bolt, the guy wire
being attached at the other end of the tor#ue bracket. 9his solution supports the best the
strainsO
. ;olution ,, use a steel strip with a notch. 0rill a hole on both sides of the notch, the first to
bolt the colar on the tower, the second to receive a locker. 'lace a turnbuckle attached to the
guy wire in the noch and secure it in closing down the lockerO
. ;olution 1, drill two holes at the end of the colar and use a snap.link to attach the guy wireO
. ;olution 0, drill a hole on both sides of the notch, the first to bolt the colar on the tower, the
second to receive a locker. !nsert a close steel loop in the notch an secure it. Attach then a guy
wire to the loop.
As usual, the simpler solution using the less accessories is always the best.
Bf course in all cases you need to install the thimble in the loop before achieving the guy
wire. When all corners of the tower are bolten and the guy wires are attached, goes down the
tower. (ow you can tight the guy wires up to the anchors and attach them tighly.
Installing of the antenna system ("I)
Eike the tower building, you must plan and think
seriously about the way that you or maybe with
your team will proceed to the assembling and
installation of the antenna system, what includes
the rotator, the supporting mast , the antenna and
the cabling system.
9his procedure is probably useless to place a
light antenna that you can carry alone in one hand
and that does not re#uire hours of preparation to
know how to process, even if you have to place it
on a sloping roof. 9his procedure rather concerns a
typical bulky and large antenna that you cannot
raise on top of a tower without assistance 5both
mechanical like adding a pulley, and human6.
;ee first if the tower or the antenna manufacturer
has not left some instructions. !n all cases, here
also simulate at ground level the full installation. !t
is by far preferable to be warned before than have
to say sorry after !
Assembling a low band HF antenna on
an **9ower e#uipped with a ringrotor.
!f you work with a team begin by assigning to each people a determined role according their
skills 7 what element of the antenna with what tool each people must assemble, who stands on
ground, why for, who climbs on the tower, at what time, who install the rotator, the antenna,
who check the security and clean the ground, etc.
9he $ob must be divided in several steps 7
. Assembling the antenna on the ground
. 'reparation of the area to raise the antenna and accessories
. !nstalling the rotator and the mast
. !nstalling the antenna
. 1onnection and fixing of the cabling system 5rotator and antenna6.
Assembling of an antenna is never a
difficult task if you follow strictly the
instruction manual. With a screwdriver,
pliers and a wrench this a $ob that last
between a few hours and...one or two
days.
When your antenna is assembled it is
time to simulate the installation and
imagine how you will raise this bulky
antenna there up as well as its
accessories.
We will take the example of a standard
antenna assembled on top of a mast.
9here are other solutions among which
the installation of a rotating ring at any
heigth of the tower coupled with a 9!1
ringrotor like on the picture displayed at
left taken at (@CC. 9he antenna in fixed
on the ring and all the tower rotates.
For a ordinary pylon, begin first by installing a gin pole or a simple pulley on top of the mast.
!f necessary, to avoid to lift a load too heavy 5over @+ kg, >+ lbs.6 attach a second pulley at the
base of the antenna so that you can use all your weight when pulling, rather than the sole
strengh of your arms. !n all cases use a rope at least twice as long as the height of the tower.
9hen install the rotator on its platform and place the mast as described in the instruction
manual. 9o increase the resistance to wind and reduce the lateral force endured by the rotator
you can add $ust above the rotator a thrust bearing as explained previously. Dou will attach all
re#uired cables later. Cemember than the lower is the rotator the weaker are the constraints
that it will have to support.
At left, blue print of the main elements and siings of an antenna system. At center the rotator and
the thrust bearing installed at (+CF. At right the installation of a typical rotator and its thrust
bearing.
%aising and fi&ing of the antenna
At last take the antenna. 9ie a rope around the balance point of the boom 5>+ cm to ?m on
each side or -.@ft6 so that the antenna will be lift in horiontal position using the pulley5s6. !f it is
a long Dagi you can also lift it with the boom parallel to the tower but you will have more
difficulties once arrived on top to rotate it in position in both the vertical and the horiontal
planes.
,efore raising the antenna verify that during the ascent it will not hit the tower or will not be
blocked by any obstacle like the guy wires or the insulators. !n this case you can build a ItrackI
made of two ropes $oined over the tower 5near the pulley6 and tight more far than the guy
anchors, thus forming a E over them, on which the antenna boom will slide to the top of the
tower. ,ut it is maybe easier to attach two additional ropes to both ends of the antenna boom
so that you can pull on them to move the antenna away for any obstacle.
When all is ready, clear the tower area from all useless tool and potential obstacle. 1heck
that the ropes are not intermingled and place them well apart, out of the antenna area and the
people<s feet. 9hen lift the antenna $ust one meter up to see if the balance is correct. !f
necessary, let it back down and ad$ust the ropes. When all is safely attached and verify, start
pulling the antenna up the tower. With a large antenna it is careful to ask someone to climb on
top of the tower to check the climb and that the elements are not caught or $ammed here or
there.
;ome steps of the installation of the @ stacked and phased ,encher ;kyhawk Dagis on top of a
/+m tower in Cohn (o./A at W+D"A. :uys are a combination of +.-AI =H; steel and >&++R
'hillystran.
0o never exert antagonist forces in the same time, like pulling strongly the boom toward you
to avoid an obstacle and in the same time pulling it vertically. ,alance your strains because the
boom is vulnerable to horiontal forces and might break apart, all the more if it is made of fiber
glass. Avoid also that the antenna rotates during the climb in using the two additional ropes tied
and the ends of the boom to stabilie the antenna. Bnce arrived on top, one people is enough
to place the antenna and bolt it on its mast.
When the antenna system is properly attached you can proceed to the installation of the
cabling system, the cables to power and control the rotator and the antenna feed line or
coaxial. Ceserve the installation of the ground system and the lightning protection for another
day, but as soon as possible.
After this first installation attach slightly the cabling system on top of the tower then let it runs
freely to the ground. 9ake the time to place your cabling system in a flexible pipe ?+.-+ cm
wide 5/.HI6, the ends being protected with a piece of insulation. 0rive a narrow trench
5excavation6 less than @+ cm depth 5P?<6 in the ground and bury inside the pipe to make it
emerge near your station. ,efore stopping up properly the trench and fixing all cables make a
first transmission test.
At left an 4; 9ower supporting a 1AE.A" -.element beam for the /+.m band. At
right FACC; ?-m high tower supporting a A.element 9ri.band 1reate @?H, Dagi.
0o a first test of your installation before continuing. 9est the rotator in all directions and
check if the direction indicated on the control box and the heading of the beam are the same.
!n case of problem verify the rotator and the mast clamping. 2ake also some F;Bs on each
band covered by the antenna to check the transmission line ;WC and other potential troubles.
!f all works properly it is time to achieve the $ob. Weatherproof all coaxials and connections
5and optionally paint or coat unprotected hardware6. 9hen secure all cables with fixings placed
each @+ cm 5?<6 all the way to the tower base. Fixings can be made either in wrapping tape
along the cables running along the antenna boom and the tower rungs or better, using tie.
wraps 5autolocking plastic strips6. Eeave enough coax so that the antenna can rotate freely
over @>+J without pulling or binding the cable. ,ut conversely to not let the cables flap in the
wind as they can be damaged under high winds.
"oilS, there we are, the antenna system and the tower are in place and work as expected ! !
think having nothing forgot.
Additional security
For security reasons, to prevent
kids to climb on the tower, shield its
lower part. ACCE published an
article in the <H+s suggesting to
install panels between the base and
about ?.Am 5A ft6 high, and on a
width as wide as the interval
between two corners 5say A+ cm,
-+I between the structural rungs6.
9hese panels are made of
galvanied steel sheets in ?H.gauge
sie that are $ammed in the tubular
structure as displayed at right
thanks to brackets in shape of T.
9hese brackets are made of
aluminium or steel of about ?A cm
long 5>I6 and @ cm wide 5?.-I6. 9hey
are fixed each A+ cm 5-+I6 on the
left vertical side and inside each
panel. 9heir sie must be suited to
the diameter of your rungs. Dou can
also build these brackets in bolting
together two E.brackets upside
down. ;o, for a s#uare tower your
need either of ?- T.brackets or -/
E.brackets. 9hen drill one hole in
each plate and stick inside a bolt in
order to screw a removable door.
knob from the outside.
1onstruction of a shield made of aluminium panels
?.Am long e#uipped of T.brackets 5a T.bracket and a
double.E versions are shown6. 9hey are installed on the
low part of the tower between the rungs 5see
explanations below6.
9o put the panels in place in the tower, move them from right to left and slightly tilted to you
to $am the brackets around the vertical rungs then push them in position, they will stand up on
their own weight. 9hen unscrew the door.knob. 9he panels must be difficult to extract for a kid
although detachable in screwing the door.knob in the panels and taking the brackets out of
rungs in moving the panels to the side opposite to the brackets 5right6 and slightly tilted to the
outside.
0o not forget also to ground your tower and the antenna, and to install a lightning protection.
I'layingI with high voltage and current, this time this is not a $ob that has room for
experimentation...
To read' All about (ightning protection
Cemain the maintenance. 1heck the state of your installation regularly from top to bottom,
the antenna of course, but also the rotator housing, the fixings 5bolts, anchors, etc6, the base of
the tower and the tension of guy wires. 1heck whether an hardware is missing, spots of rust,
structural defects like cracks or bindings. Fix immediately any problem, reinforce if necessary
the concerned element before it becomes a danger.
At last, think also to the dismantling of your tower. 'roceed like we did but in reverse order.
For the bulkiest installations it is preferable to entrust this task to a specialied company that
will do the $ob using a crane to minimie the risks of accident.
:ood luck !
Take care assembling an antenna system
!f you are not confident and used to erect antenna towers, do not
entrust the $ob to close friends or so.called skilled radio amateurs...
Dour life and the one of your friends is more important that sparing a
few money in doing the $ob yourself without competences.
Here is the comments of Gack, an ironworker in this regard 7 Ithere
are some places and some $obs where if you make a mistake, people,
either yourself or others or both, will be killed. Amateur Cadio is not
defined as one of these occupations, and no amateur has any
business working aloft with rigging and e#uipment unless he was
properly trained in that field. 9hat certainly doesn<t stop many from
doing it, but it doesn<t make it safer because they survive it. 9he skills
sets that seem to congregate in radio are amaing for sure, and the
field.expediant thinking and can.do attitudes are good for all involved
in the hobby.
,ut there are some things better left to professionals. Anyone who
doesn<t think a lot of !ronworkers die doing what they do better than
anyone else could, is $ust delusional. 9he bravado !<ve witnessed from
so called antenna.tower experts far outweighs their knowledge of
safety, strength of materials, rigging principles, or safe working aloft.
=ven the better ones at it are not properly #ualified to train others,
and so often enlist any brave soul they can find as riggers,
connectors, ground support, etc
When a home.made and low #uality gin pole breaks...
(obody was in$ured. 'Uctures by B(/;%D.
Cadio amateurs are not riggers! Dou are old men who have no
business up in the air. Dou belong B( 9H= A!C, not in it O.6 'aste
those pictures of your rigging days upon the club walls and stop your
friends from believing they can think these $obs out. 9hey can<t erect
an antenna tower in certifying at ?++L that they will never incur the
least risk. Bne or another day you will have to discover a new
principle, strength3weakeness, fault, improper manufacturing or
material failure, improper tools, breakage of tools, physical exhaustion
of a team member at a critical time, unexpected wind condition,
improper response to a command or order at a winch, line, etc. And
each time those things happen, your fingers, hands, feet and possibly
life will be at risk. !t comes with the understanding that all in$uries
happen between +.?+ meters 5+./+ ft6. After that, you<re either dead,
or wish death would release you from the disfiguring and crippling
pain.Dou better get used to the fact that you can and will have in$uries
so bad from a -.?+ meter fall into or around steel that you will never
be the same again, if you live
All the blind leading the blind. ! happen to know better than to work
with untrained people at the effort of erecting antenna towers. ! knew
better when ! erected steel as a professional and ! still know better -+
years later. ,ut some people<s purpose in life is to serve as a warning
to others. 0on<t let one of your friend<s falling to his death make your
club that purpose. Hire a professional company and take pictures
from a safe distance.I
Gack, Gourneyman !ronworker.
Cegularly ham magaines highlight similar accidents, sometimes
involving a crane and a truck... ;o think twice to the risk you incur is
doing such a $ob alone or with friends but without know.how.
)or more information
Images of assembling
%/GA<s construction of the contesting station
%>(C<s crank.up tower installation
%&=2<s shack and antennas farm
(+CF<s tower pro$ect
(@CC<s tower and lightning protection installation
"%-"A<s tower installation
W+D"A<s tower installation
W*@%<s amateur radio station
1om9rain EE1 gallery
*anufacturers
Anchor :uard
A( Wireless
Antenna ;ystems
19A 5F6
1ustom 2etalworks
0e %erf 5,ael, ,elgium6
:alvatech -+++
:len 2artin
Cohn !ndustries, !nc.
9homas :lobal Cegister =urope
9!1 ringrotor
4; 9ower
**9owers
+ooks and technical info
Application (otes, Array ;olution
9ower 1limbing ;afety ) Cescue, ACCE bookshop
9he Antenna File, C;:, or ACCE bookshop
F;9 2againe, ACCE
9he website of ma$or manufacturers of rotators and towers 5see ads in ham magaines6.