Albums: WA7DUH And WB7CNV Tower Construction
WA7DUH And WB7CNV Tower Construction
Photo essay of tower project at the station of Linda WB7CNV and Steve WA7DUH. They live just outside of the Richland and West Richland city limits in Benton County. Project is to initially erect a 65 ft guyed tower, but to design it for 75 ft or higher. Benton County has an ordinance controlling "communications facilities" (BCC 11.65) which includes "communication towers and antennas." Many of the requirements are exempted for amateur radio towers and antennas not exceeding 65 ft.P1020428.JPG
It's 104 today, so sweat band and wet neck towell in use!
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Guy station base ready to be lowered into a guy station hole. Guy station blocks are buried about 4 feet down, so only half the dirt is hauled away. The pile in the background is what goes back in to cover it up.
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Originally tried to lift rebar cage from a single point, but it caused the rebar cage to deform. A lifting frame was then built which pulled up vertical instead of an angle.
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Rebar cage for guy station is lowered onto concrete blocks that elevate up off the bottom.
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The tower base hole. 2x4's above the forms hold up and align the top rebar grid. There is also lower grid sitting on concrete blocks. The tower base that will be submerged in concrete floats in the center of both the top and bottom rebar grids. Temporary guy ropes hold the tower in perfect plumb. Grandson Adam approves.
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A better view of the rebar cage.
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Adam loves Jessica Kabota.
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Time to pour concrete. The concrete truck can only reach one guy station, so a motorized wheel barrel is used to transport 8 yards of concrete into the main tower and guy station holes.
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Yea-- this is the way to handle concrete.
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Guys from Speedy Angeles Concrete, LLC out of Pasco WA do the work. They have the equipment and muscle, and did the job for a good price.
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WB7CNV (Linda) bows properly to the tower gods.
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Trenching between the tower base and the ham shack entrance. The picture doesn't really show the 18% downslope here, and the trencher was stuck and rolling into one of the deck support posts. Come-alongs are keeping the trencher from taking out the deck post plus the tractor is extracting.
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One of three ground tower ground rods. The are each connected to a tower leg with both a #4 solid copper wire (per NEC) PLUS a 1 1/2 inch low RF impedance copper strap. Once connections are made, the ground rod is then driven down so it is at least 6 inches below grade.
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The #4 solid wire and the copper strap is also run to the house electrical ground and into the ham shack entrance.