Tower Time – Part 7 – Crane day

The weather which was forecast to be warm but wet, stayed warm and dry with an overcast sky, moderate winds and temp in the 50s.

Ground Prep

As the tower was assembled on the ground, the first order of business was installation of a cross arm assembly on the bottom of the structure. A much easier task once the crane was able to raise the structure to a comfortable working height.

Also visible in this image is the rotor, mast and thrust bearing which I had installed and tested during the previous week.

Lifting

A better view of the cross arm assembly which from the factory calls for three vertical masts. I elected to only use the two outboard positions and chose to install just below the 80ft height as I wanted to allow for 10 ft of vertical clearance from a WISP antenna which will be installed near the rotor plate.

The slings were attached to the bottom rails using clevis shackles inserted into the unused step bolt holes in the bottom rails. These straps were then run through a larger clevis shackle above which would allow the lengths to shift as the assembly shifted to vertical.

Winds were light, as the boom was swung around to the north the steps bolts which were on the up side while horizontal. Are now facing south and will need to be rotated to the north prior to landing.

Landing

Lowering and rotating to get the step bolts on the north side.

Speaking with the factory there are two ways to land this sort of tower, with the leg stubs attached to the tower or with the leg stubs attached to the foundation. Not wanting to potentially bugger up the threaded rods and not really sure how I could plumb and level with the stubs on the tower. I chose to install the stubs and land the tower onto the stubs.

As you can see in this sequence it went very well, Dale our crane operator was able to ever so slowly lower the assembly over the stubs. And each corner was able to with the aid of a bullpin align with the stubs.

 

Antennas and feedlines

Preparing to install a dual band Diamond X50A on the west outrigger.

My thanks to

This project would have not have been possible without the support and help of many friends and family.

Helping on the ground special thanks go out to:

 

 

 

Next

Feedlines, grounding and lightning suppression.

73’s Jay