Crank/Tilt antenna towers?

[FredTx63]

I've never had a tower, but am considering purchasing a manufactured crank/tilt tower setup about ~50 ft. tall.

The ability to crank it down to minimum height then being able to tilt it over to work on/install/change antennas without having to climb is appealing.

What make/models should I be looking at for ready-made towers like this? I know I'm looking at big $$$ so any experience/advice would be appreciated.

 

[Road Squawker]

stay away from the Aluminum towers............. YMMV.

Also concrete/rebar isn't cheep, I have 6 yards under my 54 foot cu/to.

don't forget the cost of a proper raising fixture and hoists (NOT winches) with braking systems.

all in all, my TH 11DX Thunderbird (not a small antenna by any measure,....102 lbs + coax, rotor, tilt plate, ect) is the max I will put on my 54 foot TRI EX tower without guy wires.

I have an nn4zz tilt plate (not cheep) that automatically makes the antenna elements parallel to the ground as the tower is tilted

 

[Mustang 131]

I only recommend aluminum towers. Light, easy to put up and never rust.

 

[jessejamesdallas]

Guess it depends on your pocket-book....I have a 40' aluminum tower made by Universal that is a tilt-over tower...Lets you tilt over to one side to install or work on the antenna, then raise back up...Think I have around $600 invested in my tower, and it serves it's purpose just fine.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I only recommend aluminum towers. Light, easy to put up and never rust.

I for one would never use an aluminum tower. NO where near as strong as a steel tower. I also will never use guy wires so that limits the size of tower if it is aluminum to something much shorter and lighter duty. Maybe if all you want to put up is a small antenna but for anything serious steel is the answer. A good galvanized steel tower will outlast my lifetime and I won't be cringing in a wind storm. I cannot imagine nearly 25 square feet of wind loading atop a 64 foot tower in a Nor'easter with an aluminum tower.

 

[FredTx63]

stay away from the Aluminum towers............. YMMV.

Also concrete/rebar isn't cheep, I have 6 yards under my 54 foot cu/to.

don't forget the cost of a proper raising fixture and hoists (NOT winches) with braking systems.

all in all, my TH 11DX Thunderbird (not a small antenna by any measure,....102 lbs + coax, rotor, tilt plate, ect) is the max I will put on my 54 foot TRI EX tower without guy wires.

I have an nn4zz tilt plate (not cheep) that automatically makes the antenna elements parallel to the ground as the tower is tilted

Appreciate the reply. Nice tower and I had never seen those nn4zz tilt plates.

 

[FredTx63]

Guess it depends on your pocket-book....I have a 40' aluminum tower made by Universal that is a tilt-over tower...Lets you tilt over to one side to install or work on the antenna, then raise back up...Think I have around $600 invested in my tower, and it serves it's purpose just fine.

How did you find a 40 ft. tower for $600? What model?

 

[Ranch55]

Universal aluminum tower

 

[BJ radionut]

Universal Antenna Towers at Discount Prices - Palco Electronics

Texas Towers, Home Page

Shop - East Texas Towers

ALM-31 - US Tower

HAM Radio Tower Manufacturer | Wi-Fi and HAM Radio Antenna Towers for Sale | American Tower Company: Amerite (amertower.com)

 

[Mustang 131]

I for one would never use an aluminum tower. NO where near as strong as a steel tower. I also will never use guy wires so that limits the size of tower if it is aluminum to something much shorter and lighter duty. Maybe if all you want to put up is a small antenna but for anything serious steel is the answer. A good galvanized steel tower will outlast my lifetime and I won't be cringing in a wind storm. I cannot imagine nearly 25 square feet of wind loading atop a 64 foot tower in a Nor'easter with an aluminum tower.

Living in the foot hills of the San Gabriel Mountains, we get 20-30 every time the sun goes down. Last weekend we has 90+mph winds...my 60' tower and 38' six element has never failed.. I had it as high as 120'...but the shinny aluminum can be see a little too far for me!
All my trees are leaning to the east..my tower is straight as an arrow.

 

[jessejamesdallas]

How did you find a 40 ft. tower for $600? What model?

Bought from Texas Towers back in 2012...Universal Towers is the builder...think this one was called a 4-40...(40' tall with a 4.5 sq. ft. wind load)

It's a self supporting tower, as long as you stay with in the wind load rating...My antenna with the rotor would put me over that rating so I added guy wires just to be on the safe side

Paid under $600 when I bought it, I see now they are over $700 at Texas Towers...

 

[Mustang 131]

Even ice and snow...Universal Towers rock.

 

[Jay Mojave]

Wow 131 just were is that at with all the snow?

The crank up/down towers are well worth the extra money and time, I have quit a few. My main tower is on a trailor and it cranks up/down, and tilts over so that uninformed antenna adjustments can be made easily. Its about 55 feet tall, and went thru 3 or 4 Harbor Freight cheap shit Chinese hand winches. Now lying in the dirt as a reminder doing it better is cheaper and better, than using the cheap junk. Replaced with a American-O $289.oo hand winch and never a problem for several years of antennas going up and down. And many antennas ran up and down over the years.

Got two 72 foot Aluminum Towers that hinge down/up at the 24 foot level that have taken years and years of being there with large beams for the lower ham bands. After about 30 years being up, with no guy wires. I removed these towers from a salient key and noticed slight vertical cracks in the thick walled aluminum tubing. That's why the owner had installed guy lines. Had Mr welder up guy install thicker aluminum tubing on the outside to reinforce em better. Good to go.

Have a heavy duty steel tower that cranks up to 60 feet I think, that needs a fork lift to move around. Can't wait to install that one and have Mr cement Truck full up that hole$$ Good luck with your tower install. Please let us know how it works out for you.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert

 

[Mustang 131]

Wow 131 just were is that at with all the snow?

The crank up/down towers are well worth the extra money and time, I have quit a few. My main tower is on a trailor and it cranks up/down, and tilts over so that uninformed antenna adjustments can be made easily. Its about 55 feet tall, and went thru 3 or 4 Harbor Freight cheap shit Chinese hand winches. Now lying in the dirt as a reminder doing it better is cheaper and better, than using the cheap junk. Replaced with a American-O $289.oo hand winch and never a problem for several years of antennas going up and down. And many antennas ran up and down over the years.

Got two 72 foot Aluminum Towers that hinge down/up at the 24 foot level that have taken years and years of being there with large beams for the lower ham bands. After about 30 years being up, with no guy wires. I removed these towers from a salient key and noticed slight vertical cracks in the thick walled aluminum tubing. That's why the owner had installed guy lines. Had Mr welder up guy install thicker aluminum tubing on the outside to reinforce em better. Good to go.

Have a heavy duty steel tower that cranks up to 60 feet I think, that needs a fork lift to move around. Can't wait to install that one and have Mr cement Truck full up that hole$$ Good luck with your tower install. Please let us know how it works out for you.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert

That was last winter. Remember it snow on Thankgiving, Christmas and New Years.
I have it on the vertical side now.

 

[Slowmover]