I've been in this damm radio thing since 1976 with base stations at 4 different homes.
I've never had a tower. Never wanted a tower. Don't want a tower now. Never will want a tower.
But I've seen lots of guys go through Tower Phases, which is a verifiable psychological disorder that they have pills for now, and I feel like puking out a blog about about my great amusement which I periodically enjoy when every so often some local is stricken by this grievous malady.
You can puke out additional blog after me. Just click on "Puke out more blog" in the box below this post.
I learned long ago that: If you help assemble, install, or raise a radio associate's tower you are -
1) A glutton for punishment, or
2) Crazy
IMMEDIATELY the instant some local spits out the delirious words "Hey (insert my handle here) I'm going to get a tower !!" I quickly. calmly and firmly replay with " I don't do towers." Knowing that what the guy is doing is making the rounds fishing for help to accomplish this nearly impossible industrial task on a no doubt bare bones budget, with a utter lack of appropriate tools, materials, previous knowledge and common sense.
Then he comes back with..."You're kidding right? I might need a little help"
Me - "Sorry Chumley....I DON'T DO TOWERS
So hopefully he strikes me off his metal list and I go on about my merry way fully content with the idea that in the coming weeks and months I will get many laughs hearing all about his problems, travails, failures, bankruptcy, divorce, and finally the joyful day when his tower is actually up and completed and getting talked on, once everyone gets out of the hospital of course.
So the next local friend has just announced he has contracted this disease and that he has made a buy on a used 65' Rohn 25 for $75. Awesome deal.
But the bucks haven't even started to flow.
1st he gets to drive over two hundred miles to the next state in his big pickup truck, take the tower down, and tote it back.
Ruh row....methinks the cost it going up.
Already mentioned to him the proper base pad is going to be a nice little hole, 4 x 4 feet square and 4 feet deep, preferably filled with rebar and then there's the concrete.
Then he will find, and if he chooses to do everything right, there will be a cleaning and repainting of tower if necessary. Possible replacement of umpteen bolts, washers and nuts unless they're in excellent condition.
This 65 foot tower is going to require a good two set of heavy guy wires with the accompanying hardware and more large holes for anchoring rods and more concrete. Lot's more $$ here.
Probably new length of heavy coax call it 150 feet from antenna to shack. Good RG8 coax is $1.00 per foot anywhere these days.
This is going to be a fully assembled raise-up on a tilt-over base. Always needs a prayer ceremony first.
I'm no doubt leaving lots of stuff out and always add 10% to any gosh darned project like this to cover all the unforeseen. And plan on adding providing lunch and beer to the large hand full of helpers, on more than one occasion, to hep out with this enormous undertaking.
So I am done puking. I don't want to scare anyone away from being the proud owner of a lovely new yard ornament that all of your neighbors will love you over for years and years to come. Why....towers are just the gift that keeps on giving ! But I would want to have those tower noobies out there take note and have a long hard think over what really is exactly involved in actually putting up a tower and doing it right....lest in next week's windstorm it falls down and goes boom right on top of your ex-wife's car, who was just coming back to get her last box of china.
It takes a LOT of help. It requires a lot of help from persons who have previous experience in doing it right. And it's going to take WAY more money to get it all done that just buying that used tower you just found at a bargain price.
Good luck and enjoy your new tower
I've never had a tower. Never wanted a tower. Don't want a tower now. Never will want a tower.
But I've seen lots of guys go through Tower Phases, which is a verifiable psychological disorder that they have pills for now, and I feel like puking out a blog about about my great amusement which I periodically enjoy when every so often some local is stricken by this grievous malady.
You can puke out additional blog after me. Just click on "Puke out more blog" in the box below this post.
I learned long ago that: If you help assemble, install, or raise a radio associate's tower you are -
1) A glutton for punishment, or
2) Crazy
IMMEDIATELY the instant some local spits out the delirious words "Hey (insert my handle here) I'm going to get a tower !!" I quickly. calmly and firmly replay with " I don't do towers." Knowing that what the guy is doing is making the rounds fishing for help to accomplish this nearly impossible industrial task on a no doubt bare bones budget, with a utter lack of appropriate tools, materials, previous knowledge and common sense.
Then he comes back with..."You're kidding right? I might need a little help"
Me - "Sorry Chumley....I DON'T DO TOWERS
So hopefully he strikes me off his metal list and I go on about my merry way fully content with the idea that in the coming weeks and months I will get many laughs hearing all about his problems, travails, failures, bankruptcy, divorce, and finally the joyful day when his tower is actually up and completed and getting talked on, once everyone gets out of the hospital of course.
So the next local friend has just announced he has contracted this disease and that he has made a buy on a used 65' Rohn 25 for $75. Awesome deal.
But the bucks haven't even started to flow.
1st he gets to drive over two hundred miles to the next state in his big pickup truck, take the tower down, and tote it back.
Ruh row....methinks the cost it going up.
Already mentioned to him the proper base pad is going to be a nice little hole, 4 x 4 feet square and 4 feet deep, preferably filled with rebar and then there's the concrete.
Then he will find, and if he chooses to do everything right, there will be a cleaning and repainting of tower if necessary. Possible replacement of umpteen bolts, washers and nuts unless they're in excellent condition.
This 65 foot tower is going to require a good two set of heavy guy wires with the accompanying hardware and more large holes for anchoring rods and more concrete. Lot's more $$ here.
Probably new length of heavy coax call it 150 feet from antenna to shack. Good RG8 coax is $1.00 per foot anywhere these days.
This is going to be a fully assembled raise-up on a tilt-over base. Always needs a prayer ceremony first.
I'm no doubt leaving lots of stuff out and always add 10% to any gosh darned project like this to cover all the unforeseen. And plan on adding providing lunch and beer to the large hand full of helpers, on more than one occasion, to hep out with this enormous undertaking.
So I am done puking. I don't want to scare anyone away from being the proud owner of a lovely new yard ornament that all of your neighbors will love you over for years and years to come. Why....towers are just the gift that keeps on giving ! But I would want to have those tower noobies out there take note and have a long hard think over what really is exactly involved in actually putting up a tower and doing it right....lest in next week's windstorm it falls down and goes boom right on top of your ex-wife's car, who was just coming back to get her last box of china.
It takes a LOT of help. It requires a lot of help from persons who have previous experience in doing it right. And it's going to take WAY more money to get it all done that just buying that used tower you just found at a bargain price.
Good luck and enjoy your new tower
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