Tower Installation

[KyPoohCDX618]

No, sadly this isn't a thread about actually doing the installation. Yet. It is however a thread to Uh Invite anybody that would like to come and help do a tower install in Central Kentucky (about 12 miles north of Lexington).

No I'm not looking for folks to help dig - there's power equipment for that screw digging a 4x4x4 Hole with a shovel and a post hole digger - to those who HAVE done it, well you're a better person than I!

What I'm hoping for is help getting the tower bolted in, stood up, and guyed. The holes, Anchors, and trench for the coax are easily enough taken care of with the power equipment. It's getting a Tilt Base to make this job easier, mostly because my butt isn't climbing anything that's more than a few feet off the ground.

Sadly, the tower I have isn't as tall as I want to go. First step is 40' with my well used and much loved I10K antenna. Eventually (before winter hopefully) will end up at 70' with a Maco Shooting Star as well as mounting the I10K.

So who wants to help out a fellow radio enthusiast? Oh did I mention food will be provided? I Promise you will NOT leave hungry - or if You do it's your own fault.

 

[Eldorado828]

Man if I were closer I'd sign up, but that's quite the ride from here.

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

Man if I were closer I'd sign up, but that's quite the ride from here.

I used to pass by Amarillo almost 2x a week during the winter months a couple years back - Louisville, St Louis, Los Angeles Lane ... I agree it would be a bit of a haul. I can send ya back with a couple gently used Whiskey Barrels tho! LoL

 

[Eldorado828]

I used to pass by Amarillo almost 2x a week during the winter months a couple years back - Louisville, St Louis, Los Angeles Lane ... I agree it would be a bit of a haul. I can send ya back with a couple gently used Whiskey Barrels tho! LoL

I was actually up in your part of the world early 2021 to visit my son at Ft Campbell (Clarksville TN). While there we went up to see the Ark in Williamstown, the Museum in Petersburg and stayed in Cincinnati a couples of days. Point being, I went right through Lexington at one point but at that time you hadn't said anything yet!
A couple of years late or I'd at least have stopped by to supervise

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

I'm two exits from the ARK encounter - that's actually a massive sore point for everybody around here, built with state grants and funds, then converted ownership somehow and now they don't even want to pay for local PD to help with traffic control on the busy event days ... plus they expect all the roads redone/windened all the while flipping the finger to the state for funds and taxes.

Anyway if you make it back up this way ... give a shout. I've long been a member but life happens and I stepped away from this and several other forums as well.
I mean the tower was sitting there ... LoL though at that time I'd have had to dig it all by hand ...

 

[Eldorado828]

I'm two exits from the ARK encounter - that's actually a massive sore point for everybody around here, built with state grants and funds, then converted ownership somehow and now they don't even want to pay for local PD to help with traffic control on the busy event days ... plus they expect all the roads redone/windened all the while flipping the finger to the state for funds and taxes.

Anyway if you make it back up this way ... give a shout. I've long been a member but life happens and I stepped away from this and several other forums as well.
I mean the tower was sitting there ... LoL though at that time I'd have had to dig it all by hand ...

Well welcome back to the forum. Sometimes a break is good.

I migrated here when cb tricks crashed in 2017 and been here ever since. I was a cbt member since 2006 so was sad to see it die.

Hope you hang around here for a while, good folks

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

Well welcome back to the forum. Sometimes a break is good.

I migrated here when cb tricks crashed in 2017 and been here ever since. I was a cbt member since 2006 so was sad to see it die.

Hope you hang around here for a while, good folks

Oh, I don't plan to go anywhere. I bought I house and property in 2010 and moved. When I bought this place, there wasn't high speed Internet Available or anything other than Dialup. Then I started my trucking company in 2013 (hey it's almost my 10 year anniversary!) and lost mom in 2014, House burned in 2015 rebuilt in 2016, married in 2017, divorced in 2022 ... For a long time my focus has been on Business and building the 'family' we're all supposed to want.

Anyway things are once again mostly stable (having a engine let go in my Pete just before christmas this year hurt - but I'm almost recovered and caught up from that disaster!) and the more I think about things it's time to focus on things that I used to do that brought happiness and joy ... Radio, R/C, having a Garden, etc etc ...

I've had that dang tower since '08 or so ... figure it's about time it gets used for something other than growing weeds around!

As for the Forum, I was here back when Dean started things - I still use the CDX in my Call sign just as a nod to my lost friend. I have one of @Jay Mojave's i10K antennas, Coax I got from @Moleculo Three HR2510's all gone through by Doc in Buffalo (miss you bud!) ...

 

[G-Golly Wally]

When I had a travel partner I'd pick him up in Clarksville Arkansas and we'd travel right through Lexington to and from work in West Virginia. He quit, now I drive alone and take a different route up through Missouri, Indiana and Ohio.

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

When I had a travel partner I'd pick him up in Clarksville Arkansas and we'd travel right through Lexington to and from work in West Virginia. He quit, now I drive alone and take a different route up through Missouri, Indiana and Ohio.

70 out of St Louis I'm guessing?? That's a long haul for work

 

[G-Golly Wally]

70 out of St Louis I'm guessing?? That's a long haul for work

Yep, long and miserable. Not as miserable on the way back home.

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

Yep, long and miserable. Not as miserable on the way back home.

When I used to run the west coast, both ways sucked... HAHA while I was headed in the direction of the home 20, seldom did I actually come home ... especially during the pandemic, it was a license to print money ... wouldn't do it again though. Some of the things seen/done ...never again.

 

[The20poundhammer]

KyPooh do you have your anchors and stuff to do the install? If your gonna do it do it right the first time. I am near London so might be able to give some help here.

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

KyPooh do you have your anchors and stuff to do the install? If your gonna do it do it right the first time. I am near London so might be able to give some help here.

I haven't bought em yet, actually thinking I'll build them. Higher quality and less money. 260 is dollars each is a bit much IMHO.

I'm going to do this right ... it's the only way to do things. I don't mind doing things temporary or making due with what you have to now and again ... but in this case, I'm doing it right so it's up for a long long time to come.

 

[Smokinone]

Oh, I don't plan to go anywhere. I bought I house and property in 2010 and moved. When I bought this place, there wasn't high speed Internet Available or anything other than Dialup. Then I started my trucking company in 2013 (hey it's almost my 10 year anniversary!) and lost mom in 2014, House burned in 2015 rebuilt in 2016, married in 2017, divorced in 2022 ... For a long time my focus has been on Business and building the 'family' we're all supposed to want.

Anyway things are once again mostly stable (having a engine let go in my Pete just before christmas this year hurt - but I'm almost recovered and caught up from that disaster!) and the more I think about things it's time to focus on things that I used to do that brought happiness and joy ... Radio, R/C, having a Garden, etc etc ...

I've had that dang tower since '08 or so ... figure it's about time it gets used for something other than growing weeds around!

As for the Forum, I was here back when Dean started things - I still use the CDX in my Call sign just as a nod to my lost friend. I have one of @Jay Mojave's i10K antennas, Coax I got from @Moleculo Three HR2510's all gone through by Doc in Buffalo (miss you bud!) ...

I know the feeling. I've a real tower sitting on the side of the house for about the same time frame, and it has been moved around the yard a few times. I uploaded a picture of my square tube tower in another post that I have been using for some time. Laziness or lack of interest I guess in getting it up. The digging part also plays into it. I also have a 3-Star jogunn that's been sitting around waiting for the moment, if it ever comes, to get the tower and jogunn put up. My SPT500 and make shift tower has been working good for me though.
I had one 2510 done by DOC, he was a great guy, and we had several long conversations during the time he had my radio. The radio I had was in pretty bad shape, but he brought it around for me. I hate when working radio means it lights up...buyer beware I guess.

 

[KyPoohCDX618]

I know the feeling. I've a real tower sitting on the side of the house for about the same time frame, and it has been moved around the yard a few times. I uploaded a picture of my square tube tower in another post that I have been using for some time. Laziness or lack of interest I guess in getting it up. The digging part also plays into it. I also have a 3-Star jogunn that's been sitting around waiting for the moment, if it ever comes, to get the tower and jogunn put up. My SPT500 and make shift tower has been working good for me though.
I had one 2510 done by DOC, he was a great guy, and we had several long conversations during the time he had my radio. The radio I had was in pretty bad shape, but he brought it around for me. I hate when working radio means it lights up...buyer beware I guess.

I'd offer to bring the digging toys by, but your home 20 is a bit of a drive ... be far cheaper to rent something haha -

I've been out here this is the 13th year and I've not had a radio setup at all the entire time. I really don't want to do anything temporary as I'm afraid it'll turn into one of those well it's only temporary unless it works sorta deals ... I'm not running out and buying a entire new tower setup, that's why I'm going to raise what I have then later add some sections to get it to the height I want, add the beams & rotor and stack the I10K or mount it in some way. Yeah its extra work to lay the tower back down, add more guy wires and sections but ... even at some 40' it'll be a massive improvement over what I have now. Sorta like David Freiburger says, don't get it perfect just get it running (host of Roadkill, Roadkill Garage, and long time Hot Rod Magazine staffer).

I've been looking at Rohn parts, the tilt base for example and I Just don't like the design. The Pivot is a single shear setup - that can be done better so easily... the Guy Anchors are stupid expensive for what they are.. time to order a bit of steel and plug in the ole 220v Welder -