Short anchor bolt problem
 

I am about to put up a tx-455 self supporting tower. The site
currently has a concrete pad, which has been described to me as
follows: The pad is 5' X 5' and about 3 feet deep. The pad is
heavily rebarred, and pinned to 30 feet of bedrock with 3 foot
epoxeyed bolts (4 of them). The bolts are about 24 inches into the
bedrock. There are 3 anchor bolts sticking out of the pad which
perfectly match the base plate of the tower. Here's the problem. Those
bolts are 12 inches in length 9 inches in the concrete and
3 inches extending out for th tower base. If I guy the bottom
section and use a fairly light antenna (HF quad) will I be okay?

Find a local civil engineer and give him your situation and he can tell you
if it will work.

73
W4WEG


"gus" wrote in message
...
I am about to put up a tx-455 self supporting tower. The site
currently has a concrete pad, which has been described to me as
follows: The pad is 5' X 5' and about 3 feet deep. The pad is
heavily rebarred, and pinned to 30 feet of bedrock with 3 foot
epoxeyed bolts (4 of them). The bolts are about 24 inches into the
bedrock. There are 3 anchor bolts sticking out of the pad which
perfectly match the base plate of the tower. Here's the problem. Those
bolts are 12 inches in length 9 inches in the concrete and
3 inches extending out for th tower base. If I guy the bottom
section and use a fairly light antenna (HF quad) will I be okay?

Gus wrote:
"These bolts are 12 inches in length 9 inches in the concrete and 3
inches extending for the tower base. If I guy the bottom section and use
a fairly light antenna (HF quad) will I be okay?"

I am not a civil engineer, but I have erected countless towers. My
degree is in electrical engineering.

Once the guys are satisfactorily in place, you have no need for nuts on
the tower base bolts. There is no overturning force on the tower. It is
resisted by the guywires. If you have a guywire accoident, you may be
glad you have nuts on the tower base bolts. It`s happened to me and
though the tower bent over like a fishing rod with a big catch, no harm
was done. The manufacturer was in PA, Stainless Manufacturing, and the
towers were ordinary tubular steel. Sawing open a tube showed a pristine
interior. No rust.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI