tower
 

I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb up. I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This tower
would be very cost effective.

Of course I am aware of the potential problems regarding maintenance etc,
but does anyone have experience with this kind of tower? Will it be stable,
what abt guying etc. Comments is welcome before I settle this project.

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 13:41:05 +0100, "LA7GIA - Ken"
wrote:

I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb up. I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This tower
would be very cost effective.

Of course I am aware of the potential problems regarding maintenance etc,
but does anyone have experience with this kind of tower? Will it be stable,
what abt guying etc. Comments is welcome before I settle this project.



Assuming you are talking about two parallel trees, not trees grown
together all the way up, I don't think you will have the results you
expect. The trees WILL sway towards and away from each other and
destroy any means of connecting them together. If you were to use one
tree, you might get away with mounting the antenna there.
Unfortunately on a windy day your antenna is subject to being whipped
to pieces as it not only gets hit with the wind at it's natural speed,
but also as the tree whips it back against the wind increasing the
wind load to as much as two to three times or more.

I have never mounted a beam in a tree, but I have mounted verticals at
the tops of trees. I have never had to go up and bring down one of
those verticals. Relative to some of the trees I used, you have a
short tree and if it's fat enough, it may not sway as much.

I would test your theory with an inexpensive or throw-away antenna
first before setting up your beam.

Good luck.

--
73 for now
Buck
N4PGW

Remember a tree is living, unless you limb the tree and kill it. If
you do, then the tree will start to rot after a while. If you decide to keep
it alive, things will change as the tree continues to grow. Myself I would
prefer a tower, I have strung wire antennas from trees, that works well, IF
you maintain things.
73,
WB7FFI

"LA7GIA - Ken" wrote in message
...
I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb up.
I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the
parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This tower
would be very cost effective.

Of course I am aware of the potential problems regarding maintenance etc,
but does anyone have experience with this kind of tower? Will it be
stable,
what abt guying etc. Comments is welcome before I settle this project.

No let me look at the calendar is it 1st April!.

Sorry this is just too unbelivable!,

"LA7GIA - Ken" wrote in message
...
I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb up.
I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the
parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This tower
would be very cost effective.

Of course I am aware of the potential problems regarding maintenance etc,
but does anyone have experience with this kind of tower? Will it be
stable,
what abt guying etc. Comments is welcome before I settle this project.

Hello there Steve et al .....

A number of years ago I was on 40 SSB (a real rarity) calling CQ when a
fellow came back from NE PA. This guy had a signal that was probably the
strongest phone signal I have ever heard. He was running a 4 element wire
yagi that was suspended by 8 oak trees that a distant forefather had planted
over 200 yrs ago. The fellow said that he must have known the physical
layout of the antenna not only spacing wise but in the direction NE-SW.
Neet ...... PS just talked to the neighbor about using her tree for a
support which should get my wire up from 25 to 75 feet or so. Film at 11
when I get things together ....now where did I put that string for my bow
??????

God Bless 73 Tom Popovic KI3R Belle Vernon PA

I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb
up.
I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the
parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This
tower
would be very cost effective.

On 3/6/05 7:41 AM, in article , "LA7GIA -
Ken" wrote:

I plan to use some of the trees at my QTH as a tower. I have to parallell
trees that is apx 50'. At the top they will be abt 15'' thick. They are
spaced 20'' which makes it easy to build a ladder so that I can climb up. I
plan to build a metal plate and install a rotor on the top of the parallell
trees, so that I can turn my 15' boom lengt 3 el 20m yagi beam. This tower
would be very cost effective.

Of course I am aware of the potential problems regarding maintenance etc,
but does anyone have experience with this kind of tower? Will it be stable,
what abt guying etc. Comments is welcome before I settle this project.





I live in the woods in Maine and I wouldn't want to disturb the looks of
this landscape with a tower, so I am using my trees.

I choose some large pines which do get me 50 + feet in the air and I install
folded dipoles, one for each band.

To get up there I bang 12" galvanized spikes where I need them as permanent
steps. Of course to get up there the first time I use an old construction
safety harness attached to a belt which goes around the tree. This allows me
to lean back, scary! , and nail, you can't get a nail in while holding on
with both hands...

Pines in the woods do have very few branches down below, they just go high
for the light, and the branches which I encounter, mostly deadwood, I cut
off.

So I create a smooth pole topped, way up there, by the crown of the tree.

Once up there I install a pulley and a piece of 1/4" rope and descend.

Everything else happens from the ground. I lower the rope, attach the
antenna and up she goes. Should maintenance be necessary the whole antenna
comes down the same way.

The tree doesn't need any support, it has been around for 50 to 100 years
and is just doing fine.
The nails, quite a few, do not seem to disturb them, at least I don't notice
anything and I have been using trees in this fashion for quite some time.


You can tie one side of your antenna off, the other side gets a heavy weight
which goes up and down the tree during storms etc.


I am happy to live on a piece of land with several hundred radio towers
which maintain themselves.

73 Uwe

looks like a dream come true.
I have never installed a beam in a tree, but as long as the rotor can be
stable, I see no problems..
but what about stabilizing the mast up to the boom?