WB6WUW's Tower Installation
A personal account of installing a 38-foot amateur radio antenna tower, detailing foundation, permits, and lessons learned.
Description
A 38-foot Tristao Tower, similar to the U.S. Tower HDX538, was installed twice by the author, first in 1980 and then reinstalled in 1989. The resource details the challenges of self-performing heavy construction tasks like breaking concrete and digging a 3' x 3' x 6' deep footing, contrasting it with hiring professionals for the second installation. It highlights the financial and physical costs associated with DIY tower foundation work, noting a rebar cage cost of $65 in 1980 versus $150-$175 today, and the expense of tools for bending rebar.
The content emphasizes the critical importance of obtaining building permits, recounting how a permit in Buena Park, California, nullified a neighbor's complaint about TVI. It also discusses the necessity of adhering to local building codes, such as the 1975 UBC and the subsequent 1985 UBC recertification requirement, which reduced the allowed antenna wind loading from 30 square feet to 20 square feet for the author's KT34A Yagi. The footing depth also increased from 6 feet to 6.5 feet under the newer code.
Practical advice includes hiring licensed contractors for specialized work, delaying antenna installation for a month after raising the tower, and verifying buried utilities before any excavation. The author provides specific examples of utility location services like DigAlert in California, underscoring the legal and safety implications of neglecting this step. The narrative is grounded in personal experience, offering a realistic perspective on tower projects.