TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 16.36 DATE: September 4, 2016
SUBJECT: TOWER BASE INSTALLATION
Whether you're installing a regular Television tower or a commercial Two-Way Radio tower, the first section of tower is more important than the rest of the tower. When the bottom section of tower is installed, you must make sure the bottom end of the tower is opened to allow any water that gets into it to escape. Even though you might think a tower is unable to get water inside, it will make it anyway.
Water can seep into the tower from areas where the sections of tower are bolted together, from holes created from manufacturing of the sections, and from condensation inside the tower from hot and cold temperatures. If water gets trapped inside the tower, it can be ruined due to the rusting of the tower inside or the splitting of the tower legs due to the freezing and swelling of the water. In any case the tower could fall or collapse.
The best way to keep water from getting trapped is to use a base plate with drip holes that will sit on top of a concrete base. The drip holes allow any water to escape. If there is no base plate available, and the bottom section of tower must be set into a hole in the ground, the legs of the base of the tower should installed to let any water escape. The bottom end of the tower can be set on bricks, or something to keep dirt from getting into them, and allow any water to run out, then fill the hole about halfway with sand.
The rest of the tower can then be filled with dirt or concrete. Since the ground and concrete can cause a lot of corrosion it would be advisable to coat the tower area that is in contact with the ground or concrete with a heavy coating of tar or something to protect the metal from rusting or corroding.
Another thing that will cause the base section of tower to corrode or rust is the water that stands in a tower hole that is not completely filled in. In any case you need to think about the installation of the first section of tower before you get started.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV