Antenna tower concrete base (tower project part 2)

[@loueckert4970]

How cool, enjoy the DX 73 de KT1R

[@giulianoggg2035]

Great job how big in size is the concrete base size

[@giulianoggg2035]

Great job how big is the hole in size?

[@BornAgain717]

Nice job!

[@StuntProgrammer]

Thank you! It was a lot of work; I was glad to have help 😊

[@sct4501]

Just got delivered a 50 ft tower just like yours. Researching concrete forms today. How did you stand the tower up, with cables and a small vehicle?

[@StuntProgrammer]

Awesome! We walked it up as recommended in the instructions. I have a video of it on the channel here; I think it's the next one in this series. Good luck with your project 😀

[@debohannan4315]

You are supposed to put a bed of gravel in the bottom of the hole and let the tower legs sit on top then poor concrete over it to keep base tubes from freezing and splitting or rusting out from the inside

[@StuntProgrammer]

That seems like a reasonable way to do it. The instructions that came with this tower indicated that the legs should be filled with sand and the tops capped with silicone, presumably for similar reasons. The instructions for this tower did not call for gravel.

[@PapasDino]

I can send you a pix of the cement truck that got stuck trying to depart after filling my very first crank-up tower install! Looking forward to seeing the aluminum you've installed up top! 73 - Dino KLØS

[@StuntProgrammer]

That'd be interesting to see! I was worried the truck might get stuck that day since the ground was a little soft. Thankfully the driver didn't have any trouble at all.

[@PapasDino]

@@StuntProgrammer Send a note to me at my KL0S ARRL redirector address and I'll pass the pix of the truck along!

[@richarde735]

no rebar or anything?

[@StuntProgrammer]

Correct: the design for this tower base footing doesn't call for rebar. Some do, though, so make sure before you pour!

[@Redbelly357]

Awesome.

[@jeff1806]

Are the legs that go into the concrete OEM legs or home made? If home made, what did you use to make them?

[@StuntProgrammer]

They're OEM. It looks to me like they're steel square-tube with some tabs. There's heavy-wall aluminum tubing where the bottom tower section attaches to them -- I imagine to spread the load over more of the thinner tower tubing.

[@javierpolendok5mhc]

Where did you purchased the base rods? Thanks de KI5GLT

[@StuntProgrammer]

I purchased the tower, base, and mast from Universal Manufacturing just over in Clinton Township, Michigan. I dealt with them directly (which was a pleasure), but I think maybe DX Engineering or one of the other big ham retailers carries them too.

[@howardmiller4241]

Where can I buy that base ? I have tower sections but would love to make it a tilt tower. Hope u have a link thanks.

[@StuntProgrammer]

It came with the tower, which I bought from Universal Towers. I think it's specific to their tower sections, but you might check with them to see if they have something that would suit your application. However, I should mention that this isn't really what I would describe as a tilt-up tower since it doesn't have provisions for tilting it with an antenna installed.

[@larryhaney6608]

No rebar ?

[@StuntProgrammer]

Not for this model, but if you're putting up your own tower it's probably worth checking with the manufacturer for what design they recommend or require.

[@rfengr00]

Nice. What size tower are you putting in?

[@StuntProgrammer]

Thanks! A freestanding forty foot aluminum tower 😀

[@chrisbennett8538]

Just wondering how much did cement cost?

[@StuntProgrammer]

I think it was about five hundred dollars.

[@chrisbennett8538]

@@StuntProgrammer wow ok I'm wanting to put a 25 foot tower up nothing to tall i hope

[@StuntProgrammer]

@@chrisbennett8538 That's exciting! It's probably worth finding out the requirements for the tower you're looking at and getting a quote from a local company. I think it can vary a fair bit. In particular, I think self-supporting towers like what I put up typically require a lot more concrete than guyed towers.

[@chrisbennett8538]

@@StuntProgrammer thanks for replying

[@StuntProgrammer]

@@chrisbennett8538 Sure thing! Good luck with your project. 😀

[@ShaneKA5GSS]

What tower did you go with

[@StuntProgrammer]

It's a Universal Towers 9-40

[@felipefigueroa9449]

My compliment

[@ShaneKA5GSS]

Where did you get the tower

[@StuntProgrammer]

The manufacturer (Universal Towers) isn't far from where I live, so I drove down and picked it up directly at the factory.

[@theboogeyman826]

@@StuntProgrammer where is it located?

[@StuntProgrammer]

@@theboogeyman826 They're near Detroit.

[@43wagonwheel]

I might just go 1'x1'x1'. 45' tower, connected to my house.

[@specialk5070]

Gravel base and also would of rapped the metal post with a little plastic

[@StuntProgrammer]

A well-compacted gravel base can be nice under concrete, but I'm not sure what the benefit of wrapping the tower base would be. I think steel will be alright in contact with concrete.

[@theboogeyman826]

@@StuntProgrammer what does the gravel base under concrete provide? To keep the foundation from settling?

[@StuntProgrammer]

@@theboogeyman826 I'm not really a concrete guy, but I think that's the idea -- to give it a stable base. I've heard it's good for drainage, too.

[@theboogeyman826]

@@StuntProgrammer so are you raising this tower with a cable and winch?

[@StuntProgrammer]

@@theboogeyman826 Nah... empty it was just light enough for two of us to walk it up.