Gin pole, tower assembly, Rohn 25, tower installation, Pulley system

Learn to assemble or disassemble an antenna tower, and use a basic pulley system

[@bignastytrees]

Great ideas for effective gin pole construction. Also the two-pulley advantage on weight reduction was genius. Yep, I learned something watching this video. Thank you!

[@glenb1356]

Here is my trick: I pull up the next section when I am on the ground. Get it 'close' to being the right height for installation. Lift up the follow-on section about 18" off the ground and tie the pull rope to it. Now, when you get back up top, you have a natural counter-balance, which allow you to move the section up top around easily with one hand. With the top section, you WILL need the equivalent dead weight of some kind. I have installed any number of towers by myself, including my 140 footer. Also works with Rohn 45. 73 Glen K4KV

[@briank3940]

Ran across your videos yesterday while trying to learn towers for ham radio. Thank you for making videos that show actual expectations and practical use. I learned far more about the process from you alone than I did from anyone else. Now I may be able to get over my fear of towers falling, trusting gear, and maybe my fear of heights. God bless!

[@MoTown44240]

I used a homebrew gin pole bought it from another ham. I used it successfully many times and was thankful that I it. Trying to schedule others to help me when I had time to do antenna/tower work was often in conflict. The gin made it easier to erect the tower and disassemble. I also used a scissor jack for disassembly of the tower sections. The scissor jack provides equal force to separate the legs. The only regret I have is climber's belts like the one you are wearing were not available at the time I was doing my tower work. Good to see that you had your scissor jack connected via a wire rope. Anything not attached to you or the tower that falls to the ground will cause damage to objects or persons below (of course your ground crew, should have one, shouldn't be standing directly below the tower while you are working). Good video of solo use of proper equipment and safety procedures.

[@nuclearradioK5AMJ]

Dude you remind me of Lowell off the old show wings! Brilliant! Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

[@tower9969]

😁

[@gregorysmith4559]

IM a professional working towers every day (some as high as 1600+’) and do arena rigging on the side! Fu*k what the haters have to say bro! WELL DONE!! You got the job done the best way you could and got $$$! Keep up the good work buddy!!👍👍💯

[@saulcohen1046]

They are not haters when they talk about safety. You're no professional, that is for sure. Have you ever heard of OSHA Safety Regulations?

[@torres_arriostradas]

si son haters, porque solo estan buscando como encontrar cosas malas en los videos, pero ellos nunca suben sus propios videos para mostrar como debe hacerse, solo les gusta hacer malas críticas, este es un excelente video, el cual el objetivo es mostrar como hacer mas facil el armado de una torre arriostrada, el principal tema aqui es el uso de la herramienta , el tema de la seguridad se podria manejar en otro video

[@ElPasoTubeAmps]

Good video on using the gin pole and the pulley system. Thanks for posting. Really appreciated as I needed to see, real life, if what I have done to the top of my tower is right for removing and installing new antennas. My gin pole is clamped "permanent" at the top of the tower (it can be removed) with a sliding section of TV antenna mast at the top to reach above the mounting point which is my rotor.. My heaviest antenna is around 25 pounds. Stay safe.

[@ElysianDreams]

Good ingenuity. I have been playing on towers for over 28 years, and back in 1988 I was removing a tower for a friend in Ft Myers, and had no tower jack with me to separate the oxidized legs at the swages, so I got creative, just like you, and used the scissor jack out of my new '88 Samurai. You are correct the scissor jack was so much easier, and quicker than using a "tower jack". I still have it in my tower tool box. I also put my 77 ft tower, in Cape Coral, up by myself. Last year I put up my new tower here in central Alabama, I put the first 3 sticks up using a 2:1 pulley system. A trick I used, was using a Prusik knot to tend the slack. Therefore I pulled sections up, and the Prusik held them, then I climbed the tower and seated the sections...123 easy. Keep up the quick thinking. I also use a home brew gin pole.

[@tower9969]

Almost three years ago I went into a baptism class, and God got ahold of me with it. I had already been baptized around eighteen years earlier, but had since lived a life of sin and hurt others, and reoffended. It was like God picked me up, and drew me to that day when the baptismal would be open, and I also would be raised in newness of life. During that time from the class, to the baptism I was a wreck, the idea of being baptized again was inconceivable to me, I didn’t understand why. I also began to understand that when I was baptized the first time I didn’t know what it symbolized, only that it was an important step in our walk of faith. So I did it. Eighteen years later, God picked me up and dropped me there again, except this time with the knowledge of why it's important. And what its meaning is. I went around asking others about their experience, and why they got baptized, and what it meant to them. Did they change, etc. There were times I was in tears searching for answers and direction and meaning from Gods word, he had put such a stronghold on me. It got down to the wire, and I was hiding out in a back room while the rest were being baptized. I had to be brought there by the Lord, and when I went under he had to bring me there, under the water and into the grave, to be raised in newness of life. I jumped up out of the baptismal, I was happy and I didn't even take the stairs! I jumped up and out, over the side and went around happy, hugging everyone while I was soaking wet.

[@KevinRossLikins]

He is Saved! Praise Jesus! Hallelujia! #Love :)

[@LorenP]

Thanks for taking the time to film and post this video! It was very helpful.

[@steve0432]

Very good video and impressive installation. Thanks for putting this video together.

[@MikeTuason]

Extremely informative way of tower assembly, thank you for sharing.

[@richc8253]

Great video! Kudos to the wife for the great job of running the camera!

[@steve_r7162]

Awesome, I was searching for a solution to raise my tower alone. Thx

[@elbertsimpson7529]

I have almost same rig but 16 ft 2” 1/4 inch aluminum pipe clamp system 1/4” angle iron with welding fingers and hinge threaded rod and wing nuts used it 40 yrs rohn 25,35,45,55 198ft tallest. Always fasten your belt or harness with second line before unfastening first line. Best practice. Watched guy above me go flying by who failed to do so.

[@mrsamzero1]

Excellent instructional video. Thanks!

[@kmanscorner9530]

You do make it look easy. Thanks for the help

[@brandonmartin4685]

Great video! I can tell the wife is very excited about it all! Lol. Thanks!

[@equalizerny9263]

Good job,doing that by yourself takes lots of energy and patience..

[@caperguy2000]

USED THE JACK SYSTEM TODAY INSTALL THE LAST SECTION OF TOWER WITH ROTOR AND MAST .SOLVED THE PROBLEM THANKS

[@magicalselena]

Nicely done. A lot of great info in your video Thank you.

[@realoldgeekster]

I like your Jack. Nice video. Thanks for posting.

[@tower9969]

Thanks for watching!

[@BurningTirez]

I like your attitude. Very blunt.

[@butterbean4195]

I call it working smarter not harder. good job

[@udx-483muddbucket5]

Great video and info. I like your use of ingenuity and the material available. I am the same way. I use what I have because I'm not the rich Hami Hami that only knows how to spend their money for the best of everything. Here's to the common man making it happen. 👍👍 ✌

[@mikedison1500]

l have been putting up and taking down towers for almost 40 years and all l ever used is a homemade gin pole made of two steel pipe one . the upper half made of 1 and 1/2 inch welded in to the lower half 2 inch making it 14 feet long with two steel rods bent in to hooks that fit over the z bars and another steel rod bent in to a loop at the top to mount the hook pulley in to . l bent it one time while installing a Lazer 400 vertical and horizontal directional beam. afterwards I found a forked tree and stuck the gin pole in the fork and straighten it right back. homemade works great like you said cheeper too !

[@tower9969]

Well theres good ol american ingenuity, then theres the old fashoined BUREAUCRATIC ingenuity! one gets things done, while the other gets things done for a lot more money! Thanks mike.

[@mikedison1500]

tower you be careful out there and if your taking one down that's been up a while even if its guyeded off loosely the bolt holes can be slotted up and down any where on it I was on a seventy footer one time ( wind calm ) then about the time I was about to take the beam ( a vertical & horizontal on a 17' boom ).... the wind picked up and the tower shifted and would've slung me off if I wasn't strapped in . l climbed down to just below the slotted spot and put a come along on it then finished er up .... I mean down then when I got down ol boy that was helping me showed me the guyed post on the side The wind was coming from was loose as a goose in the ground talked about double lucky that was me !

[@tooneboone3869]

I put up a superlazer 500 (40ft. x3" boom) on my 200ft. Rohn 25G tower and used a home-made gin pole kind of like you describe which was a lot faster than a factory made one. I put up over 100 towers back in the late 60s early 70s. I used one helper on the ground and charged $1.00 per ft. Now ain't a kicker?

[@robertthompson4245]

Thanks for your video very helpful!

[@1926howiemack]

Great video I like your style .

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Nice set up - I did a bit of tower work back in the day - made up a gin but was not using it well as I had to strong arm the sections up another foot and into position. I miss that work but the people I worked for were Aholes so I got out and never went back to that type of work. Stay safe. Cheers, Patrick

[@jimmyaustin375]

If you had fastened your rope hook 2' from the top like he did you wouldn't have had to strong arm the sections up another foot.

[@craigsmithx]

Extremely helpful video. Many thanks.

[@christiangenest576]

Thanks , nice video I learned what i need to know for my next 60 foot tower

[@tower9969]

well, tower was up for around twenty five years I guess. No guy brackets. Usually if they say that, they've either used them on the only tower they put up and spent a lot of money on them, or they tried to sell the brackets to you

[@JayN4GO]

Wish I had someone like you around central ky.

[@miken6imy]

Good climbing skills and able to use tools at height..... Good job. You will be in need for field day and portable ops.

[@tower9969]

thinking those days are over

[@derekcaldwell9330]

This guy could make 1000$ per day easily if he wanted. If anyone in Ontario can do this as well as this guy hit me up. We build towers but none of my guys are near as capable as this.

[@diycarhome9151]

I do towers in the Brantford, Ontario area

[@rbegheijn6409]

1000 a day? I've been building cell towers for 20 years. $1K days are rare. 500 a day is about what we make. And if he likes to see his family then it's a no go. Building towers is a tough life.

[@marcelbenhur6230]

Belle manœuvre !!!👌

[@frankthetank3342]

My rohn 25/45g gin clamp won't fit around larger diameter tower legs. This idea of using the heavy duty antenna clamps will help me take down a tower this coming weekend. Maybe take a couple extra minutes, but will get it done!

[@abnegative2014]

Nice work man.

[@californiakayaker]

gin poles are basically strong aluminum antenna masts, essentially. I've done amazing work with them.

[@lt4324]

Great video, don't pay attention to the haters or "Know it all's". I have made my own GP, 40' pushup mast with permanent GP, AND Towers myself as well! and really not that hard at all. It just takes a bit of time and patience and not only do you feel the accomplishment but you also save a ton of $$$$ doing it yourself (now I sound like Geico, lol). Thanks for posting this video, 73 DE KD6SBR

[@landykaschel2422]

Nice work, you make it look easy, which I know it is not.

[@busterhyman6638]

Thanks for your insight !!

[@steve0432]

Excellent video showing all of us how to be safe !! He does excellent job but he makes it look easy but which it's not. Great video for tower installation!

[@tomasigonelevu5242]

Too Good this video and helpful

[@onyourmark111]

Nice vids, you helped me a lot, thanks.. Louis Tully

[@depayton1979]

Nice job.

[@111111111Tiger]

Lazy? Perhaps NOT. Working SMARTER , not harder is a gift.

[@JamesP6084]

Awesome stuff thank you Man

[@earthenergyhex]

that's pretty cool.

[@tower9969]

Every day, and around every corner we have a choice for wisdom or foolishness, good or evil, for God or for the enemy.

[@Beetwate305]

Are you still working in this field?

[@DanielOrtegoUSA]

Impressive!

[@veggiepowered]

I'am Your Newest Subscriber In Florida I Love My Antron 99 Antenna I Just Got A Used Ground Plane Kit For My Antron 99 At The Hame Radio Fest 25.00 US

[@theboogeyman826]

Is it true the ground plane kit doesn't make alot of difference? I would love to know exactly what it does.

[@111111111Tiger]

Spec for Rohn Gin Pole. Head to Home Depot Overall Length: 12' Pole Diameter: 2" Pole Material: Aluminum Min / Max Tower Leg Diameter: 1.250" / 1.250" Sheave Diameter: 2.500" Sheave Groove Diameter: 0.375" Weight: 22 lbs Use with: ROHN 25G or 45G Tower Rope not included.

[@seventeenfeet]

6:22 "Ive got the two nuts in my pocket"....SO DO I 😁 [great video, thank you!]

[@Cosmos142857]

Nice work

[@bonniekapischke9003]

As A retired professional tower erector with a company out of Park Ridge Illinois /Stann and Associates I'm amazed more of these self made experts aren't killed or injured we would never consider using any tools of the trade that are not designed specifically for the purpose some of our gin poles had to be certified by a structural engineer before we could do a job.When you are erecting or dismantling say a 1500 foot structure or even a 50 foot structure the last thing you want is an equipment failure case in point where the tower crew was raising the top half of a TV broadcast antenna and the U bolts on the homemade gin pole snapped and the falling antenna snapped the guy wires and 4 workers lost their lives. Heres a little saying from erectors FALLING IS NOT AN OPTION and more than likely you will only fall once. I had a friend that fell from 30 feet and died

[@christianamartel7930]

Bonnie has a point. An important point. In the very least you want your hardware, like pulleys, shackles, shackles, wire rope, wire rope clips, etc. to be certified and or stamped with a WLL (Working Load Limit) number. The number usually being the number of tons the hardware is rated for. Look for WLL values 4x (MINIMUM) to 10x (RECOMMENDED) what you need so that shock loading is accounted for. If a tower section is dropped, and a stop knot is present, better chances of everything not breaking and things getting much worse. The hardware is not an area worth scraping savings on. A store that sells Crosby or similar quality brand is where you want to supply yourself. Look at other gin pole designs for other good ideas. Consider shopping for accident / life insurance for this line of work. Pricing may give you an idea of the risk level and the value of heading advice such as Bonnie's and others'.

[@garnetdrakiotes8389]

The Senior Road Tower collapse? That was a cluster...

[@markginsel4238]

I bet this dude could crack a walnut in one hand.

[@RezaMReza]

You sir, you are a genius !!!!!!! I've learned more in 14 minutes from you, than anyone else out there over the past 10+ years. Thank you!

[@deepwaterescue4u]

Good information

[@mattmcmahen]

All i can think of is White Goodman from Dodgeball. This is comedic gold!!!!

[@tower9969]

The bolts holding the pole are 2 in, the ones to the tower are inch and a half

[@RckyMtneer]

Was always fun to work on top of a tower on a windy day... not!

[@fubarsnafu4994]

Thank you for the video!! You make it look easy. Doing anything this week end? lol

[@junkman2758]

Eat your Wheaties in the morning and you won’t need a 2 to 1 pully. LOL. Great video thanks

[@jeffcibulka5063]

Thanks Brother!

[@tower9969]

Ur welcome

[@alexviademonte898]

Nicely done !!!

[@TheNameYahuwah]

lol, this dude is great.

[@tower9969]

mark 10:18

[@TheNameYahuwah]

@@tower9969 that really is impressive man

[@Arcturusvanlasagna]

sick bass line at 2:42

[@5dennisk]

Nice !!!

[@airfoilengine3799]

If this guy had EVERY piece of safety equipment and was using it flawlessly, there would still be people b*tching about how he's going about things all wrong.

[@josejestrada589]

come to PR and install a tower for me please ... I'll pay you and ground crew; travel, meals and boarding... must bring along 4 sections of 25G and ginpole in a suitcase If it got to do with a tower... you'll get it done keep climbing Chuck, is what you do best. :)

[@harryboy3305]

Turn the camera to landscape for a better view

[@Dbigpinoy]

that same storm took out my 80m dipole and hexbeam

[@tower9969]

Wind knocks it down, I put it back up. Hexbeams are like big umbrellas but won't keep you out of the rain! Its good to have the ham community up and running since during a crisis, generators and antennas are the only form of communication. THANKS MAN

[@lutherwhisnant687]

Where did you get those clamps at

[@davidstearns9664]

Nice....

[@lowellyates7404]

What is the name for the bottom clamps. I need to source them but I don't know what to ask for.

[@jimcattaneo5451]

Great video. I've built the same this week. Question: are you using two single pulley's, if so how did you configure ?

[@tower9969]

Thanks for the question, and be careful up there! From the line I had one pully attached to the gin pole, a second pully attached to the load, and a carabiner hooked back on the ginpole where the line was terminated.

[@thekobaz]

Obviously not specific to the task, but something like a Petzl Grigri would be nice for raising the next section of tower. 30 pounds is easy-peezy to pull, but what happens when a gust of wind or a wasp comes by and you let go of your hoist line?

[@tower9969]

yeah those wasps. I sure understand that one!

[@butterbean4195]

hey do you have a list of parts you used?

[@robbiediamond5427]

WOuld love to see your insurance docs..

[@dougtaylor7724]

The average person today would say “Could you come show that one more time.”

[@jmanranger7271]

What kind of antenna is going on that tower.

[@weatherphobia]

How many feet deep is the concrete and is it a special mixture of concrete?

[@GuyBetten]

Sir, great tutorial. You said you are working with Rohn-20,, which I have as well. If I have the bottom section cemented on a pad, what is the max height you have done with Rohn-20? Mine will be free standing it secured to a building at 12’. Very small windload antenna (Diamond X510) fiberglass vertical design.

[@tower9969]

I've put them up free standing at 50'.

[@GuyBetten]

@@tower9969 ty sir,,,,I have 5 sections and the top section. Total of 60',,,,secured to building at 12’.

[@hermanfurlong6752]

Put up several of those towers, never used a Jin pole just rapped my legs around the top section pulled up the next section and stuck it on the lower section, could not do it today, to much muscle gone and old age!

[@lowrads3653]

Well I learned something. If it were possible to use quick release axles from a bicycle wheel on that gin pole clamp, think you would still need to carry the ratchet?

[@tower9969]

I've been thinking about something like that, over the years. I think the real issue with it, is that I don't know how much stress I can put on a clamp like that. I like to tighten the bolts pretty good so the pole doesn't slip out. Good thought though.

[@torres_arriostradas]

eso seria muy práctico pero algo inseguro, es mejor seguir apretando tuercas

[@firesurfer]

Not strong enough. I've seen them break.

[@hsvfd798]

Where can I buy one at?

[@TKO67]

Time Index 7:03 Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen

[@xcvsdxvsx]

I feel like that gin pole should be a foot or two taller so that you aren't totally maxing out its capabilities every time. Wouldn't have to worry so much about miss aligned eye bolts either if it were a bit taller. Or am I missing something?

[@tower9969]

not sure what you mean about the misaligned eye bolts...but about the extra length, it works really well. I usually hook the rope off on the third rungof the tower, which is 3-4 feet from the top.

[@davegeorge7094]

Climing high makes me tinglely

[@rehoboth_farm]

But how do you tune a fish?

[@mrmotofy]

What kind of a pulley is that at top? Might help some people to put pole dimensions, clamp part no and pulley No. in vid description

[@tower9969]

It's just a pulley you can get at homedepot or tractor supply. Make sure it's rated for the rope diameter.

[@gamemaster1213]

Your piano must be pretty tall homi

[@stephencrawford5501]

Can you give info on the clamps? I cant find them anywhere

[@tower9969]

DB365-OS

[@jorchtxp]

where can i buy that gin pole? or do you make it? , or if you have photos that i need to create one. thanks, i have been looking for something like that many time.thank you!!

[@tower9969]

Jorge, watch the whole video...there are photos and close ups at the end. Thanks for watching!

[@ae4xo]

the gin pole is better if someone on the ground pulls it up

[@bryannguyen7264]

I need to take one down from a house I just purchased. Any tips on who I can hire?

[@tower9969]

I don't know where you live. if you email pics to [e-mail] and let me know where you are, I might be able to point you in the right direction. The pics are important of the tower, the surrounding side of the house as well as any obstructions in the near vicinity.

[@markmangubat]

can your tower design be self supported? at what maximum height?

[@tower9969]

Rohn does designthese to be free standing, but only at heights of maybe 30 or 40 feet. You can go to threestarinc.com to find the rohn catalog and products

[@NA12495]

A close up of your pulley system would be nice...

[@tower9969]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpfagn-apsZ0mq8

[@tower9969]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH6VZZ6ii96rfM0

[@NA12495]

@@tower9969 I am used to a pulley at the top of a gin pole, the the rope moving down the tower to a second pulley then away from the tower. But do you have the rope going back up the tower, then down again before going to a crew... If you have a crew?

[@NA12495]

@@tower9969 thanks for the replies.

[@tower9969]

The rope is hooked off at the top of the ginpole, back down to a pulley attached to the tower section being lifted, back up to a second pulley attached at the same location of the ginpole, then directly to the ground. Often times an additional (yet non-load bearing) pulley is attached to the base of the tower to divert the rope AWAY from the tower to the crew. This keeps the crew away from the tower while hoisting the load for safety, and to keep the lateral (sideways) force from the ginpole.

[@markmangubat4711]

Can you please share the building plan of the tower? Tube size, round bar size, etc..

[@tower9969]

it's all in the rohn plans, easy enough to search for, and it will be able to answer any other questions like this.

[@marlboromatt5656]

I’m here because my internet company said I need a 40 ft tower to mount there equipment. I’ve seen some of these towers that have a hinge on the bottom and you winch them them up and down in one piece. Doesn’t it make more sense to fo that rather than climb it every time ??

[@tower9969]

if you have the room, and a way to mount the winch for lifting it. Why not?

[@earnieb5318]

I installed my 45' tower with a hinge plate and a boat (type) winch. Have a 4" piece of box steel, concreted in ground about 3' next to tower.