Ham Radio Tower on Homestead Easy DIY

[@brianbedoe8656]

Poured the base of my 68' guyed tower 31 years ago! No shale, midwest clay! Four foot round, 5ft deep Rohn 25 .... Brought back some good memories! 73 ..... (Your finish work is way better than mine!!)

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks glad you enjoyed!

[@TheLightningStalker]

Interesting how it's a 5'9" concrete footer.

[@house9850]

The ambient music at 8:08 took me to another consciousness -- Really great!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Good deal!

[@rockeerockey6941]

Had 80' of Rohn 25 with a Mosley classic 33 before I moved! Now a 40' tilt Alumna tower. Had to make climbing a thing of the past, it got old like me. Fine video Dirt Boss, poured a dozen or more bases for fellow Amateurs. A great hobby for the wealthy.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thats cool!

[@arupian666]

This isn't DIY. This is DI with a bunch of other people.

[@thomaslonggun2694]

I may have to win the lottery to do this, but hopefully one day I will put up a tower! Awesome for the owner!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Look into it it's not as expensive as you might imagine ! Thanks for watching

[@thomaslonggun2694]

@@DIRT-BOSS it’s not just the concrete it’s the type of tower and hardware too! Living here on the GulfCoast in Louisiana the hurricanes worry me, so telescoping tower it will be and they’re not cheap at all!!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

@@thomaslonggun2694 well if you ever do it let me know I know a good excavator down in Louisiana !

[@thomaslonggun2694]

@@DIRT-BOSS and thank you for sharing too!

[@derrickpettit3489]

Different kind of pour right there, something new ya know, that's cool, it won't be goin no where that's for sure, thanks for sharing mike.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks bud

[@ElementX32]

Good stuff. Got my General license, now working on the Amateur Extra, just to prove to myself really. Didn't have a background in electronics, electricity, frequencies, propagation or anything ham radio related. I had to work hard and study.

[@achamin1]

Thats some serious concrete works.That tower aint going nowhere

[@sonnyblazer5504]

We've seen those ads, "No Job Too Big or SMALL"! This job is all but SMALL because 48 FEET is not small when sticking its head up to greet what Mother Nature may have in store. That's why people call the best - The BIG GUY - with custom made forms built on site. Thank you for sharing this 'important' project with us and sorry about cutting your forms. Good job! Sonny (CT)

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks my buddy!

[@donaldshields2483]

Looks like you did a very good job and I’m sure it’ll work out fine so congratulations I can get the tower I used to have one years ago but not anymore I’m 86 years old and I’m not gonna be climbing any towels I got I got a nice dipolehustle of vertical God bless

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thank you

[@franciscomontesdeoca5316]

Super job

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@LitlD]

First time I've seen the boss work harder than the help in a good long while.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Got to get it done!

[@sonnyblazer5504]

Funny thing about that. I learned in the ARMY, "Don't Ask your troops to do something you can't or won't"! Seems that's how Mike lives - The Mission FIRST! Sonny (CT)

[@eliteearthworksllc]

Cool project! You get into a little bit of everything. Keep up the good work

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes it was something different.. thanks!

[@ozarksfarmerhansen8782]

I ran a Concrete truck after I retired for about 12 years poured most likely a dozen Cell towers installations, this guy creates a lot of work that is not need. But he is making a video after all.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah sometimes you got to make it good for the video

[@jimmycake7143]

GOOD JOB nice to see people who know and do

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@JayN4GO]

Only problem with these tbx towers are they don’t call for any antenna with a medium wind load. Small antennas only. Good job on the pad

[@ConstructionChannelLuxembourg]

Really nice job! That's a massive block of concrete, wouldn't have thought it by just looking at the hole you dug.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes it is

[@julianrobertson3303]

It's a marvelous tower & thank you for sharing your project . I just wanted to mention that I would of driven an earth electrode rod into the base of the hole , it may of been a little tricky hence the rocks , but I'm sure with a little perseverance an electrode rod could of been drifted deep under ground with a 30mm connector cable from the earth electrode to the chassis of the tower .

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes there was ground rods installed

[@ConstructionMachineryChannel]

That turned out great, nice job guys 👍

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@SkyCharter]

Question: When is it important for poured tower foundations to have side contact with undisturbed dirt?

[@Jamieclarke88]

Love your work dirt boss you make finishing concrete look easy peasy lol

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks!! 👍🏼🇺🇸💪🏼

[@mrs.dirtboss]

Good job!! I know it was a hot one that day ☀️🥰

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes it was a tough day!

[@SkyCharter]

Nice and instructional. Thanks.

[@MrKamccarthyinc]

NIcely done Mike.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@donausmus4281]

I have solid rock out cropping where I want to mount a Rohn 25 g tilt up. I was going to jack hammer about 24" down, drill in about 12 pieces of rebar at an angle, then build a rebar cage, welded to the angled rebar and frame in for the concrete.

[@bozobennett]

Very nice work!!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@michealmartin8565]

Looking good

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks buddy

[@donalfinn4205]

Nice job!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@JA-fy1bn]

Great video. Tremendous amount of effort and money just in the base. Crazy expensive!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks!

[@davidstearns9664]

Very similar to my tower build👍

[@DirtBrute]

Nice job 👍

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@dustinmeier9753]

Where did you come up with the specs for the pad? I’m picking up a used 50’ tower next week, and we’re far enough out that permitting is not required, but I still want to do the installation right/safe. I need to fab up a tilt over base and I’ll raise and lower it with a winch. I just need to find some data sheet for specs.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

The tower company supplied the specs.. the homeowner bought the tower

[@silverpheonix6015]

Nice!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks!

[@ve7cpr7]

Nice job

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@anthonymarino4260]

great vid right go the point thanks

[@donaldtrabeaux5235]

Man that's big counter weight great job , glad to see y'all doing ok take care stay safe god bless

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks Don!

[@richardearldearyjr.9951]

What size excavator bucket did use to the hole

[@DIRT-BOSS]

@@richardearldearyjr.9951 2 ft bucket

[@125sm3]

Great channel, new subscriber from England.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks buddy

[@fulltiltgrading8366]

Watch it Mike that tower work becomes addictive and it pays well! Lol nice job. I was hoping you weren’t going to backfill your forms. Smart man 👍🏻

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks buddy.. didn't mean to step on your content! 🤣

[@fulltiltgrading8366]

Dirt Boss Masonry & Excavating I would love to have someone like yourself involved in tower work. At least you would do the work right. You should see some of the crap work we compete against.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

@@fulltiltgrading8366 i hear ya there thanks Ed..

[@kevinchesnut8832]

I did a Verizon cell tower site work on Duanesburg Churches rd yrs ago its nice to get away from new home sites once in a while nice job DB

[@DIRT-BOSS]

That's cool yeah it is

[@jhonsiders6077]

When I put mine up that is a Rhône HDBX mine is 85 foot I put a lot more steel in mine and welded all together with the stubs then painted it up all good with cold galvanizing. It took 8 yards of 4500 mix I used the vibrator on it too the guy is right about grounding the tower not thru the legs I have seen TV towers with the base blown to hell by a lightning strike I fab a lot of brackets for towers in my shop saw this in person just before they dropped it and to have me salvage any useable parts I had built for it . On mine I put a lighting rod on one leg and grounded that one Thu a copper rod 8 feet long and used copper webbing to connect it all I put stand offs on the other two legs and mounted all the air fiber radios on it for the internet service . It’s taken that I know of a dozen good hits with no base damage or radios cooked ! It’s rated at 90 MPH consistently with a inch of ice on it with the current wind load .

[@fnordist]

not just a lightning strike, even moisture in winter, so water may crack the head of the concrete, and vodka kaboom, foundation cracked.

[@kfourom]

I have 4 similar tower footings. I never bothered to use forms except above ground where it shows. I thought it wiuld be stronger to use undisturbed soil for the in ground part of the form. BTW: It is GUY Wires, not guide wires. DE K4OM

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Nice thanks for watching !

[@jay-rus4437]

Got a chuckle from your comment. My pops, now 70, was a lineman for most of his career. Some 35 years or so. He was always a stickler for things being called by their proper name. Dont call a “common” screwdriver a “flathead”….that was definitely a no go. And the guy wire thing I heard him correct people for many years. Seems that everyone thinks that it is a guide wire…so he was busy correcting for a long time. 😂 73…..K5JRX

[@yenerm114]

We poured somewhere between 500/600 footings like that for a giant warehouse , they varied from 8x8-11x11-13x13 all 5’ tall , everyday was stripping day before pours, forming/kicking, pouring and repeat

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah that's a lot of Create!

[@yenerm114]

Yessir

[@adapedneau1114]

will there be 3 guide wire poles ???

[@DIRT-BOSS]

This typical tower does not have guide wires

[@emeraldsoundproductions]

Me personally, I would have drove an 8-foot grounding rod into the ground and grounded the tower to it before pouring the concrete. But that is just my preference.

[@DeerJournal]

That sounds like a great idea. Always need a good ground.

[@stargazer7644]

You put the rod next to the concrete base. The ground must be OUTSIDE of the concrete or you run the risk of a lightning strike blowing the concrete apart and the tower falling over.

[@Dasher523]

@@stargazer7644 where would you attach the grounding rod to? The tower itself? Any particular wire to use for connecting? Thank you.

[@stargazer7644]

@@Dasher523 I have 3 grounding rods along the back of my house at each of the 3 points where coax comes down from antennas. I put in 3 more rods around the base of the tower and connected each one to the base of a tower leg. I use bare stranded #6 copper wire to connect the electric utility panel ground rod and all six of my rods together. At each rod where coax comes into the house, I have Alpha-Delta UCGC grounding clamps on the top of the rod with coax surge protectors on each coax run before they enter the house. There is also a ground panel in the shack that is connected to the nearest ground rod with #6, and the chassis of the radios are connected to that with smaller stranded jumpers.

[@jhonsiders6077]

I put up a Rhône HDBX 85 like that one mine took 8 yards of concrete and a tower guy said do not ground the stubs it could blow it to pieces . So I took one leg and put the lightning rod on it and that one is grounded i used more steel then it called for and welded it all then painted it with cold galvanizing. Rated at 90 MPH continuous with a nice of ice built up on it .

[@fnordist]

Great job, but when dealing with concrete, it's essential to always incorporate steel reinforcements. This includes mesh at the top and bottom, lateral struts on the sides, and a steel spiral around the three pillars, spaced at 5 inches apart. Otherwise, over time, the concrete may crack.

[@rtoledo2]

dUMB QUESTION HERE : shouldn't that hole be dug as tight as possible so that when the concrete is poured, it's going into a COMPACTED HOLE ? specially the walls ?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

The tighter the better but you still got to strip the forms

[@rtoledo2]

@@DIRT-BOSS I guess I'm too critical , but have seen big tower bases with lots of iron and j-bolts , and looked to me like a 70 mile wind would rock it in it foundation. but just ignore me.

[@stargazer7644]

@@DIRT-BOSS Why even use forms? Just pour the concrete into the hole and use forms on the bit above the surface.

[@stargazer7644]

@@rtoledo2A 70 MPH wind on a 38 foot tower isn't going to rock 20,000 pounds of concrete.

[@daveengstrom9250]

I don't think the wind will matter too much on that one.

[@steveriley1000]

I remember putting in a BX tower , dug the base by hand in Jan - feb in northern Ohio , your way looks much easier !

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Lol yes i agree That's a lot of shoveling

[@steveriley1000]

@@DIRT-BOSShence the January and February LOL never again,

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

Great seeing it held together during the pour. Nice small job and it should strip easy enough. Much better than trying to put a cable tower in all those trees.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah that was my first tower It was good I would have liked the trench port but the elevations weren't that good

[@andrewstewart5396]

How long do you leave the forms in place before you strip them on a pour that size?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

1 day

[@tedohio3038]

Wow using the backhoe, that’s different. Never saw a pad that thick. Interesting video.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah wasn't sure if I could get the concrete truck in there and was going to have to use the bucket to pour..

[@stargazer7644]

It isn't a pad, it's a counterweight. It keeps the wind from blowing the tower over.

[@n2jve1989]

I take it your around the Albany NY area seeing the Clemente/Latham truck

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes

[@kevinrex4522]

Where is the video where you directed it?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

NY

[@janethouck9763]

No job too big or too small ! Always interesting great content.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@louisianadirt2188]

Humm , I may need to redo mine, 😂 I didn’t put that much weight in the bottom. Nice job boss

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah lot of Wait there..I think it's kind of overkill but who's to say!

[@louisianadirt2188]

Dirt Boss Masonry & Excavating Mother nature will let us know if we got it right😁

[@pvs8795]

How do you get this type of work?

[@ETWL897]

What is the height of the tower going on the base encased in concrete?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

48 ft

[@OpenSesame001]

Good stuff Boss... Hey JJ Waddup..

[@DIRT-BOSS]

👍🏼 thanks

[@adapedneau1114]

Can you get HBO on that thing ???

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Not sure

[@kalijasin]

Did you need a crane?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

No

[@potshot23]

Damn, He must be putting up a hell of a lot of aluminum for that much concrete.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Lol tell me about it

[@9mmsteve]

Who does this kind of work in North Georgia?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

I'm not sure

[@JohnDeereR-zw3wj]

You should never form up the outside of the tower base. The concrete should be poured against undisturbed soil for maximum strength. I only formed up the top six inches of my 64 foot freestanding Trylon tower to make a neat triangle appearance on the very top.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Town requirements

[@JohnDeereR-zw3wj]

@@DIRT-BOSS The person in your town that made that decision don't know shit. You NEVER pour tower foundations and then backfill them. Concrete should always be poured against undisturbed soil to maximize the strength. My base is 5.5 feet deep and bell shaped at the bottom. No forms. The concrete fills all voids and is extremely strong this way.

[@awdbroadcasting272]

Why use forms rather than making it perfectly square and pouring onto virgin soil? Wouldn’t that make it more stable?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes but by code in New York we need to have forms

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Yep, thats what we did many a year a go. Ontario Canada. Though if there was a code, I am sure the people I worked for did not look into it.

[@rehoboth_farm]

4:01 dee's nuts. LOL!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

💯

[@baredog6774]

Are you required to call and have utilities marked before digging?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes always

[@ralphgwynn9325]

Just wanted to say thank you for bringing us into your world, I appreciate how you explain the small details. Great job 👍!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks Bud

[@rockeerockey6941]

What mix did you use DB?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

3000lb small stone

[@luish19779]

Thanks to god my Antenna is in the rooftop of 6 FL building. Like 60 feet , I think.

[@fillowtree5505]

Never seen the base for a tower. NYC skyscraper can be built on that. Help him build the tower for fun!

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Lol yup

[@kc0rzk5523]

Shoot I thought it was gonna be like a hundred and some thousand feet the way that base was looking

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Me too 😂

[@coreycripps5221]

love the videos. It seemed like your helper on this one did alot of standing around and not alot of working.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah hes just learning the biz summer help.. he will get it over time Got to have patience

[@JeremyLynnes]

I'm working on getting my HAM license and would love to see what you've done with this and have hooked up. Pretty cool you installed a big tower on your property!

[@kevinpoore5626]

I see you know how to play with those sticks lol 😛

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yes sir

[@gimpy8349]

About time you put an interesting video up😉

[@DIRT-BOSS]

@@gimpy8349 👍🏼i try 🤣

[@SaltGrains_Fready]

I woulda had the blocks in the bottom vertical. There's air gaps inside the blocks with no concrete in them.. The blocks are stronger vertical. That's the way they are designed, to block up in vertical position.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

The whole point of the blocks were to get the height of the tower that is where it needed to be.. besides that we use a vibrator and all the concrete went through the holes

[@j.c.smithprojects]

mike, ever thought about getting a stamp made with tri county in it to imprint the concrete you pour? nice work as usual.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

No I haven't but that would be cool!

[@genesenecal9140]

I wonder if your helper knows the great education he's getting working aside of you. You never seemed daunted by the jobs you get. I especially like it when you jumped in the hole to spread the mud. Now if you could only grow a third arm and hand to hold the camera.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks!

[@kenmeinken8115]

Why overdig and then use forms and backfill? The backfill won't be as solid as undisturbed dirt. I have done 6 towers over the years (40, 40, 56, 73 and 72') and I poured against undisturbed soil except for the top 4 inches where I used a form for esthetics.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Code NY

[@kenmeinken8115]

@@DIRT-BOSS Ah! Okay, thanks!

[@jmac88022]

Look at Madman doing the technical dig. Next week hell be towing his komatsu on the moon. Space force contractor. C'mon back

[@DIRT-BOSS]

🚀 LoL 💪🏼🇺🇸

[@jmac88022]

@@DIRT-BOSS really interesting videos Mike. Thanks! #BetterthanTV

[@daghanabi]

I want to be one of "your people"

[@DIRT-BOSS]

All you got to do is subscribe!

[@daghanabi]

done

[@fasnuf]

Why use the form?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Have to for inspection here in NY

[@eliteproductions835]

We have a 1500 ft tower in our yard

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Wow that's awesome

[@sl33py20]

now i know what i need to know

[@DIRT-BOSS]

That sounds about right

[@sl33py20]

@@DIRT-BOSS im going to create my own country and this is good knoledge to have

[@gewglesux]

All of that for a 50ft twr?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah I think it's pretty much overkill

[@gewglesux]

@@DIRT-BOSS I mean it's a great job.. I dont think it will ever go anywhere. i think i would have least gone 80 or even 100ft.. then again maybe thats all he's allowed by town ordinances or something..

[@DIRT-BOSS]

@@gewglesux Yes that is all the town would allow him was a 48-ft

[@gewglesux]

@@DIRT-BOSS Well in that case i think it was a job well done. the foundation and the engineering!

[@baredog6774]

Must want the option to stack higher in the future.

[@allanvarner8137]

Nice tower set up I have no idea what type of steel used but I would have used some kind of paint or under coating on the legs and the cement slab would have a angle for water run off. but it's a nice tower you have there I hope it will last you for years! de..N3WYZ

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah not sure

[@stargazer7644]

Or....you could just install it according to the engineering specs. And the concrete was sloped.

[@mackfisher4487]

Good job, too bad the ham didn't think about a conduit for ground radials and maybe even coax cables. (I'm sure this tower will blow over due to your fine work)

[@diycarhome9151]

I did a Wade DMX 68 foot tower base. Wade called for 1.67 meters (5 ft, 5 inches square at the top) I dug it to 6 feet deep. Concrete was $1,200.00 to fill 5 ft, 6 inches x 5 feet, 6 inches x 6 feet deep. I derusted 1/2 inch rebar and primed it. Clean metal is stronger then rusty metal.

[@mackfisher4487]

@@diycarhome9151 sounds like a good job, concrete prices gone tower high.

[@silvainxyts]

4:01

[@DIRT-BOSS]

😂😂😂

[@corydriver7634]

How long does it take for that much concrete to cure/setup enough to support a 48’ tower?

[@DIRT-BOSS]

The specs recommend two weeks

[@larrykeenan598]

Are you going to video while you are erecting the tower. All you need is a gin pole and a safety belt and a few wrenches.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

No im not installing the tower

[@Gunpowdermaniac22]

Only 48' ??? That's enough concrete for 148' !

[@DIRT-BOSS]

I was thinking the same thing ! Thanks for watching

[@baredog6774]

Yeah, I just stuck up 2 joints of Rohn 25 and I used 3 bags of quick mix around an old jag I used for the base. I swing all over that thing. No guys on it either.

[@frodrickfronkensteen9241]

Agreed. We're looking at a Rohn 25g / 50ft. free-standing/not guy'd Installer said they'll roll in with a 3ft auger bit and punch down 4ft... and that's it!!!

[@glenng.8254]

I was okay with it until the cement truck showed up. you're definitely not that off grid if the cement truck is within driving distance... lol

[@DIRT-BOSS]

😆

[@lucasaiken3978]

Got a bunch of hours in a 310G from working at a scout camp up near Lake George, love that thing.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yeah good machines shout out to lake George !

[@lucasaiken3978]

@@DIRT-BOSS hell yeah! Spent 11 summers working up there. Was on maintenance staff the last three, learned lots of good stuff.

[@ВладимирЛукьянов-я5г]

Не глубоко. Без оттяжек упадет

[@memyselfandifarmer]

A B T

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Thanks

[@henrycross8776]

Rusty Rebar Concrete Company

[@DIRT-BOSS]

I've never seen Chrome rebar

[@henrycross8776]

@@DIRT-BOSS You've never seen Epoxy coated or Anodized either Scab

[@Patriot4TheTree]

I'd like to shit myself when you started pouring and that block moved.

[@stargazer7644]

Why would you like to shit yourself?

[@olivertaylor8788]

That little tin tower is a waste of money.should have got a real tower heavy duty.that tin will lay over first big snow..ham professionally did that..

[@DIRT-BOSS]

I didn't buy it it's the homeowner why don't you call him and complain or maybe you could reach him on his hand and tell him

[@GrahamBartle]

JJ needs to learn how to look busy.

[@DIRT-BOSS]

Yep that drove me nuts

[@athomasmathieu7295]

Pas assez de fer dans votre semelle

[@DIRT-BOSS]

💯