TV Tower Take Down

[Shortleg]

Has anyone taken down a TV tower [around 30-35" antenna attached] with their Tractor & Loader?

I know of one I can have if I take it down. Thinking of using my Fork frame. Secure it tightly with HEAVY ratchet straps Top & Bottom, cut off at ground, back-up and tilt forward to the ground.

This way I wouldn't need to climb the tower to remove it.

What do you guy's think?

 

[pat331]

Is the tower guyed or is it free-standing?

 

[Shortleg]

It's attached to the house at the eve and has rods driven through a plate at the base.

 

[steve l]

you didnt say how big your tractor is but i cant see it working.did you take into consideration how much leverage 30to 35' is going to be,quite a bit.i dont think you should even attempt this task at all.another thing to consider how are you going to lay it down when you get it loose from where it is attached.if you still think you can do it this way GOD be with you. happy new year.

 

[Babyfat]

I would weld some spacers on some flat stock and make two sets of hinges clamp them to two of the legs and cut the legs and walk it down like a ladder.

 

[pat331]

I have not attempted any adventure like this. But I think it is doable. The fact that it is free standing (no guy wires) is in your favor. It is made to stand on it own and therefore will probably stand up the forces exerted as it is tipped over. I would take Babyfat's advice and make two hinges for two of the legs. Or you might use some hefty barn door hinges. Then I'd tie two ropes to the tower at least 25' or more up the antenna. I'd tie the long rope to the tractor way over on the other side of the house, cut the legs, and then use the short rope to start it tipping over and then slowly lower the tower with the tractor. Be sure to put some protection on the roof to protect both the roof and the rope. This is assuming the steel in the antenna is in good shape and isn't rusted throughout and is about to fall down on its own. It you tackle this adventure, please take pictures so you can show all of us here at OTT. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Brian In Michigan]

Heres what I posted on another site about my way of doing it.

I have a full forty ft. tower on a tilt base that I built. on top of that I have a 10ft of 1-1/4" well pipe with a 10ft Channel Master antenna on it. That being said I do raise and lower the tower with my tractor BUT, I have an oak tree about 60' away that I put a pully on and it is off of the ground about 20' (the pully). I tie onto the tower near the top ( using a 1/4" steel cable ) feed the other end through the pully and down to my tractor. It takes 2 people, me on the tractor and another to push the tower away from the house after I unclamp from the brackets. It goes very smooth but I have had some experience doing this. I did take down a 30' tower that was buried in the ground about 3' a couple of years ago. I tied a rope to the top and my buddy dug away at the base. We leaned it away from the house while he walked it down I was yanking on the rope.We had a 6' ladder at where the end of the tower was going to rest so the antenna would not get crushed. If you want to see some of the good the bad and the ugly, look up tower on You Tube and you will see some stuff about doing it and some really stupid stuff too. good luck Also one other thought, all you may need is a UHF antenna on top of the tower. Since the digital transition, most if not all of the TV stations are transmitting in the UHF range even though they kept their low frequency numbers.

 

[skeets]

ONly one reason for a 40 foot tower today,,,, DX CQ DXCQ DXCQ,,, with 1kw on 11 meters,,,tehehee... the unit 150 up in the coal country said that,, Im gone 10-7 gooby