This is why I should quit ham radio

The tower was a 54 foot Tri-X heavy duty with a 45 foot mast above it. The top antenna was a Diamond discone with a 6 meter vertical. 9 foot under that was a 3 element Christcraft Thunderbird Jr. tri-bander. 9 foot under that was a homebrew 6 element 6 meter beam with a 20 foot boom. 9 foot under that was a homebrew 3 element beam on a 45 foot boom with a reflector 71.2 feet long. 9 foot under that was another homebrew 6 element 6 meter beam with a 20 foot boom. 9 foot under that a 3 element Mosley tri-bander.

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[madmarv86]

what a pile of shit! sent it to the scrap yard!

[n6ief]

@madmarv86 I cut out the bent metal and hope to make something useful with the rest.

[ai4ri]

i'm surprised there was no safety mechanism like a ratchet and pawl to prevent that?

[n6ief]

@ai4ri It has a worm gear.

[ai4ri]

no safety mechanism ? or did the welds break on the spindle ?

[n6ief]

@ai4ri It was the welds.

[Thunderchicken1997]

This is what makes you to want to quit Ham radio? Don't be a pussy! As we ALL know, ca-ca happens in Ham Radio. Buck up, fix the problem, and drive on! That's what it's all about. If you want an un-eventful hobby, try collecting stamps. Best of luck, and 73!

[MaXiLeeCH]

I am not surprised the tower came down it was so heavily overloaded.

Seriously, I wouldn't have had half of the antennas on it that you did,

[wolfhawg]

If I quit ham radio every time there was a aw shit I would have been gone years ago. Hang in there.

[LLuE88]

Looking closer at the weld, if that's it, center of view, the problem apears to have been inappropriate grade of metal or welding proceedure. I've seen perfectly good looking welds that were between two different grades of steel. It will break just as you see there. regards

[LLuE88]

Who ever engineered this in total should have included a safety ratchet pawl, especially since welds broke. Yes pawls are routinely disingaged for convenience, that would put the fault exactly on the operator/owner. regards

[TimeTravelerTN]

So Sorry for you. I have been wanting a tower for years, but could never get enough money together to buy one. Now that I'm a Senior Citizen, I can't even climb one, much less assimble one. Sorry for your loss. There has to be a better way to manager tower related problems... 73's DE W4ZJM SK

[handsupbud]

It's obvious the hobby is too dangerous for the unprepared so go ahead and send me all your equipment so it won't get into the hands of some other unsuspecting clod who might get hurt.

[TheZeke1974]

Ive gotten away from ham radio because im tired of the assholes and the politics..... I will keep my ticket but im not as active as i was a few years ago..

[N0WYO]

How long was it up there? did you ever look it over for problems?