That doesn't look like 90 MPH winds at all. Maybe 45 with a brief gust to 60. I've been through some hellacious winds on a fairly constant basis, but one in particular clocked a gust to 110, and it flattened telephone poles. The wind was sustained at 85 and leveled damn near everything. My tower made it through, but it was a guyed 50 foot with 2 sets of serious guy wires. My 6 element 10 meter beam made it through, but my Cushcraft stacked 2 meter beams were found 100 acres away. If that was 90 MPH winds, that oak tree would be moving a LOT more and the branches almost laid back like a blade of grass. Perhaps there were reports on local mountain tops of 90MPH gust, but that was definitely not a sustained 90 MPH wind. Also, it's been said too many times, but, why leave a crank up standing in that wind? As it is, it likely loosened the entire foundation of your tower and left gaps in the dirt around the concrete. A tower can't move as much as that one did for a minute, without some lasting damage. Gonna have to repack the dirt or re-pour concrete around the sides and base again unless you're looking for an issue.
This is the very worst thing about having a big tower and antenna, when a storm comes all you do is worry, worrying about how much damage is going to be caused.
Old post but.. I also have a crank up tower, and back in 1996, Hurricane Fran blew through here with 90mph winds. I knew the storm was coming, and cranked my tower down to it's nesting height of 21 feet. I had a Hygain TH7DX beam on it at the time. The storm passed over me during the night, and I didn't sleep much! I heard limbs and trees falling.. but zero damage to the tower or beam. My tower fully extended is rated just under 10 sq. ft in a 50 mph wind, I think you were lucky that you did not have any damage in 90 mph winds.
Seriously, what kind of person leaves a wind up, non-guyed tower up in those conditions? Very foolish and lucky the whole thing didn't come down. Lots of unnecessary stress on the tower, antenna, and as it turns out - rotator. Crazy.
Not to mention the beam should have been rotated 90 degrees from where it was as that would have decreased the wind loading by having the wind hit the boom broadside.
The mast has been guyed ever since. Steppir did survive with no damage at all. Yaesu G-1000DXC was shattered inside. I did not expect the winds to blow so big. This was the worst storm in 100 years in GW...The wind on the video was not the strongest. I DID MANAGE TO LOWER THE MAST VERY QUICK BETWEEN THE WIND GUSTS ON THAT DAY....THAN IT STARTED BLOWING REALLY BAD...
Hey honey, you remember that overpriced antenna you got so mad about when I bought it? Well the parts it’s mounted on is broken. Will there be burned dinners for 3 months again?
If your going to spend the money for a crank-up tower why the hell leave it up with those kinds of winds? Looks like someone doesn't care much about their equipment.
Stepp Ir held up brilliantly, but I see a crank up tower why leave it up during 90 Mph winds > Not smart
That doesn't look like 90 MPH winds at all. Maybe 45 with a brief gust to 60. I've been through some hellacious winds on a fairly constant basis, but one in particular clocked a gust to 110, and it flattened telephone poles. The wind was sustained at 85 and leveled damn near everything. My tower made it through, but it was a guyed 50 foot with 2 sets of serious guy wires. My 6 element 10 meter beam made it through, but my Cushcraft stacked 2 meter beams were found 100 acres away. If that was 90 MPH winds, that oak tree would be moving a LOT more and the branches almost laid back like a blade of grass.
Perhaps there were reports on local mountain tops of 90MPH gust, but that was definitely not a sustained 90 MPH wind. Also, it's been said too many times, but, why leave a crank up standing in that wind? As it is, it likely loosened the entire foundation of your tower and left gaps in the dirt around the concrete. A tower can't move as much as that one did for a minute, without some lasting damage. Gonna have to repack the dirt or re-pour concrete around the sides and base again unless you're looking for an issue.
Radio Structures Ltd Mast performing brilliantly in the high winds. Thank you for the share :)
Better cranked down, but after the winds start, unless the tower has POSITIVE PULL DOWN, it will not be safely retracted. Read about that.
This is the very worst thing about having a big tower and antenna, when a storm comes all you do is worry, worrying about how much damage is going to be caused.
Old post but.. I also have a crank up tower, and back in 1996, Hurricane Fran blew through here with 90mph winds. I knew the storm was coming, and cranked my tower down to it's nesting height of 21 feet. I had a Hygain TH7DX beam on it at the time. The storm passed over me during the night, and I didn't sleep much! I heard limbs and trees falling.. but zero damage to the tower or beam. My tower fully extended is rated just under 10 sq. ft in a 50 mph wind, I think you were lucky that you did not have any damage in 90 mph winds.
Seriously, what kind of person leaves a wind up, non-guyed tower up in those conditions? Very foolish and lucky the whole thing didn't come down. Lots of unnecessary stress on the tower, antenna, and as it turns out - rotator. Crazy.
Not to mention the beam should have been rotated 90 degrees from where it was as that would have decreased the wind loading by having the wind hit the boom broadside.
What use is the crankup tower? A big waste of money if you don’t use it for things just like this. Stupid is contagious.
Maybe he wasn't home to crank it down.
Why wasn't it cranked down???????
Didn't crank down the tower because this is NOT 90 mph wind! Not even close. 40 mph tops.
My advice to crank it down in 90MPH winds.
Horrific. But it should survive. Rotator needs upgrading though.......G4HOM
The mast has been guyed ever since. Steppir did survive with no damage at all. Yaesu G-1000DXC was shattered inside. I did not expect the winds to blow so big. This was the worst storm in 100 years in GW...The wind on the video was not the strongest. I DID MANAGE TO LOWER THE MAST VERY QUICK BETWEEN THE WIND GUSTS ON THAT DAY....THAN IT STARTED BLOWING REALLY BAD...
i would find steel cable wires hold the tower.
Hey honey, you remember that overpriced antenna you got so mad about when I bought it? Well the parts it’s mounted on is broken. Will there be burned dinners for 3 months again?
Most don't let their wives talk to them that way. You can always tell who they are, as they own things like this tower.
This makes me mad, why not pull it down under those winds? You're asking for big trouble bud
I DONT GET IT ? 90mph winds and the non-guyed tower is cranked up to nearly full height with a big yagi on it.
You have balls of steel sir.
***** I agree... LOL
TetrodeGU74B lack of brain cells and common sense more like it.
I have a wind advisory. The wind will start blowing in the middle of the night. The wind will be 20 to 23 mph.
You need to lower that tower.
If your going to spend the money for a crank-up tower why the hell leave it up with those kinds of winds? Looks like someone doesn't care much about their equipment.