# HO scale radio tower mast (need advice)



## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Anybody have any ideas on how to make one? I thought perhaps either wood dowling, or metal rod, painted white and red, with black (or white) thread to make the support cables.
I'm thinking this mast could be around 1/4 inch in thickness, and about 16" tall.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

-J.


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## kimber (Aug 2, 2013)

The end of an old fishing rod??


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Are you referring to the 300ft towers with 10 guy wires and etc? Or something a little more simple?


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## Sasha (Jul 8, 2012)

Maybe he's talking about those red and white TV towers seen out in the middle of nowhere, like this 2,063-foot KVLY-TV antenna tower in Blanchard, North Dakota:










Of course, it would have to be almost 24 feet tall in HO Scale, but...


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Something like that. Due to space restrictions on my layout, my tower will be about 15" tall. It's going to go on a hillside.

-J.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

2000 feet tall? Is that correct? I'm not familiar with how high these things go but that seems extreme. So who changes the light at the top? Pete


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## kimber (Aug 2, 2013)

It has an elevator! Twenty minute ride to the top, well almost, you have to climb
the last 60 feet or so...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122258086


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Some of those towers do get pretty tall.

The one Kimber mentions: KVLY-TV Mast


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Sasha said:


> Maybe he's talking about those red and white TV towers seen out in the middle of nowhere, like this 2,063-foot KVLY-TV antenna tower in Blanchard, North Dakota:


Sorry, I forgot an extra zero in my post. Meant to write 3000ft, not 300.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The typical small town AM/FM radio tower is going to be between 150 and 300 ft,
depending on it's AM broadcast frequency.

In HO, a 150 ft tower would be appx. 20 inches high. Towers of that size
are often only a guyed tubular mast. It's base is a concrete pylon
with a large insulator supporting the tower. Taller towers usual are constructed
of 20 ft triangular welded steel sections. There is always a flashing beacon on top.

There would usually be a 20 X 20 ' transmitter building near it's base 
assuming it's studio is elsewhere.

Communications towers can be almost any height but usually not as
tall as broadcast towers often also only a steel mast. They would have a very small building to house equip.

Don (an OLD radio guy)


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## kimber (Aug 2, 2013)

Here you go: Four strands of heavy thread, stretched and the ends tied together. Soaked
with thin CA, let is set up good. quiet stiff. This one is 16 inches.
Some paint, a little fine silk thread, grey, and you have a tower.










It doesn't show good in the picture, but the center is fatter and
the ends taper, looks good to me.

I did this real quick, didn't get it too straight, but it shows what
it will look like.










One more picture:


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Who changes the bulb Pete? This guy!

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG.../**http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFMHjDqHL_Y


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

How much do these guys get paid for this work? Pete


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

norgale said:


> How much do these guys get paid for this work? Pete


Not enough!  :laugh:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Pete

They get paid a lot...some really interesting men with very strong
legs and who obviously do not have a vertigo problem...I once tried to climb our tower...
got to 20 ft...let me down from here!

Not that many would want to take the risks they do. You often
hear of a crew losing their lives while working on a tall tower and
something goes wrong...

Kimber...you got it nailed...but it does kinda bow in the middle. Easy
way to make one.

Don


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## kimber (Aug 2, 2013)

DonR said:


> Pete
> 
> They get paid a lot...some really interesting men with very strong
> legs and who obviously do not have a vertigo problem...I once tried to climb our tower...
> ...


It is pulled side ways by the wire, like I said, I did that in about five minutes.
I took that side loose and it straighten up.


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## WaltP (Jan 21, 2013)

How about this or that?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

WaltP

Your this link is exactly like most small town radio broadcast
towers.

Don


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Don,
Are they employed by the station and have other duties or independent contractors who travel around the country climbing towers?
I knew a guy who was considered one of the best welders ever and ultra/mega certified to do the welding on Nuke reactors during construction and any repairs if needed. He traveled all over. His paychecks were unreal.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Jack

Some work for the big companies that make and erect the towers.

There are small firms that are in the business of erecting and 
maintaining towers made by others. These are the ones who do most of the Painting, replacing the lighting and installing FM and TV transmitting antennas
and the like. They employ the men who do the climbing.

And there are wildcatters who basically do painting and
lighting service and who work on their own.

Don


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## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

WaltP said:


> How about this or that?


I like these little things. I'll have to consider something like that for my R&D test facility layout. Places like that have all kinds of towers and antennas.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

DonR said:


> And there are wildcatters who basically do painting and
> lighting service and who work on their own.
> 
> Don


Guess you could say the skies the limit for them huh?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

JackC said:


> Guess you could say the skies the limit for them huh?


Yay...fly by night outfits.

Don


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Finally finished it! PICS!!!!!

































I used a 1/4 inch square piece of dowel, painted it, then
mounted in on the homemade hillside. Then I used sewing
thread in pre-determined lengths for the wires, securing
them at the bottom with HO plastic axles that I cut and
filed down 

-J.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

That is some antenna J. High too. Hope that chopper doesn't get tangled up in it. Nice. Pete


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## Gordon the big engine (Aug 31, 2013)

That's really tall!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Mr B

I'm applying for the General Manager job at your radio Station. 20 years
experience. But work cheap. (lousy personality, poor taste in moosic,
I like Guy Lombago). 

Looks like a proto small commercial radio station tower. But something
important is missing. The transmitter shack. Those seen near a tower like
that would be about 10 X 10 and sit maybe 20 or so feet from the base
of the tower. Put a sign on it with call letters (first letter W East of Miss. K West
of Miss. (yes there are exceptions)) Actually, the tower itself would sit on 
a ceramic insulator atop a 2 foot or so concrete pylon. 

What, me a rivet counter? 

Don


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

norgale said:


> That is some antenna J. High too. Hope that chopper doesn't get tangled up in it. Nice. Pete


Thanks Pete! However, I only employ the finest chopper pilots :laugh:

I might add something else near the base, but now that the tower is actually
up, I'm onto the next project for the time being.

-J.


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