The Fort Wayne Radio Club needs a group of volunteers as soon as Saturday, July 23 to help move a heavy tower that a ham has donated to the Club. The tower lies on land that will soon have a new owner, so we must move the tower as soon as possible and before the property sale closes.
It’s a 72-foot, steel, nested crank-up tower, U.S. Towers, Inc. model TX-472. It consists of four triangular sections, nested within each other. The tower also includes hardware that allows it to be cranked over to a horizontal position if desired. We think it weighs approximately 1,000 pounds.
A ham who lived in Fort Wayne but who has become ill and now lives in Florida donated the tower, which we’ve nick named “the moose.” It’s on property in southern Fort Wayne, along Bluffton Road, near Bobick’s Golf.
We must move the moose from its current location to our repeater site on North Clinton St. near Diebold Rd. for storage until we can sell it. Proceeds from the sale of this tower will help fund the replacement of the failing collinear antenna used by our 146.91 MHz repeater.
Clark Derbyshire, KG9FM has access to a 24-foot long beaver-tail trailer that can be used to haul the tower from the Bluffton Rd. site to the repeater site. He has some experience moving objects like the tower and figures we need about six people in reasonable shape to help with the move. The tower will be winched on and off of the trailer with a winch or a come-along.
So, we are seeking volunteers who can help with the move, possibly Saturday, July 23. We might delay the move if insufficient help is available July 23, but we must complete the task as soon as possible.
We expect we could get the move done in three to four hours with enough help. Volunteers should have gloves and safety glasses. Safety shoes would be helpful but are not required. Heavy boots would offer some protection. If you have lift straps, jacks, 6-8 ft pry bars, come-alongs, tie-down straps or similar equipment you are welcome to bring them along.
Access to the property is limited, because it is on a small lane off of Bluffton Road, so we might have to park near Bobick’s and shuttle people in. Details and directions will be sent to those who volunteer to help.
To volunteer and receive more information, please contact one of the following as soon as possible:
- Clark Derbyshire (260- 615-1762, leave a message, cderbyshire@comcast.net)
- Al Burke (260-637-1989, aburke55@comcast.net)
- Steve Nardin (260-602-3076, w9san@arrl.net) (prefer e-mail)