ReBar Stakes for Guy Hold Down

I waited 2 yrs before posting this tip; hopefully saving some a bunch of money.

I had looked at the screw in guy anchors; ridiculous money IMO.

Currently I have a 30 foot telescoping guyed mast with (3) antennas mounted and rotor. (see QRZ pic)

Here is a link of what I use to hold the guys to the ground.
It's been 2 yrs now and zero problems.

These rebar stakes have serrated edges which aids holding them in the ground tight.
Just be sure to pound them in at a angle AWAY from the mast.

I use the24 inch version of these.

https://www.amazon.com/GRIP-78426-G...ocphy=9016344&hvtargid=pla-513502986472&psc=1

 

These screw-in earth anchors for guying are about the same price...

https://www.grainger.com/product/GR...DngmempABfb3OcP-fehoCgmYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

If I had lost antennas in an 80 MPH microburst like your QRZ page indicates I would not be comfortable using Chinese made rebar as guy anchors--maybe to guy a vertical but not a 3 yagi stack with a rotator. Perhaps you will never have a problem or, perhaps, you have just had 2 years of good luck. For what it's worth some years ago a 103 MPH microburst bent a 1/4 inch wall moly steel mast atop my tower, Wasn't supposed to happen but a post event analysis of the mast showed a flaw in manufacture that wasn't supposed to be there. That mast was made by a very reputable U S manufacturer. I can envision. in a heavy wind, a rebar stake which likely was made from an inferior metal with minimal quality control snapping. I guess time will tell.

 

You've been very lucky for 2 years. I don't know how much money you save by not using proper anchors but in the event of a loss, your insurance would likely not cover such an installation.

 

I wouldn't be worried about "made in China," as half the steel we use in lots of things come from there. (One reason is the process is very polluting, and it's not so easy to coke steel in America anymore with all our regulations.)

But permanent installations may require a building permit and inspection to be covered by insurance, so that's a thing.

If antennas fall in such a way they can't damage anything, assuming nobody's standing under them, then it's really not a thing.

 

Might want to read my description.
The wind didn't take the antennas, a large LIMB fell on the antennas.
To each his own I suppose.
I use 6 total guys..I don't see them coming out anytime soon.

As said, just my opinion, but those screw in anchors are too expensive when what I'm using works perfectly well.

Besides all; guys don't hold the mast up, they are stabilizers only; the only force they will ever feel is when it is windy.
Already been thru 50+ MPH winds..no problem.

 

@N7WR: PS; if you look at my destroyed antennas and mast in the photo, you will also notice the guys are still staked in!

 

I try not to take chances with things up in the air. Got hit with straight line winds so severe every tree on the street came down or was damaged. Many TV dishes ended up going places and yet though all my antennas were destroyed they stayed in my yard attached. The mast went into a 45 and still stayed mounted and only one guy snapped at midpoint.
You may think you saved money but think about what that stake would do as a missile to others. Big difference between a screw in with a large holding surface and a rod of any sort. I even consider screw ins temporary themselves.

If your near the coast look at surplus marine dealers. Used Danforth anchors can be had cheap. Buried they will hold far more than a screw in.

 

Rebar is designed to reinforce concrete, not anchor radio tower guys. It's a fairly mild steel. For the very low-load, non-critial purposes listed in the Amazon ad - tents and canopies, sure. To guy something like a BTV vertical, OK. Maybe even for a temporary installation such as field day. But as a guy anchor for a serious permanent tower? No way I'd do it.

The only way I might consider using these to guy a tower would be to embed them in a big blob of buried concrete. But even then, I'd be suspicious of that so-called "built in loop" which is welded on. No way to ensure how good of a weld it is. Probably just stick-welded since that's the cheapest way. So assuming that loop doesn't pop right off with the first serious tug it gets, then I'd be waiting for it to eventually peel off from effects of fatigue and corrosion.

"...serrated edges which aids holding them in the ground tight." Those are just little bumps along the rod and are great for keeping rebar from slipping inside hardened concrete but are useless in soil. You can pull these right out of dirt by hand.

 

"Probably just stick-welded since that's the cheapest way."

Wondering if you ever actually looked at one of these stakes? If that's a stick weld, my other car is a Lambo.
I do examine the loop where it's welded on a regular basis AND the odds of more than one loop letting go is slim to none.

Again folks. these stakes are stabilizing a telescoping 30 foot mast, and I use (6) guys.
For a true guyed tower; of course I would never use them.
My total wind load is less than 4 sq ft..Minimal stress on these guys.
My LFA 5ele Wind Surface Area=1.471 sq. ft.

2 yrs; NOT lucky, basic mechanical physics looking at stress loads on the guys and stakes.
By the way; today; Dec 11 at 12N, we are having sustained winds of 50 MPH with gusts to 60....The mast ain't budging.

YMMV.

 

A 10 ft long piece of 1/2 inch rebar is $5.50 at Home Depot. With that you could make six stakes for a lot less money. Other sizes and lengths are comparatively priced.