Dropping a 30-foot antenna tower can be done safely with planning and careful rigging work. A crane is the best way but, if can’t get one, you can do it effectively with a pair of come-alongs and a couple of 50-foot lengths of rope or cable. Attach two ropes or cables to the top of the antenna tower. You can do this with a ladder or by climbing the tower if it is sturdy enough. Be sure to use a safety belt if you climb the tower. Find two solid spots to attach the come-alongs to on one side of the tower. Come-alongs are hand winches that tighten and loosen a steel cable. You can rent them at a local equipment rental place. A tree or post set in concrete is a good spot to attach one. If the tower is light, you can attach a come-along to the bumpers of a pair of trucks or something similarly heavy. You’ll need 30 feet of cable for a 30-foot tower or you’ll have to lower the tower in stages. After you attach the base of the come-alongs to your hardpoint, attach the movable hook end to the rope or cable at the top of the tower. If you are working with a short come-along with a cable that isn’t long enough to get the tower all the way down in one pass, you’ll need to obtain some heavy boards to brace the tower up while you reset the come-alongs about halfway down. It’s better to get come-alongs that are heavy enough to have 30 feet of cable. Once you get the tower down, unhitch the cables and take it apart.
