Interesting idea. (Speaking only of college stadiums.) I bet it would cost a
lot to take one of those things down. You would probably have to hire a
really really big crane! I had originally thought of using the light
standards to get our long wires higher for field day but was told to forget
using them. I had thought about using a bow and arrow from the top of
seating area in the stadium to shoot a small rope over the lights. I was
told that the "aiming of those lights was a big deal and if I screwed it up
I would have to pay to get it "re-aimed". I think there is supposed to be a
certain number of candlepower of light on the field so the players can see.
Actually, most college stadiums sit empty most of the time at night...even
the really big ones. Most games are scheduled during the days so that they
don't have to turn on those lights. I believe that those lights seriously
cut into their profits.
High school stadiums, on the other hand are used frequently at night during
the school year. This requires some forethought but Field Day is in June and
few schools are using these facilities during June, in fact many districts
are shut down for a couple of weeks during this time.
In the past few years there have been some court cases that require school
districts to give equal access to facilities to everyone if access is given
to anyone. Unfortunately, this has forced public school districts to be VERY
careful about how they let facilities be used. If your local school board
gets involved, you can probably expect to be turned down.
It sounded good!
Bill W5VX
>-----Original Message-----
>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
>bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gary "Joe" Mayfield
>Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 11:30 PM
>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Stadiums as Tower/Contest Locations
>
>Due to NCAA regulations requiring equal numbers of sports scholarships for
>women as men many universities have done away with football all together.
>Their stadiums sit idle for as many as 50 or more weekends a year. I know
>this is the case for most of the Missouri Valley Conference Schools.
>
>When I was an undergrad at Wichita State those light poles looked like
>incredible antenna mounts. The stadium now hosts less than four events a
>year.
>
>Does anyone know how much those 100 foot plus un-guyed poles would cost?
>The structures at WSU look similar to the giant poles you see at interstate
>interchanges only they seem much heavier.
>
>73,
>Joe kk0sd
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
>[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Steve W2ML
>Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 7:49 PM
>To: towertalk@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Stadiums as Tower/Contest Locations
>
>> Roger K8RI)
>>
>> I wonder, if properly approached, stadium management would allow
>hams/contesters
>> to set up semi permanent, or perhaps permanent towers/antennas or to use
>existing
>> tall structures at the stadiums for antennas and contest operations?
>
>If you are talking about stadia that host the NFL or other professional
>sports,
>keep in mind that 70,000 - 90,000 people are there for sporting events on
>the
>same weekends that contests are held.
>
>I passed this concept past the people who run Giants stadium at the
>Meadowlands in
>New Jersey and host 5 professional sports teams during the year. They
>thought
>I was joking.
>
>College stadia may be a possibility, but they, too, make a great deal of
>money on
>football during the fall contest season.
>
>While the towers and lighting grids look wonderful for ham antennas, if it
>doesn't
>make money for the venue, the chance of getting in to use the place for
>contesting
>rests solely on the coincidence of a ham being in a management or key
>position at
>the venue.
>
>Many places I visited, when I was traveling with Monday Night Football,
>would have
>made wonderful anchors for long wires/dipoles, but all the hams on the crew
>could
>do was dream about it.
>
>Of course, TowerTalk rule #1 applies here.... YMMV.
>
>-73- Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML
>President, North Jersey DX Association
>Game Day Frequency Coordinator, New York Jets
>
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