Accidents happen with temporary or permanent guys.
I use 3/16" wire rope on 45G at least to 100 feet. "Every section" is
guyed until I reach a permanent guy point. I then install the permanent
guys and remove the temporary ones. The procedure is repeated up to the
next permanent set where they are installed and the temp guys below
there are removed. The guys are attached to the top of each section and
inspected before it is brought up. That section is bolted on and the
guys are tensioned before I climb that section. That means at most I
have three temporary sets of guys under me and the sections are solid
enough to climb without guys.
Were I to work on a tower using a pier pin, I would not use temp guys on
the sections up to the first permanent guys. That would be stood in
place and guyed "permanently" before climbing. I'd use temp guys above
that point.
There are many who say, "get a crane and hoist it into place". This too
is not a job for an inexperienced tower jockey. Even a one piece lift
comes with hazards, let alone putting sections together "up there" when
a crane is lowering them into place. Even those sections go up with
guys in place unless you are working on a "big" tower where their gin
poles are larger than our towers. Then comes the fun of getting the
antennas in place.
To me, "as a rule" when you get past 60 feet you are in territory for
the experienced and even they make mistakes. 2 or 3 good sized guys can
stand a 40 footer up complete with medium tri-bander and rotator. It
takes a crew to do the same with 50 feet. (I've done both). 60 feet was
Gin pole territory.
Speaking of the crane. Think about sitting up there at a 100 or more
with a crane swinging a several hundred pound antenna over to you let
alone a big monobander. An unexpected gust of wind and that antenna
could clean you off that tower a slick as a sneeze cleans...well, you
get the idea. You have to be in the proper place, at the proper time
with good communications with the crane operator. Besides being cleaned
off the tower there is the possibility of become a sandwich between the
tower and antenna. Climbing down with even minor broken bones doesn't
really appeal to me.
Most times we just go ahead and do these things without realizing what
can happen. When I was a *lot* younger things were done a lot
different. Ever ride "the ball"? I never though much about it, but
when I went to work for a corporation we ran into a situation where that
would have saved a lot of time. I had a safety line to clip onto the
cable even if I slipped. HOWEVER my boss who almost suffered apoplexy
at the though of me riding the ball up only 40 feet, explained the
situation rather pointedly and in simple words that were easily
understandable. I didn't think much about it. He didn't think much of
it!<:-)) Now days I wouldn't think much of it either. OTOH back then I
thought it was fun. Amazing how age does that.
73
Roger (K8RI) It's amazing how many of us actually did survive to "old age".
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