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Re: [TowerTalk] Erecting tower sections solo

To: Bill Mader <bill_mader@hotmail.com>, "towertalk@contesting.com" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Erecting tower sections solo
From: Wayne Kline <w3ea@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2015 14:06:02 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
 This thread has morphed ,,, and the SAFTY aspect  pointed out.....  I am  6'2" 
 210 lb  and had bo problems manhandling  R#25  & 45 ....  55 was to much to 
control with the limited  leverage.  As for powered winches.
The first  20' was always manual haul up and the gin pole used from there on.  
I have a capstan winch (110 V AC)
with a  15 ft long foot activation switch . This give you a great view of the 
raising object.
 
 As for the safety issue of climbing.. I think we were all guilty of not 
following safety  procedures in the past
especially when we were younger  or in  thick of battle   ( trudging through 
calf deep snow @ .04:00 Z to replace a burnt out W2DU balun on a 160 dipole in 
the middle of the contest.  Flash light, new  Bencher  balun, two  copper bugs  
stuffed in my jacket pocket,,,, only thing to hold me to the tower was m knee 
through the Z rung....
 
YOUNG and DUMB ...
Back to a ditty that was drilled into my head by one of my mentors 
 
There are Bold Climbers
There are OLD climbers
BUT there are NO
OLD BOLD CLIMBERS
 
Wayne W3EA

 
> From: bill_mader@hotmail.com
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2015 08:22:56 -0700
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Erecting tower sections solo
> 
> I have to agree forcefully with Roger.  It has nothing to do with the fact 
> we're both 5'7", have had two strokes, and one (documented) heart attack, and 
> just last month for me, are both in our 70's.  In my early teens I used a 30 
> ft. telescopic mast to hold up one end of my T2FD (Terminated Tilted Folded 
> Dipole) and my 6 meters beam.  It was easier to lash my Dad's ladder to the 
> mast to access the rotator/beam than to lower and raise the mast by myself.
>  
> One day, I climbed to the top, clicked the safety belt lanyard, and leaned 
> back to work.  I didn't visually confirm the click and grabbed the ladder 
> several feet down.  I climbed down and did other stuff that day.  I have 
> always visually and physically checked all safety devices ever since.
>  
> I have "bulbed" radio and TV towers as tall as 750 ft. installed and taken 
> down too many 25G/45G towers to count, and never had a close call in over 55 
> years after the incident above.  I also have used all appropriate safety gear 
> and install a safety climb for my next installation.  Why?  I like living and 
> still have many things I want to do.
>  
> I also race sports cars, but I have a full roll cage, fire suit, 
> extinguisher, certified helmet and HANS device, gloves, balaclava, etc.  It's 
> not worth our lives to take chances.  A friend in Traverse City MI died 
> because he unbelted as he climbed over the platform of his windmill tower 
> then fainted due to diabetes.  He never left the hospital alive.
>  
> I worked on oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico for what may be my last job.  
> During my next to last hitch, some guys didn't follow procedures (on the 
> Production side, not our drilling side) which lead to an explosion and 
> resulting fire that nearly cause one-third of us to jump overboard.  Safety 
> is a cultural thing as is ignoring safety.  The latter results in tragedy, 
> unnecessary tragedy.  Shortcuts are not worth taking!
>  
> I can't do everything as easily as I could 30 years ago.  But I can and will 
> do them safely, if not more so.  There is still a lot of DX and contests to 
> work.  Don't cut your fun short!
>  
> 73, Bill, K8TE
> Rio Rancho NM
>                                         
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> 
> 
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