George, I don't think that this is a silly question. In fact, I think that this is a very SERIOUS topic!
I was a transmitter engineer for WAEO-TV located in Rhinelander, WI in the early 1980's. During the summer of 1980, a tower crew was contracted to paint the 2000 feet tower (yep, that's about 1/3 mile vertical in the air, give or take a couple of hundred feet). The owner of the crew, in his 50's, was going to retire as this was his last job. They started to climb the tower a 5:30 AM. On duty that day, I was instructed not to turn the transmitter on until the tower crew was completely off the tower for the day. At approximately 8:10 AM, the owner reached the top of the tower. He started to apply paint. For whatever reason, he disconnected his climbing belt, and then fell. Upon falling, his right arm came in contact with the 2nd set of guy wires, and the arm severed. The northern Wisconsin area is made up of sandy earth. Upon reaching the ground, his body made a 9 inch indentation into the ground. In subsequent weeks, I can remember, as the transmitter engineer, taking the locals on a guided tour of the site of impact. There were many who made the journey in grotesque fascination of what happened. Do I still have nightmares of this happening? You bet. I will never forget this happening as long as I live. So, in retrospect: Silly question #1: just how does one become a "qualified climber"? Silly answer #1: how do you tell his wife and family that your husband died while being a "qualified climber"? Don, KD9PT ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Henry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2007 1:48 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Would You Do This? > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mike Reed" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2007 12:44 AM > Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Would You Do This? > > >> Yes we would and DO! There is a ham in the area who also operates a 2 way >> radio business that has bought up most of the empty AT&T, MCI and Quest >> sites in the area (200+ mile radius). He has offered use of his site to >> us >> for free. Just a few simple rules. Stay off the tower unless you are a >> qualified climber, neatness counts, all building entrys/ exits of coax >> need >> to be mouse prufed. We mainly use the ice bridges to mount our antennas >> on >> because the sites on on 7000ft+ hilltops. We have APRS, Packet and voice >> repeaters on 2 and 70cm. >> 73 >> Mike - N7ZEF > > > Silly question #1: just how does one become a "qualified climer"? > > Silly question #2: how/where does one find out about these empty, > available > towers? > > > George, KA3HSW / WQGJ413 > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > !DSPAM:1016,46758266129575209328925! > >
