[CQ-Contest] RE: [TowerTalk] HORNETs and T2X

[Dale Martin]

On Sunday, June 15, 1997 14:51 PM, Paul Ash[SMTP:pash at gdi.net] wrote:
>Hi Everyone,
>
>I was getting ready to climb my tower today when I noticed 1/2 doz
>large Hornets buzzing  around one of the lower sections. I was feeling
>lucky this morning so I decided to climb anyway. I got abt 30ft off the 
>ground when they began to swarm around me. None of them actually stung
>me but they made it plain that my presence was not wanted. I concluded 
>that discretion is the better part of valor and made a hasty decent.
>I've been thinking about a easy way to get rid of these uninvited guests
>but hav'nt had any luck. Anyone out there in antenna land have any good
>solutions????? 

Paul never mentioned locating or identifying the source of 
the hornets.  He simply said they were buzzing arouund 
the tower and, later, him.  It's tough to get rid of their nest 
if you haven't located it first. 

But, to business.....No matter what I do to minimize
wasp/hornet nests' presence on and around the house, 
the insects still seem to congregate around my tower.  
There's something about a tower (at least, my tower) 
that seems to attract them enough for them to fly around 
but not make a home--I have never ever found a nest on
the tower, under the rotor plate, under the pointy tower 
section thrust bearing, or anywhere on the tower or 
antennas.  They just seem to be attracted to the tower. 

While I can appreciate Paul's hesitancy and concern 
because I, too, fear them and their sting, I just climb on 
through them and have never ever been stung by one.  
They don't seem interested in me, just in flying around 
the tower. 

Also, when using the wasp/hornet sprays (and shooting 
upwards), I would recommend surgical mask and safety 
goggles or face shield. If that stuff can drop a wasp/hornet 
in mid-flight, it's gotta be toxic to us.  

Keep the wind at your back!

73,

Dale Martin, KG5U
kg5u at hal-pc.org
http://www.hal-pc.org/~kg5u



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