[TowerTalk] Mast Climbing

[Guy Olinger, K2AV]

Truthfully, a large tribander up on a mast will exert a considerable
force sidewise in a 75 mph wind. If you have properly sized the mast
for such an antenna even in a minimal wind zone, the vertical and
horizontal force caused by a person climbing steps partway up the mast
is well within the mast's rating.

The sideways movement is not within OUR rating. An inch movement
sideways feels like a foot. Six inches sideways feels like the tower
is falling over. 

It's definitely NOT for the faint of heart.

I heard a story about someone up on a mast who got blown sideways a
bit, and threw up on account of it. Gives new meaning to the ancient
instruction to the ground crew to stay away from the base of the
tower.

73, y'all.  Guy.


On Tue, 17 Aug 1999 12:52:56 -0400, you wrote:

>
>UNCLE, UNCLE!
>
>Man, this thread is giving me the willies ;-)
>
>Now I know where the photograph I saw (looking down the boom of a tribander
>out at the coast of Mass. somewhere) came from.  Somebody climbed the MAST
>for that shot....(insert uncontrollable full body shudder here).
>
>My question is:
>
>Would that be considered Extreme Hamming or Extreme Photography?
>
>73 DE AA1OL - Bruce
>Portland, CT

73, Guy
--. .-..

Guy Olinger, K2AV
k2av@qsl.net
Apex, NC, USA

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