[TowerTalk] working alone (was "climbing safety")

[Tony King - W4ZT]

At 01:41 PM 11/26/2003, Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604 wrote:
><snip>
>    Well, my wife is a little concerned that I work alone.
><snip>
>    Mark, N5OT
>
>Easy.  Get her to be your second person.  I climb alone, but my
>partner is observing, and even helping, from the ground.  And has a
>telephone to hand.
>
>73, doug
<snip>

EXCELLENT advice!  I frequently climb with my wife as my helper.  She knows 
how to find tools and dial a phone should I get in trouble. Now, she also 
wears a hard hat with her call sign on it.  We use a pair of FRS radios so 
there is no question about being able to communicate and verify our 
condition. If you can't get your wife to help, ANYONE is better than no 
one. Take a lawn chair along, one that leans back, and your helper can be 
comfortable while watching you work. Makes for one place to look for the 
help and cuts down on the sore neck complaints.

This thread could go on and on about the pros and cons of folks paying 
attention when they're on the ground etc. but I find from my experience you 
need one person on the ground that KNOWS what you're doing and that 
everyone else listens to for direction.  If they're not directly involved 
with helping, they keep well away from the tower. Ground conversation does 
not take priority over what the guy on the tower is doing.... EVER!

Good luck in the CQWW CW this weekend and HAPPY TURKEY!

73,
Tony W4ZT