[TowerTalk] 'climeable crankups' and wire rope maintenance

[Jim Jarvis]

OK, my still-toed brother...ya got me.

Together, we've delivered a very important message
to the unaware. Perhaps someone will save themselves 
pain and suffering  as a result.

And I, once again, have been reminded not to assume
too much.  :)

Where does one find a Hills tower?  
OH..and guyed isn't a no-no.  Just a stressor.
If you design for the stress, it's no biggie.  

n2ea
jimjarvis at ieee.org 
jimjarvis at verizon.net

-----Original Message-----
From: VR2BrettGraham [mailto:vr2bg at harts.org.hk]
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 19:47
To: Jim Jarvis
Subject: Re: 'climeable crankups' and wire rope maintenance


Jim:

>"I have a Hills two-section roughly 50-footer.
>Once extended, one climbs to top of bottom section
>to pin the two together with one bolt on each of the
>three faces.  It is guyed & yes, it is meant to be climbed
>whilst extended (at least to top of bottom section)."
>
>Brett, my brother....you're gonna be known as 'toeless Brett'
>one day, if you keep this up.  Unless there is a positive stop
>to keep the upper section from dropping whilst you're on the
>lower...your toes and fingers are in a guillotine. Before you
>get those locking bolts in, you are wholly dependent on the
>integrity of 50' of wire rope which is likely not lubed, nor
>protected, nor insected.
>
>An extension ladder alongside the Hills tower is probably
>the only safe way to install those locking bolts, 25' in the
>air.
>
>DO NOT EVER, EVER, EVER CLIMB A CRANKUP TOWER WHICH IS UP.
>IF YOU MUST CLIMB, LOWER IT.  PLACE 2X4 OR LARGER BLOCKS BETWEEN
>SECTIONS TO PREVENT EVEN MINOR SLIPPAGE.        AND KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAR.
>
>...     AND TO THE CHAP WHO PROPOSED TO CLIMB TO SERVICE HIS WIRE
>ROPE.....DO IT IN THE DOWN POSITION, WITH SAFETY BLOCKING, PLEASE!
>
>I have a friend who has an electric winch to raise and lower his tower.
>reached into the tower for some reason...clearing a cable or something.
>The winch control box was 6' away on its cable.  While his hand was in
>there, the tower settled another half inch, trapping him.   And the winch
>control was out of arm's reach.  Oh...and he was working alone.
>He was fortunate, as it turns out, but trapped for some time.

Appreciate the response & that is why I made the post.

The Hills has an integral ladder & it allows one to climb it
without sticking hands, fingers, toes or anything anywhere
dangerous.

It's also guyed.  It must be guyed.

The two no-nos when it comes to crank-ups, supposedly.

Not necessarily, mate...  ;^)

73 & HNY/HLNY, Brett