[TowerTalk] Crank down towers when away

[Roger (K8RI)]

ac9s at mchsi.com wrote:
> "Do you guys always lower the tower
> when you skip town for a day or two?   Or go to work?"
>   
Although  don't have a "crank up at present" it'd have to be strong 
enough to handled things like I do now.
Unless I'm going to be gone for an extended period I don't disconnect 
anything including coax.  If I'm going to be gone for several weeks I'm 
likely to disconnect the coax, but I might not.  I never disconnect 
control cables and rarely unplug anything. 

Lightning:  There have been at a dozen verified, direct hits on the 
tower. How many its actually taken I have no idea.  One was when I was 
operating/running the computers, but not the station.  The gigabit 
network with 4 computers, a router, switch, and modem, hiccuped, the 
UPSs complained, and didn't stay down long enough to even interrupt a 
data transfer to the computer in the shop.  The 133' of  CAT5e runs 
within 10' of the tower base.

I seriously doubt even high wind warnings would cause me to lower a 
crank up.  If it isn't heavy enough to stand the gaff, I'd not put it 
up.  Much of my operating is done when the weather is too bad to work 
outside.

Basically, unlike Kieth "as a practice" I don't disconnect anything and 
the tower has been stuck a minimum of 12 times in the last 6 years. It 
was running about 3 times a year, but nothing in the last two.

One day a neighbor came over and asked me if every thing was working. I 
said it was, but why would he ask.  It seems he was standing in the 
doorway to their patio looking at the tower a tad over 200' from him 
when it took a direct hit.  No damage.  Since then he calls it the 
neighborhood lightning rod. I didn't explain he's too far away to be 
within the so called, cone of protection.

The only concession I make is the computers do have cordless keyboards 
and mice.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> I can't speak for crank-up towers, I am partial to guyed ones, but I can tell 
> you I disconnect all my feedlines, control lines, and AC whenever I am away 
> from the radio - Lightning has struck 4 times in my 40+ year ham hobby.  I 
> suspect I would crank down my tower also if it were applicable.
>
>   

> Keith
> AC9S
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