[TowerTalk] US Towers MA-550 and ladders

[Dick Green WC1M]

I use a ladder with my MA-770. Instead of leaning the ladder up against the
tower, I extend it to 20 feet and strap it to the tower with heavy duty
cargo straps every 4-5 feet. Then I can climb the ladder straight up, just
as I would climb a guyed lattice tower (using my safety harness, of course.)


When strapping the ladder to the tower, I start with a strap at the bottom,
and another as high as I can reach from the ground. I usually add a third
strap in between just to make sure the bottom of the ladder is very securly
fastened to the bottom tower section before I start climbing. Then I climb
the ladder, adding straps as I go up.

I prefer this method over leaning the ladder because when you lean the
ladder there's no good way to securely fasten the top to the tower until you
get there. You can use brackets designed for roof or tree work, but I don't
feel they would grip the tower sufficiently.

This, and any work on a tower, is dangerous. Use proper safety precautions
at all times.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Fox (K5MEF) [mailto:k5mef at mefox.org]
> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 5:15 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] US Towers MA-550 and ladders
> 
> 
> I'm considering a US Towers MA-550 tubular crank up.  Plan to put a
> Steppir
> 3 el on top.  Problem is, I don't have room in the back yard to lean
> over
> the tower with the antenna on top.
> 
> So, question is, is it o.k. to lean an extension ladder up against the
> tower
> (assuming a suitable safety device at the top of the ladder to keep it
> from
> slipping to the side) in order to attach or work on the antenna/mast?
> Tower
> would be in the fully cranked down state, of course.
> 
> I'd just hate to have to get a cherry picker every time I need to
> check
> something up there.
> 
> Thanks,
> Michael K5MEF
> 
>