[TowerTalk] TIC RING

[Doug Renwick]

Dick,

I have been using the method you describe for years, except the part
about using the hooks.  If I visualize the method correctly, you are
hanging on with one hand and then clipping and unclipping with the other
hand, with your body bent around that ring.  I shudder at that method.
In my opinion forget about the fiddling with those hooks.  Try and keep
both hands attached to the tower as long as possible or at the very
least release your hand grip and grasp the next level as quickly as
possible.  You want to move around that ring as fast as reasonable, and
not fiddle with anything else.  The longer you have to hang on with one
hand, the more susceptible you become to fatigue and failure.

Doug

"Those Island days are always on my mind,
Someday I'm going to leave it all behind."

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dick Green WC1M
Sent: October 15, 2008 5:38 PM
To: Cqtestk4xs at aol.com; TOWERTALK at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TIC RING


It's a little hard to describe, but basically I climb the tower like
it's a ladder, but bend deeply at the waist around the ring. First, I
clip one of the  hooks on my fall-arrest Y-lanyard to the tower
cross-brace directly above the ring. Then I grab the next cross-brace up
with both hands, bend at the waist, and move my feet up one cross-brace.
At this point, I'm bent around the ring at the waist. I hold on to the
cross-brace with one hand, clip the other hook of my Y-lanyard to a
cross-brace above my head, then release the other hook. Then I re-grab
the cross-brace with both hands, bend at the waist, bring one foot up to
the ring, then bring the other foot up to the ring. As this is
happening, I grab the next higher cross-brace with one hand, then the
other. Again, it's the same hand-over hand movement you'd use to climb a
ladder. At that point, I'm standing on the ring and all is well. Pushing
your butt way out from the tower is a little unnerving the first time
you do it, but you can get used to it.

Hope this is helpful.

73, Dick WC1M