[TowerTalk] scariest repairs

[Michael Ryan]

I saw that in TOP GUN. ...."damn that guy"... - Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe - WDØM
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 2:01 PM
To: towertalk
Subject: [TowerTalk] scariest repairs

My scariest repair happened in the summer of 1963 - I was a new high 
school grad, working for the California Institute of Technology's Owens 
Valley Radio Observatory near Big Pine, CA.  We had turned one of the 
largest radio telescopes vertical to do some maintenance on a MASER 
receiver at the focal point of the scope. 

While standing atop the focal point platform at about 120 feet above 
ground level - no safety belts of any kind - a USAF F-4 Phantom from 
Edwards AFB flew by at about the same level I was at.  The jet blast was 
so strong that it rocked the telescope - and me - and I had to grab 
something solid to hang onto - I can still smell the JP4 jet fuel.  Sure 
wish I could have gotten the tail number on that F-4.

Lesson learned - use a safety belt when climbing - you never know when 
you'll be visited by one of the USAF's fastest and finest.  ;-)

73,

Joe, Colonel, USAF (Ret)
WDØM
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