[TowerTalk] Raising Towers

[Michael Tope]

On 12/26/2013 1:37 PM, Jim Lux wrote:
>
>> I was pointing a few possible problems to show to others what can happen
>> or give another possibility
>> to do not put in risk life or property  but what was the response?
>> supportive?  destructive?
>
> Indeed.. but one aspect that comes up a LOT on TT is the whole thing 
> of "code compliance" or "good engineering practice". Whether it's 
> guying, strength of materials, or grounding practices, there's a huge 
> amount of room to maneuver, depending on what one's risk acceptance 
> strategy is.
>
> I think that the original topic here was an excellent example of 
> someone who has a situation where "if it falls down, nobody will care, 
> other than the builder", which is decidedly not the case when the 
> local planning department is asking for wet stamped drawings from a PE 
> (or maybe it is, and asking for excessive documentation is a way to 
> restrict antennas and towers).
>
> I didn't see anything fundamentally "unsafe" in the pictures. Unlike a 
> lot of field day pictures you see, there's nobody standing underneath 
> the towers being pulled up, so if his manky tow rope does fail, he 
> winds up with some bent scrap metal, not a trip to the ER or a call to 
> the coroner.

Jim, I had somewhat the same feeling until I scrolled down to the 
"selfie" of the guy taken from the top of one of those homebrew 200' 
towers made from chain-link fence top-rail. You can clearly see the 
safety lanyard made from dacron rope with frayed ends that is holding 
him in place. While I greatly admire the vigor of an 85 year old guy who 
fabricates and installs 200' towers by himself, nobody should be under 
any allusions that what he is doing is remotely safe (at least when it 
comes to the climbing part of it).

73, Mike W4EF............