[TowerTalk] [Tower Talk] Anti-climbing technology

Tue Jan 21 17:41:12 EST 2014

As a minimum you need to do the industry accepted practice or due diligence 
whichever is more. This will help with liability issues but not fully 
protect you.  The way our legal system works even if you have a signed 
document from a child's parents absolving you of liability it won't protect 
you as the courts have often ruled that you can't sign away your rights.  If 
something happens to a kid the sympathy of the court and jury will be with 
the little darling not you the creator  of the attractive nuisance. As a 
rich hobbyist with so much discretionary income to put into attractive 
nuisances the jury will look at your "deep pockets" and those of your 
insurance company. There better be an insurance company involved and the 
policy better have deep pockets.

You had better not put barbed or razor wire or broken glass into an anti 
climb structure or do anything able to be construed by a wild imagination to 
be a booby trap.

Luckily I am in a very rural area where in general there is little trespass 
due to a realistic fear of being shot at. This is no deterrent to teenagers 
who know they are invulnerable.

I  am considering extremely loud motor driven sirens and strobe lights 
similar to those which are a part of my intrusion alarm.  By attracting 
attention climbers may be dissuaded from the attempt. The alarm sirens may 
be made quite loud as the nearest neighbors are over 1/4 mile away and if 
the sirens aren't loud enough to be heard by neighbors they do not pose a 
credible deterent in the form of the miscreants being seen..

I have a particularly attractive nuisance that is about to be set up in one 
of my pastures, a 40 ft tall triangular tower that is 14 ft on centers at 
ground level and about 10 ft at the 40 ft level where I will install an 
observation platform and a crank up tower of smaller dimension but taller.

I want to build a set of stairs leading to the top but have a convenient way 
to easily deny or permit their use.  I haven't figured that out yet.  As 
this 40 ft base will not be tilted after installation, placing anti-climb 
panels to hide the x braces within 10 ft or so of the ground might be good 
for the tower proper. Maybe the bottom 10 ft of stairs should be hinged to 
fold up or be hoisted up 10 ft or so into the air.

Suggestions welcome.

Patrick NJ5G

-----Original Message----- 
From: Roger (K8RI) on TT
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 4:03 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Tower Talk] Anti-climbing technology

I've been following this thread and wonder at the usefulness and
practicality of these anti climb devices, regulations, and liability.

A 5' barrier would stop little kids, but not teenagers. I can reach,
rather could reach, high enough at 65 and had the strength to pull
myself up over 5' climb panels.  I'd go for at least 8' (Just the length
of a plywood sheet- Waterproof with lots of paint.). For a guyed tower
that's no biggie as they fit tightly against the tower. Easy to take
off? That means even a 10 year old could probably do it, although the
average mechanical ability from our overly protected kids is in doubt so
it might be beyond the ingenuity of most teenagers. My apologies to
those who do have a few smarts left despite our educational system.

So that means some sort of locking device.  How about cable locks
similar to those used for bicycles and firearms? One at the top and one
at mid level.  Use fasteners similar to my tool boxes and gun cases to
join the panels.  They are simple and easy to use and as you have the
cable locks they only have to hold the panels in place.

Crank up towers present a problem as the crank, or cranking mechanism is
usually at a handy height which gets in the way of anti climb panels.
Leave a cutout for the motor? That just created a handy step about 4
feet off the ground. Better add 4 more feet to the panels. Put the motor
inside the panels. Now they have to be structurally sound in high winds,
or with someone pushing against them.

How about permanently attaching them and use a ladder to get over them.
Just don't forget and leave the ladder unattended.

So far we've looked at a simple approach that will most likely keep the
neighborhood rug rats off the tower, but nothing structurally sound
enough to keep a vandal, or determined teenager off.

The next step involves a bit more money as the price of steel is now
ridiculous when you can get $350 for a junk car.

A simple, rectangular frame of steel angle covered with 12 to 16 gauge
or 1/16th inch sheet steel with substantial hinges at each junction
(with the pins on the inside). A good support and a couple of padlocks
in hasps, would allow one side to open. Yes, it's heavy and expensive,
even if you have a welder and build it yourself. The same thing could be
done with a 8 or 9' chain link fence installed in panels, or two sides
contiguous with a panel on the 3rd side that could be opened for
access.  Forgo the razor wire on top. That reads liability and
attractive nuisance in bright red capital letters, although wires on an
outward tilt are good.  Of course this can be expanded to a fenced in
enclosure.

For a remote station, I'd vote for the steel panels and a
monitoring/alarm system. Wire or bolt cutters will make quick work of
the chain link fence and/or padlocks.  The panel that opens could be
positioned to allow the tower to tilt through it.  It's a fine line
deviding rugged anti climb panels and an enclosure.

I'm sure there are many on the reflector with more practical ideas.

No enclosure or anti climb panel  is 100% effective, but they do serve
as a deterrent with some being more effective than others.

73

Roger (K8RI)

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