[TowerTalk] Sad day - W9ZUC tower accident

[Dick Green WC1M]

I've often considered installing a safe climb system on my tower, but it has
three TIC rings. The cable can't run outside of the rings, so the cable
standoff from the tower can't be more than the distance from the tower face
to the inside of the ring, which is on the order of 6"-8". Does anyone know
if this is enough clearance for the cable/standoff?  Has anyone installed a
Tuf-Tug or other safe climb system with TIC rings? If the standoff distance
is greater, I'd have to install three separate 35' systems, which I'm
guessing would be pretty expensive.

Even if the cable can run inside the rings, I'd still have to unclip from
the cable, use my fall-arrest Y-lanyard to climb over each ring, then clip
back onto the cable. But that's OK -- a safe climb system would save me most
of the clip-unclip motions required by my fall-arrest Y-lanyard going up and
down the tower. Less effort and less time are huge safety factors. I'd be
willing to bet that fatigue plays a role in the majority of tower accidents.

Note that with or without TIC rings, a safe climb system doesn't eliminate
the need for a fall-arrest Y-lanyard. You'll need that to move around the
tower at the work position after you unclip from the cable.

73, Dick WC1M

> -----Original Message-----
> From: n4zkf [mailto:towertalk at n4zkf.com]
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 3:59 PM
> To: Cqtestk4xs at aol.com; TOWERTALK at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sad day - W9ZUC tower accident
> 
> Yes they do Bill. Just depends on where you have them terminated. We all
> free climbed back then (us idiots) 25 years ago. Not now! My guys are
fired
> on the spot if I catch them.
> 
> 73 Dave n4zkf
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/18/14 12:18 PM, "Bill via TowerTalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> wrote:
> 
> >Those devices are handy....except they do not work on rotating  towers.
> >
> >I used to free climb back in the old days and hook on at the
> >top....not any more.  I use gorilla hooks on the way up and down and
> >hook  up with the lanyard when settling in to work.
> >
> >Old saying...There are old tower climbers and there are bold tower
> >climbers, but there are no old, bold tower climbers.  Belt up  guys!
> >
> >Bill K4XS/KH7XS
> >
> >
> >In a message dated 9/18/2014 4:14:17 P.M. Coordinated Universal Time,
> >EZRhino at fastmovers.biz writes:
> >
> >The  slickest thing I've ever seen is a cable stretched tight from top
> >to bottom of  the tower, and the climber has a device that goes on the
> >cable that only  slides UP the cable.  It can't slide down, so if you
> >fell it would hold  fast.  This also gives both hands free for
> >climbing.  I've never seen these on a ham tower though.  Lots of them
> >in my neck of the woods  on ski lift towers.
> >
> >Chris
> >KF7P
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Sep 18,  2014, at 10:03 AM, TexasRF--- via TowerTalk wrote:
> >
> >> Please  enlighten me: when climbing with a gorilla hook, is there
> >> only
> >one
> >> hook/lanyard used or are there two hook/lanyards used?
> >>
> >> If two, wouldn't there always be one of the hooks attached to  the
> >>tower?
> >>
> >> 73,
> >> Gerald K5GW
> >>
> >>
> >> In a message dated 9/18/2014 8:49:18 A.M. Pacific Daylight  Time,
> >> xdavid at cis-broadband.com writes:
> >>
> >>
> >> Yes,  you have indeed said that several times here before, and  it was
> >> just as  ignorant a comment then as it is now.   Every time you unhook
> >>or
> >> hook  to the tower you only have one  hand on the tower ... just
> >>exactly  as you  only have one hand on  the tower when you reach up
> >>while climbing  ... the  difference  being whether or not you are
> >>hooked in while that
> >> second hand   isn't on the tower.  How you can possibly believe that
> >>one
> >> hand  on  the tower is safer than one hand on the tower PLUS one hook
> >>on  the tower,  or that a free hand not on the tower is more  reliable
> >>than a  hook already  on the tower, is totally beyond  me.
> >>
> >> Dave    AB7E
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>  On 9/17/2014 8:42 PM, Doug Renwick wrote:
> >>> I have  said this  many times before.  If you can't 'free climb'
> >>>then you  SHOULD  NOT be climbing at all.  The use of a gorilla hook
> >>>has it's
> >place
> >> -
> >>> for resting or at the work station.  But IMO it  should not be  used
> >>>to
> >> assist
> >>> the climb!  Every  time you have to hook and unhook  the gorilla
> >>>hook it
> >>  means
> >>> you only have one hand left on the  tower.  That  to me is unsafe.
> >>>With
> >> free
> >>> climbing, both   hands are available to grab the tower.  If you can't
> >free
> >>>  climb -  don't climb.
> >>> Doug
> >>>
> >>
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> >>
> >>
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> >
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>