[TowerTalk] Camouflage Painting of Towers

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

If you are in a rural setting (I'm on the edge of a rural subdivision) 
and your towers and antennas stick above the trees (mine do) be wary of 
the liability with crop dusters.  If you put effort into making the 
tower and antenna invisible and a plane spreading bug killer hits the 
tower and antennas, juries have awarded huge sums in wrongful death 
suits. Wind farm put their evaluation instruments on towers just shy of 
200 feet to avoid many issues including lighting.

A crop duster hit one and a jury awarded his heirs millions.  I believe 
(without looking it up) it was on the order of 6 million for a wrongful 
death. even though the tower met all FAA and FCC regulations. It was 
presented as being greedy by staying below 200 feet. Think of what it'd 
be like to have to register our antennas and keep them lighted with back 
up lighting and the paperwork involved for every change.  If it meets 
regulations, that should be good enough.

So be careful about reducing the visible signature of tower and antennas 
above the trees.  When they are spraying oin this area, I stop by the 
staging area to remind them I'm still here.  I've seen them go around my 
tower and the top antennas were at 130 feet.

I say this as I'm right on the center line of the GPS06 app inside the 
FAF, but far enough out that I could legally go 190 feet.

Towers are almost invisible except to those who don't like them. Few 
will be placated regardless of what ever measures you take. (Fortunately 
a few will).  From an airplane they are extremely difficult to see.    
Actually, highly reflective paint is use to make them blend as the 
foliage is reflected from the surface.

Some where I have a photo I saved from the internet.  A guy painted a 
section of tree trunk making it look  like the upper trunk was floating 
in air.  The comment of the MonsterIR floating in air made me think of that.
 From the proper location it really appears as if there is nothing but 5 
or 6 feet of air holding that tree up.
Wish I could find the link.

73

Roger  (K8RI)



On 4/21/2015 7:52 PM, Fred Kleber wrote:
> Hi List,
> Does anyone have before & after photos of lattice towers that have been painted to 'match' the background of terrain / trees behind them?  If so, could you please send me a 'before' and 'after' photo, as well as the type of paint you used?  Any other comments, suggestions, ideas, etc. you have would be also appreciated.
> Thanks & Very 73,Fred, K9VV
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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