[TowerTalk] Erecting tower sections solo

[Bill Mader]

I have to agree forcefully with Roger.  It has nothing to do with the fact we're both 5'7", have had two strokes, and one (documented) heart attack, and just last month for me, are both in our 70's.  In my early teens I used a 30 ft. telescopic mast to hold up one end of my T2FD (Terminated Tilted Folded Dipole) and my 6 meters beam.  It was easier to lash my Dad's ladder to the mast to access the rotator/beam than to lower and raise the mast by myself.
 
One day, I climbed to the top, clicked the safety belt lanyard, and leaned back to work.  I didn't visually confirm the click and grabbed the ladder several feet down.  I climbed down and did other stuff that day.  I have always visually and physically checked all safety devices ever since.
 
I have "bulbed" radio and TV towers as tall as 750 ft. installed and taken down too many 25G/45G towers to count, and never had a close call in over 55 years after the incident above.  I also have used all appropriate safety gear and install a safety climb for my next installation.  Why?  I like living and still have many things I want to do.
 
I also race sports cars, but I have a full roll cage, fire suit, extinguisher, certified helmet and HANS device, gloves, balaclava, etc.  It's not worth our lives to take chances.  A friend in Traverse City MI died because he unbelted as he climbed over the platform of his windmill tower then fainted due to diabetes.  He never left the hospital alive.
 
I worked on oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico for what may be my last job.  During my next to last hitch, some guys didn't follow procedures (on the Production side, not our drilling side) which lead to an explosion and resulting fire that nearly cause one-third of us to jump overboard.  Safety is a cultural thing as is ignoring safety.  The latter results in tragedy, unnecessary tragedy.  Shortcuts are not worth taking!
 
I can't do everything as easily as I could 30 years ago.  But I can and will do them safely, if not more so.  There is still a lot of DX and contests to work.  Don't cut your fun short!
 
73, Bill, K8TE
Rio Rancho NM