[TowerTalk] Tower Climbing safety

[Michael Walker]

I have been staying quiet through this, but I wanted to add reality to the
conversation.

First, I changed the subject and my heartfelt condolences to N5IA and his
family.  That is a terrible story.

Keeping this in the Ham World reality.  I have climbed towers since I was
15 (mid-70's) and I still climb today.  For the most part, I am in the best
shape of my life today at 58 that I was in my late teens/20s.  My head is
still stuck in my 20's.  :)

One of the best presents I got for my 40th birthday was my DBI Sala
harness.  My wife couldn't understand why, but then, she could never watch
me climb.

A fall from any height can kill you or seriously hurt you as we all know.
90% of my climbing has been 'recreational' as in not for pay and for
helping out other hams.  All of this in Canada.  10% of it was for paid
commercial work (it is darn cool to climb up the inside of a 400ft tower).

We all know what we should be doing with full time fall restraining
systems.  Or, always clipped in in a perfect world

Professional riggers I know tell me that climbing by using 1 of 2 hooks is
exhausting and has more risk since you are shifting weight and using more
energy.  I also agree.

A fall restraint system seems better, but they never move up or down the
way you want them to.  Again, you are always being distracted by it.  This
again is worse than free climbing a tower.  The belay idea is the most
seamless and works well as long as you stay on 1 face.  This one I like.

It is about being smart and minimizing your risk.  Those that climb all the
time know their style, their rhythm, and their pace.  It is a risky event
and no different than those that free climb rock faces.  Yes, they could be
belayed, but they chose not to.

Not much will change that.  It is no different than flying a plane
(something else I do).

No matter what, there will always be tragic accidents like this as long as
time runs on.  Sometimes making things safer is not actually making it
safer, just more complicated.

Those coming up with the safety solutions MUST be people who will have to
use them day in or day out.  It cannot come from desk bound safety
analysts.

My 2 cents Canadian

Mike va3mw