[TowerTalk] March QST cover

[jimlux]

On 2/27/17 6:27 AM, Mike Ricketts wrote:
> This topic came up on Reddit right after the digital issue came out.
>
> A couple of quick points.
>
> 1. The photo was apparently supplied by the Eldorado Space Program
> (Eldorado, TX), which is a school program at the high school. (
> https://goo.gl/wx9OIM) So it seems the league had little/nothing to do with
> the taking of the picture. They probably should have known better than to
> use it though.
>
> 2. The following quote also came out in the discussion, I am unable however
> to find the post on Facebook however to verify.
>
> "Concerning the March QST cover image, this was one of those unfortunate
> situations that occurs occasionally in publishing where many eyes on the
> publishing team look at an image, but none notice the flaws. The QST staff
> will learn from this mistake and we will be more diligent about cover
> photography in the future." – Steve Ford, WB8IMY, QST (Facebook post)
>
>

I see this as in the same bucket as Field Day pictures with a mobile 2m 
rig putting out 50W into a whip antenna on the picnic table next to the 
operator. The picture is trying to convey a big idea, but illustrates 
some dangerous practices.  Each time it happens, we poke at the league, 
and they gradually get better.

The picture used was just too attractive: youth(!), female (!), 
technology(!)

And at least she's wearing head protection and a harness. 20-30 years 
ago, it would have been someone hanging onto a unguyed 60 foot stick of 
R25 with one elbow around the tower, while using a tool in the other 
hand to twist the guy wire onto the tower, and wearing a baseball cap 
and flip-flops.