[UK-CONTEST] Gin Poles

[Mike Farmer]

I have some pics of the erection of my 30ft mast with TH3 on top using the
Falling Derrick.  It never let me down I first put it up in 1971 in the UK
(nr Dunstable) then on Gan Island in the Maldives (biggest problem here was
getting the guy pegs into the Coral!), then at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire,
followed by Singapore, then Waddington (nr Lincoln), then Wittering (nr
Stamford), then High Wycombe, then Brize Norton (again), then Cosford (nr
Wolverhampton) then here at "the last QTH" in Shropshire.  I never had any
help and for transit (lots of it!) the entire station (including Radio,
rotator and cables) was packed in packing crates with a maximun outside
dimension of 4 feet.  Then I retired from the RAF and got myself a big block
of concreate and a tower ah! what bliss!

If anyone would like a copy of the pics let me know, they are 35mm slides at
the moment but I will scan them to jpg.

Mike
G3VAO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <g3ory at lineone.net>
To: <tom at telemetry.demon.co.uk>; <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 8:21 AM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Gin Poles


> Hi Tom,
>
> I was gently corrected about Gin Poles and Falling Derricks by a GPO
> guy in the late 1960s.  I have never thought of the differential being
> an Americanism. The confusion is easy to understand but the tasks of
> each are very different (the Gin Pole is used to 'build' a multi-
> sectional tower whilst a Falling Derrick is attached at right angles to
> the bottom of a mast which is lying on the ground, with one set of guys
> tied to the top of the derrick. It is then pulled to the ground (hence
> 'falling' derrick) which raises the mast to the vertical)
>
> 73 Bob
>
> >----Original Message----
> >From: tom at telemetry.demon.co.uk
> >Date: 21/06/2010 21:05
> >To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> >Subj: [UK-CONTEST] Gin Poles
> >
> >Jim (MM0BQI) - there's a useful article by G3WUX in RadCom June 1999
> and an excellent article by G3JMG in March 1970 RadCom. That's going
> back a bit so let me know if you want me to scan and attach it.
> >
> >I've always known it as the 'Gin Pole' method, as do both the above
> authors. Thought the term 'Falling Derrick' was an americanism.
> >
> >73
> >Tom G3OLB
> >_______________________________________________
> >UK-Contest mailing list
> >UK-Contest at contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/uk-contest
> >
>
>
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>
>
>