Definitely NOT for me!!!!!

Al Launier

Member
Messages
1,683
Location
Bedford, NH
I get vertigo just watching. This sure isn't for me. I wonder:
  • How much sway?
  • How do they manage during a lightning strike?
  • Can they actually be grounded well enough - that's a lot of juice?
  • How cold in the winter time?
  • How icy does it get?
  • Why can't they use a helicopter & suspend the guy?
  • Do they get paid enough?
  • What kind of insurance can they get?

http://www.liveleak.com/e/07b_1284580365


 
In my much younger days, when first in cable television technical positions, I did some work on microwave systems. Our towers were triangular, guyed and large enough to climb inside. There was no safety system other than our climbing belts. After the first couple of times going up, I started enjoying the view from above. The tallest tower I had to work was 325', which was plenty for me! Ain't no way I was ever gonna do what the guy in the video does!!! I get the creepies and puckers just watching the video!!!!! :eek:
 
talked with a guy this summer that used to do that,, he told me that back quite few years say 25yr that those guys didnt get any more than a auto worker gets.. and that like they said here in the video that free climbing was normal. he also told me that the tops of those towers sway at least 15ft back and forth with guys attached, have to to stay up there.. he was interesting to listen to he had been retired from it for 15 yrs.. life span on those arent real long health issues keep them from going up, kinda like flying airplanes..
 
There used to be a show on The Science Channel called "World's Toughest Fixes". It's off the air now, but they do show it now and then. There are also 23 episodes on Netflix. There is one called "2,000 foot tower". (it is on Netflix) This crew has to go to the top of the tower and replace the antenna! They have to erect a "gin pole" on the top and then jump it up to ABOVE the top and use that to remove and replace the antenna. It is truly amazing, but also difficult for me to watch because me and anything above a 6' step ladder is too much! :)
 
Back in my navy days, we had two whip antennas on the stack of the ship and another two up on the mast... periodically, especially when coming into port, we had to climb the mast and drop them to the deck for cleaning... I was young and fearless in those days, I wouldn't even want to stand at the base of that tower and look up.... just watching the video made me dizzy.
 
How cool was that!

I'd not want to do it these days, but back in my 20's, yeah, I'd have done that job, heights did not bother me much back then. I fell off a 1st story roof when I was about 6 years old, scared me, but I was basically unhurt, I landed on a big pile of sand that had been dumped there that morning for the concrete pad my dad was putting into the carport behind the house, I was up on the roof helping out, we were replacing the roof, it was flat and in bad shape. Dad was cutting plywood to finish the roof off before the roofing tar guys showed up, my older brother and I were placing a small sheet of plywood over a hole, my dad marked it, then my brother and I picked it up to carry to some sawhorses for cutting. My brother picked the plywood up with me holding the other side, and walked straight backward, I walked straight forward, and stepped right into the hole the plywood was going to cover. He said I disappeared like a magic trick :D
Other than that, I've never fallen off anything by accident. Not counting skiing, or motorcycles..... :rolleyes:

Heights just never really bothered me, I don't think I'd be fit enough to make that climb these days.......

Very cool video, I bet on a really clear day you could see the curve of the earth from up there!
 
How cool was that!

I'd not want to do it these days, but back in my 20's, yeah, I'd have done that job, heights did not bother me much back then.
....

Very cool video, I bet on a really clear day you could see the curve of the earth from up there!

The video was cool. Unfortunately, since it is a helmet-mounted camera, it was lots more nausea-inducing than necessary, since he moves his head up and down so much as he checks his handholds.

I would guess that there are pretty stringent rules about maximum allowed wind and other weather when you climb something like that. But I still was a bit freaked out at the whole "free climbing" aspect. I would think that the dangling toolbag would really throw you off as it swings and bumps into things, and he's not clipped to the ladder at all... If you skip to the end one of the "scariest" moments is there when he his standing on the top of the tower and he actually lets go with BOTH hands for about 5-10 seconds as he opens up the carabiner and fastens it into place.
 
...If you skip to the end one of the "scariest" moments is there when he his standing on the top of the tower and he actually lets go with BOTH hands for about 5-10 seconds as he opens up the carabiner and fastens it into place.

Yeah, that's the part where my stomach hits the back of my throat as it tries to leave the room.
 
Art you make really good points. I got queezy just watching it. The wear and tear on that guys body if he does it regularly must be something else. To climb on its own is one thing to climb with the toolbag dangling a complete different thing.
I used to climb masts in my time in the military but nothing anywhere near as high. 100ft was limit. Hated having to change the red light bulbs on the top.

You could not pay me enough to do that job.

So if he fell would they classify it as workplace accident or suicide :huh:
 
He mentioned at one point if a storm moves in there is no quick way down.

Oh, I think there is a quick way down but I think that is the method they are trying to avoid.
 
the guy that talked with said that riding a cable down is the fastest but you can almost guaruntee a broke leg.. some how they have a connector for the guide wire
 
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