[ADXA] TOWER

[LennyK5OVC@wmconnect.com]

 This is from a friend 
Please read 
73es
Lenny K5OVC
As most of you are NOT on the RTTY reflector I thought I would pass along
this story and the moral.  I have omitted the callsign to protect the
guilty

To make a short story long, I spent the afternoon redoing the coax to
the TH11.

Just as I am about finished..UPS delivers 2 pre cut lengths of RG-214
with PL259s on each end. Well, one of the lengths was to replace the
coax in place, so I said, what the heck, and climbed up the ladder to
the top of the crank up again, to cut the old coax off. Anyway, I generally
 use a barrel connector at some point
from the feed of the antenna, and when I had undone the feed, and cut
the tape, I decided I might as well cut the coax right before it went
into the barrel connector. So, I did that and
just tossed it, maybe 20 feet long, off the tower.

Still with me? Now, I was standing with my feet on the lower section
tubes of the crank up, BUT belted to the upper section.

I don't know how, but when I tossed the short piece, it somehow
activated the 'up" switch on the control box. Which is a pretty good
trick as it is a single pole double throw and the "up" position is the
top part.

So, I find myself suddenly being hoisted up...remember, I am belted to
the top section.

At first, I thought, what the hell, I'll just climb down when the
sucker gets to 90'.
I then became painfully aware that the belt around my waist was
preventing me from breathing. Fortunately, I chickened out and
quickly, in about 50 ms, just undid the whole belt from around my
waist. This allowed the belt to go past me, and I remained standing on
the top tubes frantically trying to keep a hold on with my hands.

Fortunately, I did so and stepped down to the ladder I keep
permanently in place. Down the ladder and good ole solid earth beneath
my feet. You know the first thing I did when I got down? I hit the
switch and stopped the tower.

The second thing I did was unplug the tower motor from the buried
extension line.

Never again will I go up that ladder with the motor plugged in!!! And
I hope this off subject post may warn others.

73
Ed





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