[W2CRA] W2CRA Digest, Vol 85, Issue 2

[William Powell]

Mythbusters tried to replicate this.  
Eventually, they got it to work.
Ouch!
 Bill Powell - WB1GOT


________________________________
From: "w2cra-request at mailman.qth.net" <w2cra-request at mailman.qth.net>
To: w2cra at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Thu, April 21, 2011 12:01:23 PM
Subject: W2CRA Digest, Vol 85, Issue 2

  1. Be careful when working on your antennas (Glenn Bukowski)


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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:11:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Glenn Bukowski <ac2bh at yahoo.com>
Subject: [W2CRA] Be careful when working on your antennas
To: w2cra newsgroup <w2cra at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <567340.14922.qm at web120717.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

A Cautionary Tale from a homeowner?s insurance claim:
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?I am writing in response to your request for additional information for Block 3 
of the accident reporting form. I put ?poor planning? as the cause of my 
accident and, subsequent claim. 

You said in your letter that I should explain more fully?
I am an amateur radio operator and, on the day of the accident, I was working 
alone on the top section of my new 80 foot antenna tower. When I completed my 
work,? I discovered that, I had over the course of several trips up the tower, 
brought up?nearly 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather ?than carry 
the, now unneeded tools and material down by hand, I decided to lower the items 
down in a small barrel by using the pulley attached to the gin pole at the top 
of the tower.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the 
tools and other material into the barrel. Then, I went back to the ground and 
untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the three 
hundred pounds of tools.
You will note, in Block Number 11 of this form, that I weigh 155 pounds.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground, I lost my presence of mind 
and neglected to let go of the rope. 

I proceeded up the tower at a surprising speed until I reached the 40 foot level 
where I encountered the barrel of tools coming down. This explains my concussion 
and broken collarbone (see Block Number 16, ?Summary of Injuries?).
?Slowed only slightly by the encounter, I continued my ascent, not stopping 
until the fingers of my right hand were well into the pulley, hence, the broken 
fingers referenced in Block Number 16.
Fortunately, by this time, I had regained some of my composure and had the 
presence of mind to hold on to the rope in spite of the pain. At about that 
time, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. 

Relieved of the weight of tools, the barrel now weighed about 20 pounds. I refer 
you again to my weight as stated in Block Number 11. I now began my rapid 
descent down the side of the tower.
At about the 40 foot level, I encountered the barrel on its way up. This 
explains the broken ankle and lacerated leg referenced in Block Number 16.
The encounter with the barrel slowed my descent enough to lessen my injuries 
when I fell on the pile of tools. Only three of my vertebrae cracked (Block 
Number 16).
I am grieved to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain and 
unable to move, I experienced the moment of ?poor planning? that I referenced in 
the original report. 

I let go of the rope??
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This cautionary tale was reported in ?The Darwin Awards II? (Wendy Northcutt) 
2001, Dutton Publishers.
It is an Urban Legend.
It never happened.
Do not try this at home to see if it works ;-)

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End of W2CRA Digest, Vol 85, Issue 2
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