Climbing a 540 metre transmitter antenna

[Mark Harriss]

kreed wrote:

Out of interest, there was a similar ABC AM 5KW array at Hervey bay
QLD with 2 towers that was demolished about 3 years back and a new AM
system built a few KM away. I happened to see it on the 7 news at the
time, they just cut the guy wires and just let the tower simply drop,
then the guys moved in for the next couple of weeks, cut the thing to
bits and carted it off for scrap.

There's no market for radio towers, they were usually self erecting:
with the right gear you could use the tower to lower the section above
to the ground until the lowest last section was left and lower it with a
cable as it hinges off the base.

 

[Mark Harriss]

Mark Harriss wrote:

There is a limited edition self published book by some radio engineer
that was very comprehensive and a good read for the average tech head.

I picked up some valves from the Darwin shortwave transmitter that the
Gov't sold to private enterprise on Ebay after it closed due to the site
lease expiring. As far as I know, even the scrappies weren't interested,
broadcast gear for the taking!!.

I'll rephrase that: parts of the transmitter equipment (valves) were
sold on Ebay after closing.

 

[philx1]

On Sep 17, 7:33 pm, Mark Harriss <bi...@blartco.co.uk> wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

Geez Mark, thanks for that (NOT)! My testes are hurting just from
watching this. Dunno why, maybe fear of heights?

I'm also wondering if they've heard of helicopters there.
Maybe it's like this cheaper because they're 'free' climbers

Anyway, keeps 'em off the street I guess...

 

[qmod]

On 18/09/10 17:06, Mark Harriss wrote:

Mark Harriss wrote:
There is a limited edition self published book by some radio engineer
that was very comprehensive and a good read for the average tech head.

I picked up some valves from the Darwin shortwave transmitter that the
Gov't sold to private enterprise on Ebay after it closed due to the site
lease expiring. As far as I know, even the scrappies weren't interested,
broadcast gear for the taking!!.


I'll rephrase that: parts of the transmitter equipment (valves) were
sold on Ebay after closing.

!Hmm. I wonder what happened to the gear at Shepparton (Radio Aust). I
last worked there in 1964 . I remember the PA tubes (F124A) used a
combination of air and water cooling.
I also remember having to replace the cable (wire rope) linkage from the
front panel controls to the to the pa stage for tuning the PA stage.
I discovered the frayed cable (the first since install in the 40's, so I
ended up with the job of fixing it.
--
..Laurie.
Registered Linux user # 468070

 

[keithr]

On 18/09/2010 3:55 PM, Sylvia Else wrote:

On 18/09/2010 3:30 PM, philx1 wrote:
On Sep 17, 7:33 pm, Mark Harriss<bi...@blartco.co.uk> wrote:
I'd have trouble doing this guys
job:http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

Geez Mark, thanks for that (NOT)! My testes are hurting just from
watching this. Dunno why, maybe fear of heights?

I'm also wondering if they've heard of helicopters there.
Maybe it's like this cheaper because they're 'free' climbers

Anyway, keeps 'em off the street I guess...

Helicopters and towers haven't always been a good mixture. Freeclimbing
obviously has its risks, but I doubt any of these guys will die from
lack of exercise.

Sylvia.

Try this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tzga6qAaBA

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 18/09/2010 7:56 PM, keithr wrote:

On 18/09/2010 3:55 PM, Sylvia Else wrote:
On 18/09/2010 3:30 PM, philx1 wrote:
On Sep 17, 7:33 pm, Mark Harriss<bi...@blartco.co.uk> wrote:
I'd have trouble doing this guys
job:http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

Geez Mark, thanks for that (NOT)! My testes are hurting just from
watching this. Dunno why, maybe fear of heights?

I'm also wondering if they've heard of helicopters there.
Maybe it's like this cheaper because they're 'free' climbers

Anyway, keeps 'em off the street I guess...

Helicopters and towers haven't always been a good mixture. Freeclimbing
obviously has its risks, but I doubt any of these guys will die from
lack of exercise.

Sylvia.

Try this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tzga6qAaBA

A rather different scenrio. A particular problem relates to descending
too far when positioning immediately above a tower, which the pilot
can't see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jThg_yBmFkM

Sylvia.

 

[Baron]

Mark Harriss Inscribed thus:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

I was starting to feel giddy just watching that. :-(

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[David L. Jones]

Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

The guy who shot that footage wanted it taken down because he may lose his
job over it:
http://www.theonlineengineer.org/TheOLEBLOG/

Dave.

--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com

 

[Mark Harriss]

David L. Jones wrote:

Mark Harriss wrote:
I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

The guy who shot that footage wanted it taken down because he may lose his
job over it:
http://www.theonlineengineer.org/TheOLEBLOG/

Dave.

I saw that later on, I hope he's ok.....does he have much
competition for that job?. It also shows how hard it can
be to remove something from the net.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily
difficult. You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even
the final choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places
may be even more dangerous.

Sylvia.

 

[Barry]

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:33:00 +1000, Mark Harriss <billy@blartco.co.uk>
wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

The antenna is only 20 metres.
I climbed a 200 metre ABC TV tower once.

 

[kreed]

On Sep 19, 8:52 pm, Mark Harriss <bi...@blartco.co.uk> wrote:

David L. Jones wrote:
Mark Harriss wrote:
I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

The guy who shot that footage wanted it taken down because he may lose his
job over it:
http://www.theonlineengineer.org/TheOLEBLOG/

Dave.

I saw that later on, I hope he's ok.....does he have much
competition for that job?. It also shows how hard it can
be to remove something from the net.

Something like that would be near impossible to remove, its so unique
and interesting, even to non tech people.

doing a search on "stairway to heaven tower climbing" brings 17
results on You Tube.

 

[kreed]

On Sep 19, 9:35 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:

On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:



I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily
difficult. You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even
the final choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places
may be even more dangerous.

Sylvia.

I noticed that too.

at around 0.38 3.11 4.03 7.00 when he has to climb past that beacon
to the top.
There are other parts where there are no level hand holds, he is
either using round or diamond shaped holes as hand holds, or
diagonal struts. Not a really good thing IMHO.


Notice at the very top, the guy is actually not holding onto anything
for support with hands for quite a bit of the time, especially when he
is securing himself to the top of the mast.

I think the only part worse than this would have been the job of the
guys who would have had to take up all the parts for and assemble the
top sections.


Yes, Sylvia, up would be easier to do than down under those
circumstances, unless you happen to have eyes in your feet

 

[Metro]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fmaseFqivU1@mid.individual.net...

On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for climbing
most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily difficult.
You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even the final
choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places may be even
more dangerous.

Sylvia.

You would have hope that the welds under the paint work on those pegs at the

top were in good condition. When climbing masts on ships we always gave the
peg above you a good hit to ensure good adhesion. We were also trained to
use the side rails where possible when climbing a ladder and not the rungs
for the same reason.

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 20/09/2010 3:51 PM, Metro wrote:

"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fmaseFqivU1@mid.individual.net...
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for climbing
most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily difficult.
You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even the final
choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places may be even
more dangerous.

Sylvia.

You would have hope that the welds under the paint work on those pegs at the
top were in good condition. When climbing masts on ships we always gave the
peg above you a good hit to ensure good adhesion. We were also trained to
use the side rails where possible when climbing a ladder and not the rungs
for the same reason.

Though the brackets are each held by two welds, and presumably both
would have to fail before the rung would fall off.

I'd be more worried about a failure of the rung where it goes through
the bracket.

Still, maybe there's a welder somewhere looking at the video and saying
"Sheesh, I didn't know that was what it was for, and I'd had a lot to
drink the previous night."

Sylvia.

 

[Metro]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8focevF9f6U1@mid.individual.net...

On 20/09/2010 3:51 PM, Metro wrote:
"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fmaseFqivU1@mid.individual.net...
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing
most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily difficult.
You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even the final
choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places may be even
more dangerous.

Sylvia.

You would have hope that the welds under the paint work on those pegs at
the
top were in good condition. When climbing masts on ships we always gave
the
peg above you a good hit to ensure good adhesion. We were also trained to
use the side rails where possible when climbing a ladder and not the
rungs
for the same reason.



Though the brackets are each held by two welds, and presumably both would
have to fail before the rung would fall off.

I'd be more worried about a failure of the rung where it goes through the
bracket.

Still, maybe there's a welder somewhere looking at the video and saying
"Sheesh, I didn't know that was what it was for, and I'd had a lot to
drink the previous night."

Sylvia.

Look once again. You will see pegs with one weld at the left hand side as he
is climbs the spire at the very top

 

[Sylvia Else]

On 20/09/2010 4:28 PM, Metro wrote:

"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8focevF9f6U1@mid.individual.net...
On 20/09/2010 3:51 PM, Metro wrote:
"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fmaseFqivU1@mid.individual.net...
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing
most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily difficult.
You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even the final
choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places may be even
more dangerous.

Sylvia.

You would have hope that the welds under the paint work on those pegs at
the
top were in good condition. When climbing masts on ships we always gave
the
peg above you a good hit to ensure good adhesion. We were also trained to
use the side rails where possible when climbing a ladder and not the
rungs
for the same reason.



Though the brackets are each held by two welds, and presumably both would
have to fail before the rung would fall off.

I'd be more worried about a failure of the rung where it goes through the
bracket.

Still, maybe there's a welder somewhere looking at the video and saying
"Sheesh, I didn't know that was what it was for, and I'd had a lot to
drink the previous night."

Sylvia.


Look once again. You will see pegs with one weld at the left hand side as he
is climbs the spire at the very top

I can't see it.

I'm using

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g79byk4ytxg

Can you point to a specific second that shows what you mean?

Sylvia.

 

[Barry]

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:58:45 +1000, dmm <dmmilne@ozemail.com.au>
wrote:

On 17/09/2010 7:58 PM, atec77 wrote:
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#
Why
over 40 or 50 metres anything further is academic as to the result


It's not academic. There are practical reasons as to why broadcast
towers are located on hills and buildings.

AM broadcast towers are located in low lying swampy areas.

 

[dmm]

On 19/09/2010 9:56 PM, kreed wrote:

On Sep 19, 9:35 pm, Sylvia Else<syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:



I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily
difficult. You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even
the final choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places
may be even more dangerous.

Sylvia.

I noticed that too.

at around 0.38 3.11 4.03 7.00 when he has to climb past that beacon
to the top.
There are other parts where there are no level hand holds, he is
either using round or diamond shaped holes as hand holds, or
diagonal struts. Not a really good thing IMHO.


Notice at the very top, the guy is actually not holding onto anything
for support with hands for quite a bit of the time, especially when he
is securing himself to the top of the mast.

I think the only part worse than this would have been the job of the
guys who would have had to take up all the parts for and assemble the
top sections.

The tower sections such as those in the clip are assembled at ground
level, then lifted into place using a gin pole and a winch or perhaps
a helicopter. The riggers then manouever the section into place and
bolt it down, then move the gin pole to the next section.

Yes, Sylvia, up would be easier to do than down under those
circumstances, unless you happen to have eyes in your feet

 

[Metro]

"Sylvia Else" <sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fodjaFfhaU1@mid.individual.net...

On 20/09/2010 4:28 PM, Metro wrote:
"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8focevF9f6U1@mid.individual.net...
On 20/09/2010 3:51 PM, Metro wrote:
"Sylvia Else"<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote in message
news:8fmaseFqivU1@mid.individual.net...
On 17/09/2010 7:33 PM, Mark Harriss wrote:

I'd have trouble doing this guys job:
http://www.koreus.com/video/reparer-antenne-540m.html#

What struck me is that although clear provision has been made for
climbing
most of it, there are places where doing so is unnecessarily
difficult.
You can see the climber trying different hand-holds, and even the
final
choice doesn't seem so secure. Climbing down at those places may be
even
more dangerous.

Sylvia.

You would have hope that the welds under the paint work on those pegs
at
the
top were in good condition. When climbing masts on ships we always gave
the
peg above you a good hit to ensure good adhesion. We were also trained
to
use the side rails where possible when climbing a ladder and not the
rungs
for the same reason.



Though the brackets are each held by two welds, and presumably both
would
have to fail before the rung would fall off.

I'd be more worried about a failure of the rung where it goes through
the
bracket.

Still, maybe there's a welder somewhere looking at the video and saying
"Sheesh, I didn't know that was what it was for, and I'd had a lot to
drink the previous night."

Sylvia.


Look once again. You will see pegs with one weld at the left hand side as
he
is climbs the spire at the very top



I can't see it.

I'm using

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g79byk4ytxg

Can you point to a specific second that shows what you mean?

Sylvia.

I.46 mins elapsed and 2.14 mins elapsed. I agree on watching the clip again
the pegs are not quite the same at the very top. There he has to rely on a
peg with one end threaded with a nut either side of the 'U' bracket.
Something like a binding head bolt.