gator17
join:2004-10-26
Oconto, WI
| Climbing towers Make your arms sore
Well guys, just some more info on my install. I went up the 135 ft water tower yesterday and installed my ap and omni antenna. Its an 11 dbi vertical omni using Waveip 900 mhz, The night before I went over everything I could think of in my head so I had all my tools and ect in the bag to bring up the tower with me, Well just when you think you thought it all through, guess what you didn't and it will cost you 1/2 half hour to get down the 135ft tower and then back up. Well other than the fact myself and friend climbed this thing 4 to 5 times yesterday all went pretty well. As far as the waveip ap, Cgordy and myself and Ran the Waveip guy are working out some interference issues now. Once I turned it on, I went back to my home which is 1 1/2 miles away from the tower NLOS and I was in my basement getting -67 dbi but like I said I also am having some sort of interference troubles that they are working on. They think it might be a bad pigtail or the antenna itself, Tonight I will test more with them and will have more info.
Scott |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp | Pictures...!!
(not of your sore arms...!)
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A is A |
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gator17
join:2004-10-26
Oconto, WI
| I will get some next time I am up there which will be Thursday, Like I said I forgot many things and a camera was one of them. Either way I have to go back up there and Align my back haul, (tweak it in). I was amazed by how easy the YDI bridge aligned. I did not have the ydi bridge installed on my office location when I went up the tower so I took a by eye guess of where I thought it would be, after the tower install I put up my other ydi bridge up and again "bango" another great signal 1.5 miles out NLOS using 2.4, I am just going through the tops of some trees with the backhaul though. I will get more info, by the way does anyone know what Freq, a Motorola gr500 is on. This is on the same tower I am on and I cant find the frequency info by googling it.
Scott |
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countrysky
join:2004-01-12
Cleburne, TX
| reply to gator17
Man, last time I needed service on my main tower, I decided to climb it myself. It's 170' and lemme tell ya, my hat's off to these climbers that climb 1000' towers. I had to take two rest stops, and it wore me out. But I'm out of shape, 40-something, a bit overwieght, etc. |
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dewey99
join:2004-07-18
Chilhowie, VA | Hell I'm 23 and the 80' tower in town wore me out. I thought they were going to have to get a bucket truck up there to get me off! |
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cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA
| reply to gator17
When we moved our APs from the 90' level to the 190' level on one of the towers I about wore my arms off. In order to minimize downtime I had to climb to the 190' level pull 190' of liguidtight with 2 sheild outdoor cat-5s in it to the 190' level, then downclimb fasten holders to the tower leg, terminate the cable, climb up to the 90' level disconnect the APs and remove the mounting hardware (9" pipe to pipe with 2 trango APs on it).
Then climb to 190' and haul the APs up. About 1/2 of pulling the APs up my arms were cramping so bad I couldn't close one of my hands. |
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wispman
join:2004-12-21
USA
| reply to gator17
Ahhh! I've done that. Strapped crap on my back, tie it to my waist, and tie 3 cat 5 to each wrist and an outdoor electrical wire....then climbed 150'. Holy Sh!! all that wire, radios, and antennas get heavy.
On anything under 100ft (ladder) I climb it on a run without stopping. It's easier. Then I just lay at the top for a while. |
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smp606
join:2002-01-16
PA | reply to gator17
I would love to see some pics! Also, are you going through a lot of trees to get to you house? If so, that is great NLOS stuff! |
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polk5
join:2001-12-29
New Orleans, LA
| reply to wispman
Dont you guys use pulleys at the top of your towers? Most of my pops are rooftops but the first thing I do on a tower is mount a pulley near the top. Climber goes up with rope and lowers it down. He carries or pulls nothing but himself up the tower. I have 2 towers left in operation and 1 will be moved to a rooftop next month. I have grown to hate towers.LOL Rooftops rock!!:D |
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cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA | reply to gator17
Usually yes I have pulleys, but I forgot them. I've set 4' dishes at the top of an 80 footer by myself before, it's impossible without a good 3:1 system. |
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gator17
join:2004-10-26
Oconto, WI
| reply to gator17
OK, Here is what I have so far on my waveip install. Last night I took the RSU (Residentual Subscriber unit) out in my car placed it on the dash and drove around town. My city is about 2.5 miles in diameter and no matter where I went I got a signal never below -72 I was not trying to align the unit in the car I just had it sitting on the dash. I drove further out as I got further out about 3 to 3.5 miles it seemed hit or miss in some spots. Drove further 4 to 5 miles and got a great signal again never below -70 still leaving the unit on my cars dash. I was very happy. My total output is 11 dbi antenna and 21 on the power was 32 dbi for now I am excited to turn it up after other iissues have been resolved. Because as I said I am fighting some sort of interference issue. I might need a band pass filter or I may even have to go to the 5 mhz gear instead of 20mhz. This weekend I will try the OSU which is the outdoor subscriber unit and will post my results on these distances, Just remember this is just radiosignal readings I will post throuhghput readings once my issues are resolve. Curt Gordy the WaveIp rep has been with me ever step of the process which has been great because I could not do it without him. I will provide pics once I go back up the tower. First impression of the gear overall is WOW/Cool this 900 stuff really works.
Scott |
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polk5
join:2001-12-29
New Orleans, LA | Congratulations on your accomplishments. Im glad to hear waveip is working for you. Am I right in assumming that the reason going with the 20mhz gear is higher throughput? How many non overlapping channels are there with 5 mhz and 20mhz? |
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VariableARK
join:2003-03-17
USA
| reply to gator17
wow, all you guys are experienced tower climbers, i use 60 foot silos with ladders for the most part. although one was a 45 foot silo, with no ladder and we had to use harnesses(they suck). but now ive got a big 120 or 150ft climb (half no ladder), a little worried about that one, but it should be cool.
btw climbing also makes your legs and face sore(depending on the cold) lol. |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX | reply to gator17
I wonder how many of us follow proper safety protocol when climbing vs just grabbing the "ladder" and go? |
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cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA | reply to gator17
I doubt most people even know the rules. 100% attachment when you're higher than 6' means a harness and 2 lanyards at a minimum. |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
1 edit | So what do you use on the end of the lanyards to connect to the tower, silo, etc. Any good links for climbing hardware? |
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cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA | reply to gator17
The lanyards are required to have self locking snaps on the ends. I haven't found a good supplier since I left my last company, but here's a link to the mfg I use.
»www.elkriver.com/ |
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robbin
Premium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
1 edit | Looking at the ElkRiver site, does all of the hardware on this page meet the "self locking snaps" requirement? If so, I assume the last number of the size (7-9/16" x 3-7/8" x 1-5/8") refer to the max opening dimension? How much larger do you want to size your snap opening than the support you are climbing? Too small is obviously bad, but does it slow you down if you are using something too large?
[Edit] I guess what I am trying to understand is what are you doing with your hands. Do you just hold on to hooks and climb or do you somehow try to operate the device and at the same time grasp the structure? |
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cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA
| reply to gator17
robbin it depends on what I am climbing. Generally I prefer the large carbiners because of 2 reasons:
1. The are the easiest to operate with one hand.
2. They are the only type of connecting device that allows for a side loading. (That is wrapping the sling around the tower member and connecting the device back to the sling.)
The only time I change this is that I carry a set of the small snaphooks for climbing foot pegs.
When climbing I make the connection before moving. For example on a ladder, I snap the carabiner to the run, then grasp the rung. Then I move up, snap the next biner in and grasp the next rung. Essentially you have 3 points of contact at all times.
When traversing a face, it's the same way, snap in first, unsnap the other and move.
It's extremely slow but 100% safe and compliant. Personally I usually do not clip into a tower ladder if I feel I don't need to but I always clip in when moving laterally. It's also why so many new towers have a center safetyline. |
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vkr
ExMod 2001-06
join:2001-04-03
Terra |  reply to robbin
(topic move) Climbing towers Make your arms sore
Moderator Action
The post that was here, and all followups to it, were moved to a new topic .. »Fall Protection |
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