Jeff Folk / AI4U was kind enough to provide us these photos, which aside from
showing a superb tower installation in fairly tight quarters, also expose some key
safety factors which are too often overlooked in Amateur Radio tower work.

Jeff is employed by a major US cellular carrier, and through these photos he
reveals some very good common-sense practices that deserve attention.

In the first photo above, the lower-most tower section is bolted to the
foundation while the concrete is curing. While not absolutely necessary, this
does offer an added degree of certainty when plumbing the foundation section.
 
 

Okay - time for the tower installation and Jeff is now communicating the steps of the job
with the crane operator prior to beginning work. Remember, not all crane operators have
installed towers on residential land, aside from installing antennas afterwards.
 
 

With the initial lift, joint splice plates already are in position at the section joints,
which means that much less work that needs to be done in the air.
 
 

Getting the first joint together.
 
 

It's imperative that the climber be dressed properly for the job, for reasons of
safety and also comfort while on the steel, as Jeff demonstrates here. Hard hats
should be worn at all times, by tower hands and the ground crew both.

Although it may seem obvious, boots should always be worn while doing tower
work of any kind, especially if extended periods of time are expected to be spent
on the tower. Aside from comfort, there is a real potential for climber fatigue if
care is not taken to dress properly for tower work from head to toe - literally.
 
 

Another lift, the top two sections of the LD-70.
 
 

Now, with the tower sections bolted in place, the first yagi getting ready to fly.
 
 

Catching the yagi.
 
 

Positioning the mast down through the bearing plate.
 
 

Always have the crane located as near to the base of the tower as possible,
as shown above. The crane operator has a much better perspective of what's
happening at the top of the tower from this location than from further back.
 
 

Having all the tools for the job with you at all times makes the job go very smooth,
even with just one man on the tower.
 
 

Job well done, all in an afternoon's time.
 
 

Back in the shack and on the air!
 
 

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