How to climb, raise and ground a tower safely, and how far to keep from power lines.
Syllabus: Antenna safety: tower safety and grounding, installing antennas, antenna supports
Compendium articles on the ideas in this lesson, beyond what the exam asks.
Practise the 11 pool questions for this group. Answers are shuffled, and every one comes with a one-line "why".
All apply when climbing: training, an approved harness with tie-off at all times, and a helper or observer. There's no height or job type that makes it safe alone: the answer to "when can I climb alone?" is never.
A crank-up tower must not be climbed unless it is retracted or mechanical safety locks are installed.
RememberTraining, harness, helper. Alone? Never.
Before raising anything, look for overhead wires and stay clear. Plan for the worst: if the antenna or tower falls toward the line, no part may come within 10 feet of the wires.
For the same reason, never attach an antenna to a utility pole: it could contact high-voltage lines.
RememberFall zone plus 10 feet. Utility poles are off limits.
Drive a separate 8-foot rod for each tower leg, bonded to the tower and to each other. Keep ground wires short and direct, and avoid sharp bends. Local electrical codes set the grounding requirements, not FCC Part 97.
Wind vibration slowly turns turnbuckles. A safety wire through it prevents loosening from vibration.
RememberSafety wire = vibration lock, not a lightning path.