am antena

[jupija]

look im seek and tired of watching 135 meter antena for which i know that is AM and it works 24 hours under 15 kw power.. So here is the question to all that jumped the am antenas, how powerfull was the thing u jumped, what should i touch and what not, what r your experiences... i just want to do it once, it s not like i would klimb up there every weekend....

[truckerbase]

look im seek and tired of watching 135 meter antena for which i know that is AM and it works 24 hours under 15 kw power.. So here is the question to all that jumped the am antenas, how powerfull was the thing u jumped, what should i touch and what not, what r your experiences... i just want to do it once, it s not like i would klimb up there every weekend....

In terms of the wattage, yours is pretty weak. I would call your power rating a "local" broadcast system. If so, I would say your antenna has guy wires and is all by itself. Very local antenna=very tolerable radiation levels.
However, it can still "Tom Aiello" you if you touch it while grounded. This electrocution hazard is very real and very tricky as some antennas are completely electrofied while others are partially electrofied (they have a grounded standing support structure with an insulated electrofied core), which means you could electrocute yourself if you touch the antenna while still being in contact with the ground, or you could spark yourself if you are on the lower part of the antenna and touch a support structure that is grounded. The jump isnt really worth the bother of these things alot of the time for one reason or another, and a brilliant white flash and a hand burn was enough to remind me that even once youre on it, the antenna can still surprise you.

However, for those still charmed by this mutant sub-species of niched base exit point, jumping on a dry day, wearing insulated boots and gloves, bringing out a dry wooden platform and a rubber mat, then jumping onto the antenna from the wood and rubber onto the antenna without ever touching anything else, or falling back upon failure to the ground while still not touching anything associated with the antenna, seems to be the usual methodology. When you jump up, and your hand grabs the antenna to pull yourself up, and one foot lands on a rung or girder, neither the other foot nor any other part of your body can be at that instant in contact with the ground or whatever rubber or wood protection you may be jumping off of. The rubber mat and the wooden stepladder you leap from is just wishful back-up, not a guarantee of insulation.

Learn as much about the antenna as you can, and have a very good look at it in good lighting to see how it has been put together, and what wires go where, and whats connected to what. The base is on a (black) ceramic (bakelite) insulator and the wires are insulated with connector balls which link segments of cable to the antenna. Be above and inside all insulators.

Be as insulated with common sense and an eagerness to walk away.

And remember. If you get zapped by one of these things, you could die. Or even look like Tom Aiello for the rest. Of your life....

Yah..... :eek:


Ps. No offense, but in your post you sound impatient. Impatience and Am antennas are a recipe for a barbecue. Leave the meat at home...

[Mac]

look im seek and tired of watching 135 meter antena for which i know that is AM and it works 24 hours under 15 kw power.. So here is the question to all that jumped the am antenas, how powerfull was the thing u jumped, what should i touch and what not, what r your experiences... i just want to do it once, it s not like i would klimb up there every weekend....

Sometimes companies publish their time tables for the AM towers to get powered down for various reasons. I have seen windows of upto 4 hours where the tower is not live - would be a ballsy choice to rely on the info though!

Another way to find out about power downs or infact any info about AM towers is something like I did and called the company and spoke to the Technical Director about his group of AM towers and he kindly offered up so much information about them as he thought I was a sad old antenna spotter who was interested in the technical information - its amazing what people talk about when you show interest............. I mean, how many people listen to him talking about towers! :D

[jupija]

yeah and they r giving u all the info u really dont need, and they r relly happy when u show interest, but then when u just ask them how much color they used the last time they were doing paint job on it and then u just put a inocent question , how big the antena is, they r suprised how can b info on hight of any interest, or when u ask them how many times a year they have a maintainance work on it, they look kind of suprised... but the worst thing is when u know they r up there with the tower turned off justv for that few hours that they r working on it

[Mac]

yeah and they r giving u all the info u really dont need, and they r relly happy when u show interest, but then when u just ask them how much color they used the last time they were doing paint job on it and then u just put a inocent question , how big the antena is, they r suprised how can b info on hight of any interest, or when u ask them how many times a year they have a maintainance work on it, they look kind of suprised... but the worst thing is when u know they r up there with the tower turned off justv for that few hours that they r working on it

either that or they tell you which of their AM towers are actually never turned on.
:rolleyes: