antennas and winds

[guest]

I've been trying to figure out what would save me from climbing up the antennas and after realizing that the winds come from a bad direction, climbing down again. Everyone who lives around antennas knows that this happens more often that getting actually to jump the object. Usually the ground winds are different from the top and the wheather channel is not accurate enough.

I bought a small canister of helium and and a few bright colored balloons. Now, i just fill up the balloon, let it get up and notice if it's going towards to the wires higher up. This has saved me a lot sweat lately. I hope it this might help you too.

Iiro

[guest]

I am thinking of using this method of wind drift. Is it something that you are doing during the day or at night? Or both? The next question is do you ever tye off a fishing weight or anything to the ballon to keep it close to the anntena by the time it gets to jump altitude? I ask that b/c some times when the winds are stronger and we toss some toilet paper it gets well away from the object before its even fifty feet below us. Anyways thanks for the new idea and hopefully you will hear from us soon if this darn snow would go away.

Pringles

[guest]

Another creative idea from the minds of BASE jumpers... thank you!

On a similar note and a reminder to all... Helium balloons and other WDI's ARE littering. We justify this by the great information it gives us as being potentially lifesaving.

As a general rule of thumb at your local BASE site....
try to pick up at least 2 pieces of litter for every one you throw. This includes SMOKERS who toss cigarette butts.

Your planet, fellow humans, and other living critters will love you for it, not to mention you're helping to keep your much beloved BASE sites clean.

True Story... My mate and I once got out of a ticket (caught tresspassing on top of a cliff seconds before exiting) by picking up trash. The park officer was surprised and impressed with our desire to keep the park clean and let us off.

Moral of the story:
Picking up trash keeps the planet clean and happy and creates good carma for you!

Happy New Year!

Peace!
532
(tree hugging BASE jumper! :-))

[guest]

Liro,
A couple of methods I use are simple and do not involve littering. There are a few smoke stacks in my area that are absolutely excelent at indicating winds up to 1000 feet AGL. Even at night I can see them and the smoke coming from the top of several 50+ story buildings downtown. Also, as a pilot, I have become accustomed to either calling flight service directly for an abbreviated briefing includint the closest winds aloft forcast or getting that info directly online from DUATs or another pilot weather service. You can call you local flight service station by dialing 1 800-WX-BRIEF. Ask another pilot the proper precedure before you do this however.

Good luck. CLimbing down sucks. We are lucky here. All the towers that we have here have an open field in every sector. And most have big enough landing areas that too much wind at the top is rarely an issue.

Be safe.