Tag Archives: RF Engineer

SOW Tutorial and more Feedback

November 21, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

I am taking this moment to let you all know that I put together a Scope of Work tutorial so everyone out there can understand the SOW. Yes, a shameless plug for something I made to help you out. I have a page setup to help you out, go to http://wadesarver.com/scope-work-training/ to learn more. Price is $24.99US but for reading this I have a discount code w4w_sow that will save you about $10 off of that price. I put this together for the wireless field workers that need to understand the SOW or may have to write one. It is a video tutorial. I have a free PDF white paper to help. Feel free to download it and see if it can help you out. If you want to order now click on the icons below.

I understand from many of you that you are working as contractors and need to write or update a SOW. My intention is to make sure that you understand the work in the SOW and that you understand how to protect yourself from doing work that is not covered in the SOW. I tried to make it clear how this is going to be your key to getting paid for the work you do and how you can create a change order for the work that is not in the SOW. Remember that all the extra work you do will cost your company money so you will need to weigh out whether the customer is going to appreciate it and reward you with more work or if they are taking advantage of you. That is your call but if the SOW is properly written you can make it your decision how to process.

And now, more Feedback!

OK, now let’s get to the feedback. Let me start by saying that I really appreciate the time you have taken to post notes in the feedback forms, thank you! I don’t post names because I don’t want anyone to get in trouble or be ridiculed by the tower community. If you put your company name in, I will post it unless I find it offensive in some way.
OK, let’s get started.
From my post “Climbing alone” we have:
Comment: Awesome ……like minds are good to hear
Response: Thank you!
Comment OSHA 1910.151(b) in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available. Seemingly this indicates the necessity of a minimum of two persons.
Also, OSHA 1910.38 Emergency action plans. The requirements for a rescue plan under OSHA 1910.38 require a written rescue plan is on site completed and signed by all participating personnel.
To my knowledge, I have never reviewed a plan of rescue that
could be construed with a single climber carrying out the complete written activities to be performed during execution of a rescue.
One last thought, I do not believe there is a legal allowance affording the presence of only a single employee on site at any given time. This/these are my interpretation of the readings of the above stated reg.’s. Be familiar with the rules and when and where they may apply. Help with your crew members to become familiar, and at the same time become able to Trust yourself to know. That’s all I have,
Response: Thank you sir!
Comment: Wade – I wrote a blog post about this myself back in May:
http://safetyoneinc.com/climbing-alone/
I hear about this frequently. Not too long ago one of our clients told me about how he fired someone for climbing alone after repeated warnings. Nice to see someone stand behind his words with actions.
Be Safe!
Response: Thank you for taking the time to let everyone know the dangers of climbing alone. Even if you think you can, it is better to have someone there. I know the mentality that it won’t happen to you. We all think that until something so stupid happens, then we know it could happen to anybody. Things happen, good and bad, not always in our control or we get careless. Not fair, but it does. We aren’t always smart, safe, and we don’t always pay attention. We say we do, but we get stupid when we are in a hurry or tired. I know I do!
Comment: Well I do understand where this is coming from. I remember when our policy was buddy system we were to NEVER climb alone. Then as the company got busier it was well its okay just call me before, at location, and back on the ground. Then it went to no mention the fact I was aligning a 6′ or 10′ antenna by myself at 500’….. As time went on the company got so adapted to us climbing alone that if I said someone should be with me , it turned into well I guess we didn’t have what it took to step up. I made my way from greenhorn to lead man to supervisor, to job coordinator. After 15 years I decided to leave. There comes a point when a man becomes a man (at times a stupid one) but we all do what we have to do to take care and provide for the time being. Once he or she realizes the company that sends them out alone is only worried about their Upper Management Bonus check that comes in when the job was done with less payroll. PROFIT is all it comes down to. So if you’re reading this and you understand what I mean. Stop living (risking) your own life for your company that doesn’t care about your worth as an employee. I’m no longer there and left the industry entirely. Now I only kick myself for not doing these 14 years and 11 months ago. When your employer values and respects you……. You as an employee will have a new-found fire and self-worth to exceed farther than you would if you were left alone with no help if needed. Be safe guys and WHOOP! WHOOP! Climb safe and take your time to double-check your anchor. And remember its okay to be 100% tied off it’s a good habit & gets you home safe. Take care.
Response: Thank you for the honesty! I know exactly what you mean. We usually start out with the best intentions, but then something changes, the workload, the schedule, the bonuses, the money, or we just get lazy. We may deny all of these, but I have been there and I have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight, and I know that I fell into these categories. Denial is something we can do until something terrible happens, then all we have is our excuses.
Comment: At the end of the day it all comes down to safety training. But people still make mistakes… most of which I’d say is caused by fatigue caused by poor management, busy work schedules, pressure to finish sites quickly, etc. Wireless work is very complex and it takes very knowledgeable people to make it work.
Response: So true!
OK, I have more feedback and I guess I have to do a follow-up. I will put more out in the next post unless some big news happens. I will try to get it to you soon!
Let me know what you think, don’t be shy!

By the way, if you stuck with me this far, here are some links that you may find useful!
Antenna basics free tutorial http://host.comsoc.org/freetutorial/rohde4/rohde4.html
Cold Stress information http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coldstress/
Wireless Estimator is creating a Wireless Blue Book to help you find all your wireless needs in one location, http://www.wirelessestimator.com/blue-book/#!/
Trauma Kit information https://wadesarver.com/Podcast/critical-mindset-lane-falkner-talks-about-trauma-kits/
NATE webinar NATE Webinar Article…
I have books; please take a look at the new pages I created, http://wadesarver.com/tower-climbing-introduction/ and http://wadesarver.com/field-workers-aid-tower-site-work/ so you can get more information!

Don’t forget, support Hubble!

Search on iTunes for Wade4wireless and write a review now! Listen please!

Guess what?!! I have finished a training video for the SOW.

The price for the Scope of Work training is $24.99 but I have discounts for those of you who read this.

Gumroad for credit card sales – Save $10 by entering this code – w4w_sow. Credit Card https://gum.co/Wade4Wireless_SOW

Sellfy for PayPal sales – Save 40% by entering this code – w4w_sow. PayPal https://sellfy.com/p/BumL/

Kindle Books:

PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

PDF books you can pay with Credit Card:

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Holy HetNet Wireless Man, What does this Mean?

September 17, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

I am going to go over the HetNet, what it is, and how it will mean more work for the entire industry. I have more information in the podcast but I do ramble a bit. I also put come rigging and cling videos at the end of the blog. The first video is really good at explaining how slings are made and the difference between them Please take the time to look at them. No, I am not promoting anyone, I just thought it was a good overview of slings and Jim Steele did a great job. My opinion!

OK, so what is a HetNet? Well, Wikipedia definition is here. Let me break it down for you and explain.HetNet is short for Heterogeneous Network which when you break it down in the wireless world it would be a combination of connecting Macro and Micro cells and several technologies into one network to create a better overall network. That would include LTE, CDMA, and Wi-Fi. Just think that several different devices all working together combining different technologies into one beautiful seamless network! Look up HetNet and you see it’s a combination of Macro, pico, and femto cells. Multiple systems, multiple frequencies, and multiple technologies all working in one harmonious system so you can play Angry Birds on your smart phone. LTE, CDMA, and Wi-Fi, all working to make sure that you can use your phone to look up directions to the nearest bar.

iTunes search for wade4wireless today!

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

You could always subscribe to the blog!

[emailpickup]

What does this mean to the wireless deployment industry? Billions of dollars from carriers and Public Safety. In the USA I am hoping that FirstNet realizes that if they deploy Macro and Micro together they will be starting with a better network giving better coverage. Why not build the best network possible from day one? If you have time read this article from Mission Critical. It shows you that the small cell deployment will really start to get rolling. They expected more in 2014, but there are too many deployment issues to be worked out. I think that most of the research people totally overlook deployment and backhaul. They need to understand that Site Acquisition and backhaul will be similar to that of a cell site. It is not going to be quick and easy. It needs to be well thought out and designed and cost-effective. All three are hard to align.

So what does this mean to the tower worker, the tower technician, the field engineer? Well, it will mean more work. The small cell deployment will create a good bit of work for the deployment people. It will be large deployments for work that probably won’t be more that 15′ off of the ground. It will also be changes to the antennas and equipment on the towers. This is going to shape the industry as we know it.The tower work will not only include improvements to antennas, but the outdoor units, the RRH or RRU, will be improved, changes, fiber will be run on the tower, like it is now, and will the primary cable used. The Hybriflex cable and how it will be common place. Then, to make the network complete, the small cells will complement the network. The wireless worker who has the fiber skills and understands antennas will be the one who has the experience to terminate fiber, understand azimuth, and power up the unit to make sure it is installed correctly and working properly. Make sure you have the proper training and you will bid on the work and hopefully win the large deployments locally. There will be a lot of work so if you win in your hometown, great. I don’t see people traveling far to do this work so this is a great opportunity for you to get some local work. It should only take 2 people to do this work.

Just because it is smaller and lighter doesn’t mean you should not think about safety! You need to know about ladder safety while you are there. Also, remember that you will be on the street and in businesses and malls. What I mean is you will be around people who will complain if you talk like you talk at the tower. This means limit the swear words, specifically the F word because if there are complaints that get back to the carriers then they will remove you from the bid list for something stupid. Trust ,me, I know. I had complaints about one of my crews that took hours of apologies to many people who I had to personally deal with because the crew forgot that “normal” people were around. Be safe and be courteous. Think about the people around you when you are working. For more on ladder safety go to OSHA Ladder Safety Quick Card.

Anyone who thinks we don’t have dead spots must live in an awesome area because I still drop calls on the highways and in the cities and in my house. Maybe it’s just me, right? So when you look at the HetNets being deployed, currently by AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless you will see that the changes and upgrades to the networks are massive. They are not only going to repair dead-zones but improve the download capabilities of the devices. Someday they may compete with the cable companies for internet access.

So who will deploy a HetNet? Everyone! It is a combination of Macro work by the tower climbers and the Small Cell deployment people rolling out the large numbers. Small cell deployment will be broken down into 2 segments including indoor and outdoor. Indoor should be very straight forward where you deploy several in a building or a mall but it still takes RF design and site engineering and backhaul. However, then you will have a stadium where you will have a mix of indoor and outdoor. This is where the engineering will really be precise. Not only the RF engineering, but you will have site design and backhaul that will be taken into consideration.

Small Cells will really improve coverage to the customers who will appreciate having not only a good connection but also great download speeds. Ubiquitous coverage will be closer than ever, at least in populated areas. It will really start to become a solid reality that we have wireless coverage no matter where you are at in populated areas. HetNet will become the norm in the industry. I don’t think the OEMs and carriers look at it with any curiosity now; they are looking to roll it out.

What do you think about this or what I should do next?

I kept this short; more in the podcast, here are some links.

http://www.thedasforum.org/

http://www.pcia.com/industry-initiatives/hetnet-forum

http://cms.comsoc.org/SiteGen/Uploads/Public/Docs_Chapter_Portugal/Events/Slides_Talk_12_4.pdf

http://www.thedasforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Mission-Critical-Spectrum-low-res-8-14.pdf

http://www.3gpp.org/hetnet

http://www.ericsson.com/res/thecompany/docs/press/media_kits/hetnet_infographic_vertical_04.pdf

http://nsn.com/portfolio/solutions/heterogeneous-networks

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/solutions/small-cells

OK, more rigging training videos!

Crane work mostly but you may find it useful.

The first one is on Slings and how they are made, very interesting and useful!

I will put out a series of wireless worker paperwork that I will have coming out soon and some books to help you out with the future paperwork issues.

Show that you love the climber’s families by helping the Hubble Foundation!

2 books. One for the new tower climber, the green hand, to understand that will be expected. The other is a handy aid to help out when you are at the site. I am writing a new book to go over all of the paperwork that you could encounter on the job so you understand what you are working on and what you should be doing. You may expand to other jobs in the industry. This can be the beginning of a great career path in the wireless industry.

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Drugs, Morons, and Steel.

August 27, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

I got 3 things to talk about today – drugs, morons, and steel.

Drugs:

Let’s start with drugs, yes drugs. In fact, I will make it simple, let’s talk about marijuana, pot, hemp, or the wacky weed. Whatever you want to call it, pot stays in your system for quite a while. I read this article about POT on Truth on Pot which says that detectable amounts are in the system for up to 12 hours, but could be detectable for up to 27 hours. Why am I telling you this, because if you smoke the night before and then you have a drug test the following day, guess what, you may fail. If there is an accident and they test everyone, then if there is a trial it is no longer about the accident but about the incompetent drug user on the site. In fact the blame may be put on the guy smoking. So we probably will have drug testing for all tower crews in the near future. Apparently, from the feedback I have been getting most people just can’t stop. One big party on the road. More pot articles are here and here or here. Remember that if something bad happens, there will be someone looking to lay blame, who better to blame than the pothead? Drug test should be mandatory after every incident. Random drug tests may become the standard. Get ready for the changes.

If you care about the coworkers on your site, you need to curb your habits! Even if you are on cold medicine, you need to speak up and say something. Anything that could dull your senses or could cause problems should be brought to the chief’s/boss’ attention. If you are the chief, then wake up and let your crew know. Team relies on each other to live. Lives matter, blame is too late.

Wake up pothead, I don’t care what you do on your own time, none of my business, but if a family loses anything because you’re smoking dope then we have real problems. This industry needs professionals!

On iTunes search for wade4wireless today!

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

You could always subscribe to the blog!

[emailpickup]

Morons:

So now we come to the morons section. This is something that most of you don’t want to admit. Hey, I was a moron a few times, what set me apart was that I learned from my mistakes and I asked for help. Isn’t it great that when someone on Facebook has a legitimate question and all the people can do is rip that guy apart for being stupid! I would like to start my own forum so I can kick those guys out. We are all professionals here, grow up. Are you a skilled professional or a laborer? Which is it? There are places for both on the crew – it’s just nice to know where you stand. What can you tell me about the job you are on? I have done both, but if you are just there for the paycheck, remember that lives are on the line. Don’t be a moron!

Steel:

And now the steel section, we need to be safe on the steel. Are we looking at the big picture when it comes to safety on the tower? Do we know how safe the tower is? Did someone look at the structural? Yes, they usually do because it is an obvious hazard that can be easily, although not cheaply, looked at.

What about the tie off points? Did anyone look to see if the tower was safe to climb and if the climber had tie off points? Ever climb a monopole where the pegs are loose? I did. Ever climb a tower where the face is so huge you need to go to the top and climb down another leg to rig in safety lines? Yup, did that too. Did you ever take two people to rig a safety line to cross a face? I did that too. It’s all extra work.

What if the tower has a ladder up the middle then you need to be able to descend to the point you are working at. Usually in something like that there is very little to tie off to for your positioning lanyard much less another point to tie off your safety lanyard. You probably will need to stay attached to the rope but it’s not an ideal situation. Should the tower owner clean that up? Should they make an effort to make the towers or monopoles as safe as possible for the climbers? Yes, absolutely! Are they doing this? You tell me! Tell me in the form below because I think that when there is an accident they are often overlooked. I worked on many towers where there were so few tie off points. It really helps when they are readily available. They can be added but it costs money. Remember this article?

Feedback let’s me know what you want to know!

I think the goal should be that if there is an accident at the tower, we can unconditionally look at the guy that’s hurt and see he was at fault! That should be the goal, to clearly identify the fault, equipment failure or stupidity. Now, however, we are still not doing that. We are still guessing at what happened. Isn’t it time we start taking every excuse for an accident away? We all know that people have to work at heights, we all know how to improve some towers, and we all know that no one wants to spend the money to do it. This is one way to eliminate a problem.

We really need to work together. Remember that this is only one hazard. Keeping hydrated on the tower is a simple way to eliminate another hazard. Working as a team will eliminate more hazards. Daily inspections eliminate another hazard. Tailgate meetings and planning, eliminate more hazards. Hazard assessment – make things as safe as possible, as a team. Training will eliminate another hazard. Practice rescue techniques, keep first aid kits and trauma kits handy.

Did you do the ALS Ice Bucket challenge?

By the way, I have 2 sites now, www.wade4wireless.com and www.wadesarver.com/podcast and I will work to merge them. I am bringing you the podcast so you can listen while you drive!

Interested?

http://www.criticalmindset.com/

http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/pastissues/057/11/030_036_F1Elli_1112.pdf

http://smallwindconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BP-doc-ver-4.pdf

http://ncc.gov.ng/archive/RegulatorFramework/Guidelines_on_Technical_Specifications_for_the_Installation_of_Telecommunications_Masts_and_Towers.pdf

http://k7nv.com/notebook/topics/TowerTips.pdf

http://www.inti.gob.ar/cirsoc/pdf/antenas/preventing_corrosion.pdf

My Books below. I wrote them to get you started but now I am going to put together some more to keep you going. Understand that you can build a career path to get you beyond climbing.

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Trucks, Ropes, Heat, and Near Misses!

August 6, 2014 Wade Leave a comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello all,
I wanted to go over 4 things today. Something that you hear about tower work is all the risks. What about the things that most workers live in, like their truck. I thought it might be fun for all of you to talk about what you drive. When you do tower work your truck is your office, you live in it. You probably had one that you loved and one that you hated. I have a survey so I expect you to let me know in a sentence or 2.

Subscribe to the podcast!

Hurry, write a review on iTunes or Stitcher today!

I also want to give you some links to gain access to the rope experts, just to let you know what is going on. IRATA and SPRAT are excellent resources for not only rope access workers but to teach climbers more about rope and controlled descent. We can all learn from what they have to share.

Finally 2 more things! It’s hot out there! Be aware of your body’s needs. Stay hydrated and keep your work mates hydrated. This ties into the finally subject, and that is near misses that are never reported.

Truck, specifically your work truck. Do you have a favorite work truck for tower work? Not your personal vehicle, but your work truck. If you’re like me you had several throughout your career. I have a survey, it’s simple! Just tell me your favorite work truck and your most hated work truck. Don’t just tell me the make and model but give me a 1 sentence response why you loved or hated it.

Let me tell you mine! My favorite was a Ford F150, great truck because it was really nice inside, nice ride, could handle hauling over 1,000 lbs of steel, and was reliable. It was so reliable. That is the one truck that never broke down on me. I had 2 trucks that didn’t break down ever, this one and I had a Nissan Armada, SUV, that is another awesome vehicle that I used for engineering work.

I really hated a Chevy 1500 I had, you know why? It would break down on Friday nights when I was on my way home. Not once, not twice, 3 times in 2 years on a Friday night while I was on my way home. I really hated that truck! I had a Ford Explorer which had transmission problems, but even that truck ran. The Chevy 1500 had its gas pump, in the gas tank, that would fail regularly. For the mechanic to repair it he would have to drain and drop the gas tank because the pump was in the tank. What a stupid design! This truck helped me decide that I would never buy another Chevy, but hey, that’s me.

http://wade4wireless.polldaddy.com/s/trucks-in-tower-work

Ropes, we really need to know more about ropes. This is an update from IRATA. IRATA, International Rope Access Trade Association. Why would a tower worker care? If you’re asking that, then maybe you should look for a new career. Climbers use ropes every day, lanyard, rigging, safety, controlled descent, hoists, and more. You all should be paying attention to attention to what this industry is saying and we should quickly partner with them. They have updates on their site, IRATA, offering several PDF documents that should be of interest to you.

Also in the realm of ropes you should be paying attention to what SPRAT is doing. SPRAT, Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians. Web site is here, SPRAT and they just had a meeting in Colorado that I am looking to see what they talked about. They have standards to download at http://sprat.org/publications/standards/ and white papers at http://sprat.org/publications/whiteletter/ that have good information. I suggest that you take a look to know what you are missing. Specifically this,”Safe Practices for Rope Access Work”, which you to review.

Heat is something that many workers are dealing with this time of year. I would like to quote Art Seely, who happens to be the CEO at Safety One International Training and a senior paramedic, http://safetyoneinc.com/ for all of those wondering about this guy. Thank you Mr. Seely! He sent me this in LinkedIn on a discussion we had on heat exhaustion of the worker that needed to be rescued recently. Per Arthur Seely, “Wade, Just a guess but I would put $20 on the fact the climber was dehydrated! The big difference between climbing in the summer (or in Florida any time of year) and climbing in the winter is that although dehydration occurs in both scenarios in the hot environment perspiration causes the dehydration which throws the electrolyte balance in the blood plasma off very quickly resulting in nausea, cramps, weakness, postural hypotension etc, A summer climber needs fluid with electrolytes such as a diluted 50% Gatorade mixture to drink at 10 minute intervals. The only disadvantage to 50% diluted Gatorade is the stomach “sees” the nutrients in the solution and immediately passes the fluid on to the small intestine where the absorption rate is only 1/3 as fast as if the fluid stayed in the stomach. With pure water the fluid stays in the stomach and is more quickly passed to the blood stream. Once in the blood stream the rehydration progresses next to the cells and finally to the interstitial spaces. The point of mentioning that is that even though a climber feels better after rehydrating from serious dehydration he should wait at least 12 hours to resume any significant work. In winter climbs the majority of the fluid loss is through the surface of the lungs which unlike perspiration does not upset electrolyte balance and water is a great substitute to drink before, during and after the climb… In either case once you have a victim on a tower or on the ground the initial attempts at “fluid resuscitation” should always utilize water at close to body temperature. As with all victims they must be able to hold the fluid container and drink from it themselves, do not attempt to pour it into their mouth as vomiting and aspiration resulting in a delayed bacterial pneumonia is a likely result and that can easily be fatal without prompt hospitalization. Once the victim’s symptoms start to improve then if they were in a hot environment you can start with Gatorade at 50% or 100% concentrations. A couple of instructors at Safety One are working on heavily modifying an insulated 3 L Camelback to safely attach to a standard harness, I’ll let you know when they have it “perfected”. At that point Safety One will be having a “garage sale” of about 50 different slightly used and damaged Camelback type hydration carriers from all over the world!! LOL!”

I will have more on heat in another post, this could go on for hours but let me send you off with some links, California law, http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/HeatIllnessInfo.html, and the Training Advisor, http://trainingdailyadvisor.blr.com/category/workplace-safety/?source=TDA&effort=18&funcode=QT10&utm_source=BLR&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=TDAEmail both have some good information. Basically, if you are on the tower remember to stay hydrated. If you are on the ground remember to stay hydrated and remind the guy in the air to stay hydrated and send the climber fluid on a regular basis. Be smart and pay attention so no one gets hurt!

Finally, the near misses conversation. I was reading the post of my friend Kevin Carter, seen HERE about how no one reports near misses. Go ahead and read his article, then come back if it’s easier. Basically Kevin talks about how tower workers, rarely, if ever, report near misses when no one gets hurt. Why would they, after all, no one got hurt. Well, maybe this is how we learn. The problem is that in any company you get penalized for the accident regardless if someone gets hurt or not. Safety is better than it’s ever been, and yet this year and last year are the worst ever for deaths! Did you read that? The worst for death rate in the tower industry. So what can we do? Well, I think I have an answer, If you have a story you would like to tall, I can do 2 things. I can write about it, keeping your name confidential, I could record it, but I won’t disguise your voice, or you can email me and let me know what it is. I would like to put a collection of stories together for a post, but only if you want to talk about them.

Sharing near misses in this industry is a lesson for future workers. I think it would be valuable content that should be shared with everyone. However, I know it’s embarrassing or it may be your job. So I think if you would share, I will print it and keep your name, company, and location out of the article. My information is below. I know that you probably don’t want to do this, but it really is a responsibility to share the lessons learned. So if you share a story, then make sure you share what you did wrong and what you did next time to make it right. Got it?

I understand why workers don’t like to report things like this, because the safety manager would want to shut the job down, do drug testing, and make everyone write-up an accident report. That hurts the schedule, creates delays, and is a real inconvenience. I get it, just make a note and the crew on site knows not to do something like that again. That is where the mentoring program comes in handy because the experienced climber can share the story with the newer climber. If you are new, don’t judge, listen and learn.

OK, we covered a lot in this post. Let me know about your favorite and hated trucks! Read up on rope access and learn. It’s more than being well-rounded, it’s being prepared! Read up on heat, hydration, and looking out for your work mates so that you all get home alive. Finally, pay attention to near misses and share those stories with me, let me know what they are so I can share them. This is your chance to share your knowledge with others in the industry. Help a fellow tower worker out. Maybe your story will save someone’s life!

By the way, I am planning to put out some more books, this time on scopes of work, Bill of materials, and other useful information for the workers. Let me know what you think.

Other information!

Remember that the Hubble Foundation needs your support. They help any climber in need, so remember that when you need help and if you can help! Show you care for the families of the fallen and the fellow climbers in need. They still have tickets to the car giveaway! Support Hubble, honor the fallen, and maybe win a Mustang! By the way, how much did you give today?

I am working on 2 new projects, a new book that outlines my different jobs in the industry and a library of reference material that you can access quickly to take to the site. I want to see you make the site safer with quick reference material. If you have any idea of what you need out there let me know. Show me you care, Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment or leave a message at 510-516-4283

My Books on Kindle:

My PDF books on Sellfy, Pay with PayPal:

My PDF books on GumRoad, Pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=330216

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2011-0540-0001

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Would You, Could You Rescue Your Fellow Climber?

July 16, 2014 Wade

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Subscribe!

Hey, this week I want to discuss something that has been on the minds of so many tower workers out there. Would you rescue a fellow climber in trouble? In recent news there have been several stories that someone was left hanging until the fire department arrived to perform the rescue. The good news is that they all are alive today, so all’s well that ends well. Getting home alive really matters when things go wrong. You may forget what matters until you are confronted with a terrible situation.

So back to the point, would you rescue a coworker? Could you rescue a coworker in trouble? I reached out to several groups, and everyone I with thinks that this should be the policy. I have to tell you, everyone I heard from, and talked too said yes. Not one person said they would wait for the rescue team unless absolutely necessary. However, the one comment I got on my blog when the guy was hanging over the edge of the platform on the monopole was that the guy went home alive and he felt the crew did the right thing. I didn’t forget that and that is why I said something in the beginning, they are all alive. That is so important so I am so happy the fire departments have high rescue, really, I thank GOD for that. They are alive. I don’t know why the coworkers didn’t make an attempt but they seemed to do the right thing. Their coworkers are alive.

I need to know, is there a policy out there that would have people not make the attempt? Most of the older tower climbers are well versed in rescue. Did that change? I even heard from a few people with the carriers, (who were not happy that I brought up the whole “carriers devalue climbing” issue) said that everyone on site should be able to do rescue.

I was on a forum of guys that do high tower work and all of them said overwhelmingly that they would attempt the rescue if they felt it was safe. Remember that you need to be prepared. Prepared? What does that mean? I will tell you, prepared in training, rope, safety, gear, and control. Control of your emotions and actions.

I have to tell you I was trained by Winton Wilcox of the old ComTrain. Regardless of what you think of ComTrain, Winton’s training and advice was invaluable to me. He went through so many scenarios of what could happen, especially if someone was irrational or not willing to let you help them. Remember that they could panic like someone drowning. I don’t know if any of you know much about being a lifeguard, but I took all of that training when I was you and they went through the same actions because people panic. People panic, people become irrational in terrible situations, people go crazy. No joke, not good, people panic. Are you prepared to deal with that? I was because Winton went through that as one of the scenarios.

Would you save someone who would rather fight you than help you rescue them? Could you be kind enough to give them a right hook to calm them down? Could you do it? Could you take the time to rig the tower with a rope for descent and a rope for safety before helping the person? Could you be the rational person on site? I know you say yes now, but if you listened to the Trauma podcast with Lane Falkner then you know it’s not so easy. Could you work on someone’s injury much less pull them from a tower? I would imagine most of you would think a lifeguard has it easy, but when you see them pull someone from the water and save someone, then what do you think? To pull someone from a tower is real work and you have to be very confident to do it. It takes practice and confidence. Practice? That is where the training comes in, practice. Pay attention! If you practice you would be more ready because then you are prepared. If you are prepared then you can adapt to the situation. If you can improvise then you can adapt to the situation. Once you know how to adapt then you can overcome the obstacles and issues and fear. Improvise, adapt and overcome is said by the marines because if you are prepared you can do it. The marines don’t say it for nothing, they say it because it becomes a way to survive and help your partner survive.

With all of that said, if you can’t do the rescue, call for help! If your company has a no rescue policy, then maybe you should wonder why you work for them.

So would you? I don’t think that is the right question! I think the right question is could you? What is the situation? What is your capability? What equipment and ropes do you have? What help do you have? Did you already call for help? You should always call for help right away! Just do it! Does anyone on the crew have enough experience to help a coworker out. Experience, now there’s something that we should think about. Many of you that read this have experience with climbing, but do you have enough experience in rescue? When is the last time you took a rescue class? When is the last time you practiced rescue? When is the last time you pulled someone off the tower? Do you think that rescue practice is a waste of time? Then get another job!

Climbing should be for people who care and have a passion for the job. If you’re in it just to kill time then maybe you should think twice about your future. There is no shame in finding something you enjoy. Unfortunately most of these young men that are in accidents seem to really like the job, which makes writing this so hard. Many of them dies doing something they love. It’s too late for them but if you happen to go to a tower where seasoned veterans are working then make a point to learn from them.

Climbing and tower work isn’t for everyone. Rescue isn’t for everyone. Thank GOD for the Fire Departments learning high rescue and rope rescue, I have some links below.

Show me you care, Facebook, wade4wireless@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Don’t forget to take the poll for jobs!

Remember that the Hubble Foundation needs your support. Show you care for the families of the fallen and the fellow climbers in need. They still have tickets to the car giveaway! Support Hubble, honor the fallen, and maybe win a Mustang!

OSHA Issues citations to company telling workers to free climb:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=26346

Old news of workers who waited for Fire department to be rescued:

http://www.ngwinnett.com/news/gwinnett-firefighters-rescue-man-injured-while-working-on-cell-tower-1461046

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/gwinnett-co-worker-injured-partial-fall-cell-tower/ngHyz/

Fire departments being trained for rope rescue:

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2014/06/firemen_receive_tower_rescue_t.html

http://www.clarkstonnews.com/Articles-News-i-2014-07-16-255536.113121-sub-Firefighter-pulls-heavy-duty.html

http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Firefighters-Build-Trust-with-Rope-and-Tower-Training-266941891.html

Something to think about courtesy of OSHA;

My Books from Amazon, Shameless plugs:

My books on Sellfy, PDF, PayPal:

My books on GumRoad, PDF, Credit Card:

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Requesting more survey participants! Tower Climbers: where do you look for work? Survey time!

July 12, 2014 Wade

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hey Tower climbers, let me know where would you look for work?

Updated: request more votes in the survey. Looking for more votes!

Be safe, be smart, and pay attention!

Let me know what’s going on, Facebook, email, or comments below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZXYiuFEldM

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Interview, Part 1, with Dr Bridgette “Gette” Hester, founder of the Hubble Foundation

July 11, 2014 Wade

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello all,

OK, listen to the podcast because Gette covers so much in this time. I had to break it into 2 podcasts. Just listen to both to hear Gette give her view of the industry and her passion. If you have ever been on a tower forum or on Facebook’s tower groups then you know Gette, she is taking care of the climbers the best way she knows how.

Remember to subscribe!

Stitcher

iTunes

Gette talks about her mission in life, the Hubble Foundation, which is there to support tower climbers that need help. Not only the fallen climber’s families, but the climbers that may need help to see their families or maybe the families need someone to talk to or maybe the children of the fallen need scholarship money. Gette is doing all of this with the help of her husband. Thank GOD we have people like this that are driven to help beyond what any normal person would or could do. Gette has a book that explains why that passion burns so deep in her. You see, she lost her husband to a horrific tower collapse years ago. This was something that changed her life in so many ways. I won’t get into it but if you want to know exactly what happen then get her book, Godwink: On the Wings of Butterflies for an explicit description. It’s too painful to talk about here.

We also discuss the training that is offered today and how the industry has boomed. This is good for work but the carriers going out to the lowest bidder and the explosion of work has led to many fatalities due to companies taking shortcuts and inexperienced people trying to do the work. OSHA just doesn’t have the manpower to support this effort because they generally look at the tower climbing industry as a small industry.

Something that I bring up is how little the carriers have given to this cause. I think that Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile could spare a few dollars to support the families who lost a someone to a horrific accident while building their systems out. Maybe building one of the new LTE systems, the 3G systems, or even the backhaul. Recently a young man was lost working for a carrier. While they were very helpful at the time, what about the devastation that is left behind when a wage earner in a family is suddenly gone? You have an emotional loss and a financial loss at the same time. A lost love is something that will not be replaced and can destroy families instantly. Thank GOD for Gette who works so hard to reach out to these families to comfort them and pull them back together. I just think the carriers could help the Hubble Foundation by giving a few dollars to this tax-deductible charity that cares to deeply for the people who build the wireless systems.

Hubble Foundation http://www.hubblefoundation.org/ and go to the donate section where you can donate a tax-deductible donation or buy something from the store. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HubbleFoundation for more support. They have tickets left for the car giveaway that you need to get in on, so go to the Hubble Foundation website and get some tickets to win a Mustang!

Godwink: On the Wings of Butterflies

The cover has Mike V’s hand on it with a butterfly. Pretty cool photo.

<br />

NATE – http://natehome.com/

PA Wireless Association, http://www.pa-wireless.org/ is a group that really helped Gette out with the fundraising aspect. Then the following groups pitched in;

http://www.gawireless.org/

https://txwa.org/

http://www.vawireless.org/

http://calwa.org/

Here is the lowest bidder clip,

From the Hubble Foundation’s Inspiration page;

The Climber’s Protection Prayer
While Psalm 91 applies to all of us, I believe that this Psalm is especially poignant for climbers and their families. Often times, the families feel like they have no control over their loved ones in the industry.
This is simply not true. Your greatest defense and protection of your loved one is through Prayer!

My Refuge and My Fortress
Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his opinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place
the Most High, who is my refuge
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.

My Books;
<br /> <br />

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Interview with Author Vicky Kaseorg who wrote “The Tower Builder” Part 2

June 28, 2014 Wade

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello all,

This is part 2! All the same information is below from Part 1 just the podcast is different. I want to make sure you can find part 1 so go here to listen!

Alright, I had so many technical issues and the interview went so long I had to break it into 2 podcasts!

However, Vicky was a trooper and although it comes out a bit choppy and my audio isn’t the best I did get the interview and Vicky is just full of information about the towers and the climbers in her book. She talks about Tony the Tower Builder and she also mentions some interviews with some other climbers that are crazy. It’s good to hear about how these guys have lived and worked as well as how someone like Tony, a good guy, could persevere throughout all of the hardships of the job and his life to come out with such a good attitude.

Vicky talked to so many people in researching this book. Her faith in GOD really shows in this interview and in the book because things just seemed to work out in here favor and she researched this story. She learned so much about WW2 history as well as towers as well as tower climbers. I really enjoyed the book. It was a 3 year venture that Vicky worked relentlessly to solve the mysteries of the tower and the beacon. Along the way she learned so much about American history. The Blaw-Knox towers and the WBT-AM radio station are very interesting.

Vicky originally became interested in the towers because her brother is a HAM radio operator. I call them HAMsters. I have so many friends that are HAMsters and you will see on their emails they always have their call signs below their names. They spend so much time getting on their radios and they play the game of trying to reach the most people the farthest away. Not only that but it was the original social network, the way I see it. They would talk to each other at set times to discuss radios and other interests. It is like the BBS services back when dial-up was common because digital text only bulletin boards were quite common for technical people. HAM radios were around before that, since the 50s really, and it was a way to keep in touch. Well, that will be another blog is anyone is interested in having me research that then let me know.

Vicky is such a nice and interesting person as well as a well-rounded author. I really enjoyed talking to her. She was so patient through all of my technical difficulties and I would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart. She has a blog at http://vickykaseorg.blogspot.com/ and http://vickykaseorg.weebly.com/ if you would like to follow her there and her book “The Tower Climber” is on Amazon. Her author’s page is http://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Kaseorg/e/B006XJ2DWU on Amazon. Barnes & Noble page is at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/vicky-kaseorg if that’s more you’re style.

If you want to see more on WBT-AM look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBT_%28radio_station%29 and http://radioheaven.homestead.com/wbtcollection.html to learn more.

More on Blaw-Knox towers can be found at http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio, http://hawkins.pair.com/blaw-knox.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaw-Knox_tower to see more.

So you think HAM Radio is neat, go to http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-licenses and learn the right way and then look at radios, http://www.hamradio.com/.

Wade4Wireless BlogCast

Interview with Author Vicky Kaseorg who wrote “The Tower Builder” Part 1

June 28, 2014 Wade

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Hello all,

This is part 1!

Part 2 is here!

Alright, I had so many technical issues and the interview went so long I had to break it into 2 podcasts!

If you want to see more on WBT-AM look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBT_%28radio_station%29 and http://radioheaven.homestead.com/wbtcollection.html to learn more.

More on Blaw-Knox towers can be found at http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio, http://hawkins.pair.com/blaw-knox.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaw-Knox_tower to see more.

So you think HAM Radio is neat, go to http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-licenses and learn the right way and then look at radios, http://www.hamradio.com/.

Wade's Working Tips

Tag Archives: RF Engineer

SOW Tutorial and more Feedback

Don’t forget, support Hubble!

Holy HetNet Wireless Man, What does this Mean?

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

OK, more rigging training videos!

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Drugs, Morons, and Steel.

Drugs:

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

Morons:

Steel:

Feedback let’s me know what you want to know!

Interested?

My Books below. I wrote them to get you started but now I am going to put together some more to keep you going. Understand that you can build a career path to get you beyond climbing.

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

Trucks, Ropes, Heat, and Near Misses!

Subscribe to the podcast!

Hurry, write a review on iTunes or Stitcher today!

My Books on Kindle:

My PDF books on Sellfy, Pay with PayPal:

My PDF books on GumRoad, Pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

Would You, Could You Rescue Your Fellow Climber?

Subscribe!

Requesting more survey participants! Tower Climbers: where do you look for work? Survey time!

Updated: request more votes in the survey. Looking for more votes!

Interview, Part 1, with Dr Bridgette “Gette” Hester, founder of the Hubble Foundation

Stitcher

iTunes

Interview with Author Vicky Kaseorg who wrote “The Tower Builder” Part 2

Interview with Author Vicky Kaseorg who wrote “The Tower Builder” Part 1

Tips to Work With

Don’t forget, support Hubble!

Share this:

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

OK, more rigging training videos!

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Share this:

Drugs:

Don’t hesitate, subscribe and write a review!

Morons:

Steel:

Feedback let’s me know what you want to know!

Interested?

My Books below. I wrote them to get you started but now I am going to put together some more to keep you going. Understand that you can build a career path to get you beyond climbing.

Kindle:

My PDF books so you can buy with PayPal:

My PDF books so you can pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

Share this:

Subscribe to the podcast!

Hurry, write a review on iTunes or Stitcher today!

My Books on Kindle:

My PDF books on Sellfy, Pay with PayPal:

My PDF books on GumRoad, Pay with Credit Card:

Whistle blower information;

Share this:

Subscribe!

Share this:

Updated: request more votes in the survey. Looking for more votes!

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Tips to Work With