Evidently, they started putting up the new KFI tower a few days ago and were up to about 300' when it came/fell down this afternoon.

Forwarded to me by a ham radio friend:
"It saddens me to report that a single point failure cause the new KFI tower to fall this afternoon around 2:00PM. I was on site when the
failure happened and took a photo of the tower coming down. Two levels of guys were in place. The third level guys were slowly being brought
into place, in unison, when the failure occurred. The tower was just under 300' at the time.

Nobody was on the tower during this phase of the installation and only one person was hurt when the North/East guy structure gave away. There was some minor damage to a couple of trailers and the
top 8' of the gin pole came through a warehouse roof. Other than that, there is just a bundle of steel and ceramic in the parking lot with some damage to the enclosure wall and fence.

I won't go into details on the single point failure at this time, other than to say that the tower crew did NOT cause this accident. The third
level guys were slacked at the time of the failure.

I'll be posting pictures on my website this evening.

Dino - K6RIX
dino@k6rix.com
"
Complete current info and pictures of the tower going up and, so far, one coming down, I believe, on his website:

http://www.k6rix.com

Ouch! That is a shame, but, at least, nobody got hurt.

Wow, KFI really isn't getting a break...

First the original tower falls, then the community gives them grief for wanting to put up a new tower, then the new tower falls down while being installed...

Hopefully the third time is the charm!

I hope this event doesn't put a crimp in their re-erection plans.

After looking at the pics I have one question: what's a rooster?

The swivel pulley assembly on the top of the gin pole...perhaps the name is related to weather vane roosters?

""Building towers is known in the trade as "stacking
steel." The towers are shipped in pieces, then bolted or
welded into segments, either on-site or at the shop. The
rigid sections are hauled skyward with a winch-driven
'load line,' and kept from swaying by a second steel
cable, the 'tag-line.' Each section is bootstrapped up
above the top of the tower, through the use of a tower-
mounted crane, called the 'gin pole.' The gin pole has a
360-degree revolving device at its very top, the 'rooster
head.' Each new section is deliberately hauled up, spun
deftly around on the rooster head, stacked on top of all
the previous sections, and securely bolted into place.
Then the tower hands detach the gin pole, climb the
section they just stacked, mount the ginpole up at the
top again, and repeat the process till they're done.""

Also, several references to the rooster here (see the section on gin poles):

http://www.wirelessestimator.com/comtowerstandard.cfm

Hope the next one stays up! This is very sad

I'm assuming a tower like this is fabricated to order. What sort of time and money setback is this?

Cool/Cruel site pictures, BTW.

And...how cool is that ham radio operator to have a web site? Nice looking page. I swear I was disappointed to see there was no way to hear to streaming audio of K6RIX. I wonder if he's running an Omnia on his audio?

dah dit dah dit
dah dah dit dah

What is that? Morse code for (Everyone sing!) "Murdock in the Morning!"

"What is that? Morse code for (Everyone sing!) 'Murdock in the Morning!'"

Nope, it's Morse code for "CQ." Hams use "CQ" on both code and phone (voice) to begin a general call for any other ham who will answer.

73 de K0LTW

Seek You?

Exactly! CQ="seek you." Especially in Morse telegraphy, hams have their own "shorthand" that resembles modern text messaging in some ways (e.g. CUL=see you later). I never got into the code myself, but knew a bunch of guys who did including one who could copy upwards of 30 words a minute at age 90. Although antiquated now -- the FCC dropped the code requirement for all classes of ham licenses last year -- Morse was the original digital mode, if you will.

I got licensed because I used to enjoy chasing storms in Kansas. I haven't been too active in recent years, but I probably need to pick up a two-meter handheld or something in case the "big one" hits the Bay Area. Katrina proved the value of the amateur service as an emergency backup. I've actually experienced the aftermath of a tornado during which communicating by cell phone was painstakingly slow. I can only imagine what it was like after Katrina.

One wonders how well-prepared commercial radio in Portland or any other market is for a major disaster or even a not-so-major one like a plane hitting the tower. Staying on the air with an auxillary transmitter or generator is part of the equation, but how are the news/talkers going to structure coverage and handle staffing?

They forgot the lucky penny under the footing. Doesn't anyone follow the rules anymore?

...sing murdock in the morning....... as follows:

dit dit dit / dit dit/ dah dit/ dah dah dit/(sing)

dah dah/dit dit dah/dit dah dit/ dah dit dit/dah dah dah/dah dit dah dit/dah dit dah/( murdock )

dit dit/dah dit/ ( in )

dah/dit dit dit dit/dit ( the )

dah dah/dah dah dah/dit dah dit/dah dit/dit dit/dah dit/dah dah dit/ ( morning )

WA7HYV