Section 6.4: Tower and Antenna Safety #

Your General privileges often inspire bigger antenna projects—towers, beams, wire antennas spanning the yard. Getting antennas up in the air means working at height, and gravity doesn’t forgive mistakes. Whether you plan to climb yourself or hire professionals, understanding the key safety principles helps you make good decisions.

Climbing Safely #

If you’re going to climb, a safety harness is non-negotiable. But not just any harness—it needs to actually protect you.

Key Information: When climbing a tower using a safety harness, confirm that the harness is rated for the weight of the climber and that it is within its allowable service life.

Weight ratings include everything: your body, tools, hardware, whatever you’re carrying up. A harness rated for 310 pounds doesn’t leave much margin if you weigh 250 and carry 40 pounds of gear.

Service life matters because harnesses degrade over time from UV exposure and normal wear, even if they look fine. Most manufacturers specify a maximum service life (typically 5-10 years from first use), after which the harness should be retired regardless of appearance. Any harness that’s taken a fall with shock loading should be retired immediately.

Beyond the harness, never climb alone. A ground crew can call for help if something goes wrong, spot hazards you can’t see, and haul tools so you’re not carrying extra weight. What starts as a “quick five-minute adjustment” can turn serious fast if no one knows you’re up there.

Electrical Hazards #

Towers often carry more than antennas—rotator control cables, preamp power, tower lighting. These circuits create a hazard that’s easy to overlook.

Key Information: Before climbing a tower that supports electrically powered devices, make sure all circuits that supply power to the tower are locked out and tagged.

Lockout/tagout means more than flipping a switch. Put a physical lock on the breaker so no one can accidentally energize the circuit while you’re on the tower. Tag it with your name and what you’re doing. The few minutes this takes could save your life—an unexpected shock at height causes falls even when the voltage itself isn’t lethal.

The Professional Option #

Not everyone should climb towers, and there’s no shame in that. Professional tower crews have proper equipment, training, insurance, and experience. The cost of professional installation is trivial compared to medical bills—or worse. Many hams enjoy decades of great contacts without ever leaving the ground.

Whether you climb yourself or watch from below, respect for the hazards keeps everyone safe. The goal isn’t just getting antennas in the air—it’s enjoying them for years to come.