Who maintains ground beacons?

[Cory Scott]

Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining those red flashing
beacons on towers and hilltops? Government agency? County? State?
Federal?

This may sound weird, but I want that job. The whole outdoor aspect of it
interests me. The rural mountain roads, climbing high towers, the views! I
just don't have a clue who to talk to about it. Does anyone here know
anything about this?

Cory

[Gene Seibel]

"Cory Scott" > wrote in message >...
> Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining those red flashing
> beacons on towers and hilltops? Government agency? County? State?
> Federal?
>
> This may sound weird, but I want that job. The whole outdoor aspect of it
> interests me. The rural mountain roads, climbing high towers, the views! I
> just don't have a clue who to talk to about it. Does anyone here know
> anything about this?
>
> Cory

Tower owners are responsible. Light outages that are expected to last
more than 30 minutes must be reported to the FAA and are supposed to
end up in NOTAMS. There are lots of tower companies (such as
http://www.ctctower.com/ ) that have traveling crews that work on
lights, antennas, and the towers themselves.
--
Gene Seibel
http://pad39a.com/gene/broadcast.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

[Cory Scott]

Thanks!

"Gene Seibel" > wrote in message
om...
> "Cory Scott" > wrote in message
>...
> > Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining those red flashing
> > beacons on towers and hilltops? Government agency? County? State?
> > Federal?
> >
> > This may sound weird, but I want that job. The whole outdoor aspect of
it
> > interests me. The rural mountain roads, climbing high towers, the
views! I
> > just don't have a clue who to talk to about it. Does anyone here know
> > anything about this?
> >
> > Cory
>
> Tower owners are responsible. Light outages that are expected to last
> more than 30 minutes must be reported to the FAA and are supposed to
> end up in NOTAMS. There are lots of tower companies (such as
> http://www.ctctower.com/ ) that have traveling crews that work on
> lights, antennas, and the towers themselves.
> --
> Gene Seibel
> http://pad39a.com/gene/broadcast.html
> Because I fly, I envy no one.

[Craig]

"Cory Scott" > wrote in message >...
> Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining those red flashing
> beacons on towers and hilltops? Government agency? County? State?
> Federal?
>
> This may sound weird, but I want that job. The whole outdoor aspect of it
> interests me. The rural mountain roads, climbing high towers, the views! I
> just don't have a clue who to talk to about it. Does anyone here know
> anything about this?
>
> Cory

The tower or building owner or their management company is tasked with
that job. Most farm it out to tower or maintenance companies.

Being a steeplejack is not for the faint of heart by any stretch of
the imagination. You have to be able to work at great heights, in all
kinds of weather while hanging onto the structure with just your
safety belt and whatever footholds there are. You have to be able to
divorce your instincts to hold on to the structure from your constant
sight picture and forget about the fact that what you are holding onto
is or can be swaying in the breeze up to 20 feet or more in any
direction.

I've been to a little over 2000' up on towers by a combination of
internal elevators and climbing the stairs and external ladders and
structure. It gives you very mixed and strange feelings at that kind
of height.

After wrestling with a 15'dish broken loose in 60+ mile an hour winds
on a tower and days later watching a crew that I knew, ride an antenna
stack 2000' into the ground during a tower collapse, I decided to get
out of the business.


Craig C.

[Cory Scott]

"Craig" > wrote in message
om...
> "Cory Scott" > wrote in message
>...
> > Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining those red flashing
> > beacons on towers and hilltops? Government agency? County? State?
> > Federal?
> >
> > This may sound weird, but I want that job. The whole outdoor aspect of
it
> > interests me. The rural mountain roads, climbing high towers, the
views! I
> > just don't have a clue who to talk to about it. Does anyone here know
> > anything about this?
> >
> > Cory
>
> The tower or building owner or their management company is tasked with
> that job. Most farm it out to tower or maintenance companies.
>
> Being a steeplejack is not for the faint of heart by any stretch of
> the imagination. You have to be able to work at great heights, in all
> kinds of weather while hanging onto the structure with just your
> safety belt and whatever footholds there are. You have to be able to
> divorce your instincts to hold on to the structure from your constant
> sight picture and forget about the fact that what you are holding onto
> is or can be swaying in the breeze up to 20 feet or more in any
> direction.
>
> I've been to a little over 2000' up on towers by a combination of
> internal elevators and climbing the stairs and external ladders and
> structure. It gives you very mixed and strange feelings at that kind
> of height.
>
> After wrestling with a 15'dish broken loose in 60+ mile an hour winds
> on a tower and days later watching a crew that I knew, ride an antenna
> stack 2000' into the ground during a tower collapse, I decided to get
> out of the business.
>
>
> Craig C.
>

Wow, what a story. Sorry about your buddies. It must have been terrible.
I'm hoping those events are the exception and not the rule. I don't seem to
have a problem with acrophobia as long as I'm secured to something (and the
weather conditions aren't insane). I appreciate your input. Could you tell
me anything about the skills/education/experience you needed to get the job?
Do you know the names of any companies in Washington state? If not, how do
they categorize themselves in the business pages? Thanks for the help.

Cory