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In another thread about opening an Antenna someone said:


So it got me wondering, how many should you have?

The reason I ask is that I've been scoping out a 450 ft freestander right by the dz where I work. As far as I know it hasn't been jumped before. I've invited some of the experienced antenna jumpers I know, but nobody seems really interested. This place is pretty far out of the way and everyone is busy lately.

I took Tom A's fjc in March. I have 27 jumps. Mostly in TF, but a couple from 3 other S's and 3 other A's, 1 B and 1 E. All of them have been with other people that know what they're doing.

The antenna has a great landing area, but there is no platform to jump from. The A's I've jumped have all had platforms. Also, it's an outside climb and I haven't done that yet either, but the ladder has a cable running up it and I bought a fall arrester for it. I'm thinking I'll get my pc ready on the ladder, then just unhook and jump from right there.

I was planning on doing it last weekend, but when I got out there I could hear voices and music coming from a bonfire at one of the nearby houses so I chickened out. I think I'm going to try to do it in the early AM next time.

So does this sound reasonable? It seems pretty reasonable to me, but so did the B and the E I jumped and some people said I should slow down....

How many jumps did you have when you opened your first object by yourself?

Also, if you were in my place, would the fact the this A is owned by the State Police have any influence on your decision to jump it?

Thanks,

Tony

18

Did a ton of solos from jump 5-35. In hindsight it was a horrible idea and I don't know how I got through it without a scratch. Opened my first object somewhere in there, by myself, and that also was a pretty bad idea. Knowing what I know now, I would not have jumped it in the conditions I was jumping in.

It's your life though. If you feel comfortable doing it, by all means go ahead. Keep in mind that police will get pissy if there's a 911 repeater on that thing.

Tony,

What about trying a night jump from it? There is plenty of light on a full moon. I'd suggest that it's worthwhile to wait for an experianced jumper to at least GC for you. It probally isn't going anywhere soon.

Le Roy

That was the plan last week. I showed up at 2am two nights in a row but there were people partying outdoors nearby both times. That's why I want to try it in the early morning next time. I figured the partyers would be sleeping.

You can jump solo if you are confident in yourself and actually have some skill. Some people always talk like jumping solo is some big boogy man thing. It's obvious to say that if you get hurt, then your in some serious shit. But I know I wanted to jump really bad when I began and there was nobody around here that was jumping then. I had a mentor on my first in another town. Then I did an ass load of solos with my second opening a new A. From #2 to around #45 I jumped almost always alone. I still go solo sometimes now but the desire to go so frequently is gone. They are great experiences.
You just have to have the need and some common sense. And dont do it to impress some big titted chick either. Chicks hate daredevils.

I had 3 jumps when I opened my first A.

If you have to ask, you're not ready.
~J

 
I had two jumps when I did my first solo. My next, I don’t know, 60? 70? Jumps were solos. There just wasn’t any body to play with. I wound up teaching a couple of students just so I would have a couple of people to play with. I was running around scooping out antennas all over the place.
I remember when some one finally showed up with more jumps then me. Oh that was such a relief. At last I could see how a “real” base jumper did it. I could at last let some one else take charge and for once I didn’t have to give the FJC to the newbe that was with us that night.
The funny thing was it turned out I knew more about it then he did. And as it turns out a lot of his practices were even scarier then mine. My point in all this is that you’re going to find that base-jumping is a very individualistic sport. It’s as safe as You make it. Don’t put your faith in any thing but your self and your own judgment. It’s a mistake to abdicate that responsibility to another for any reason including experience.
One other thing. I realized a long time ago that if I was going to pursue these dreams that I was going to have to do it alone. There just was not that many people interested in doing these things. I could ether go on alone or give up the dream. I’ve been soloing ever since. I’m not saying it’s a good idea. I may very well die that way in the bottom of some canyon or on some glacier. In fact I’ve been making a real effort over the last few years to solo less and to try to jump with other people and get them to come with me. It’s all part of my anti Tomb Stone campaign.
Still I think people should do it. I’d even go as far as to say that you haven’t really grown to adult hood as a base jumper till you’ve gone out and found, pioneered, and opened sites on your own alone with no guidance. I think it’s one of the most rewarding things you can undertake.

Lee

I second that! The best way to open your first object is to do so with someone of mentor level. I opened my first one with 2 jumpers both over 200 jumps when I had around 20 jumps. They helped me determine if it was safe and how to judge new sites safely. And since it was a tower in my area, I got to jump it first!

Coco

Edit to add: Outside climb, very close to people (bonfire), no platform (inside or out) and owned by State Police. I see why other have passed.

Who did you jump the B and E with?

Tony

Make sure your plan takes into account the right winds. I mention it, as you didn't. It's a freestander so I'm assuming it's positive at the base. You are planning on turning from the ladder and exiting, which means you have a limited range of ideal wind directions to jump it in and an exit point which probably isn't conducive to your strongest launch. Jumping a freestander in any kind of head wind could spell disaster as your forward speed in DBS on opening is going to be minimal. Add a head wind, (even a slight one) and you're sinking straight down, or even worse, backing up until you pop the brakes. As you sink straight down,the tower is getting wider and wider to meet you.
Even a nil wind night isn't ideal IMO and a crosswind is increasing your likelihood of an off heading, so you really need a light tailwind. This wind will push you away from the object.

For me then, the wind envelope on this kind of jump is actually quite narrow. The direction is limited more or less to about 120degree sector from the rear.

Depending on how positive the tower is will determine your delay, but at most it sounds like a 1sec max jump, as your exiting from the ladder with no overhang at all. Knowing your getting closer to the tower the longer you freefall it could spook you into doing a throw and go. This could be a very bad move as your airspeed is low and consequently your chance of an off-heading is greater.

This jump actually sounds like one where going stowed MIGHT be the best option. Less to fuck up on the exit point, but perhaps more likely to fuck up heading wise (depending on your body postion on stowed jumps) and more likely to take the wrong delay, and more likely to have a pc hesitation.

This doesn't even take into account where the landing area is in relation to the ladder and any obstacles on the tower or between you and the landing area.

In short, this sounds like it is quite a technical little jump. More so than most bridges and wire antennas. Don't be fooled into thinking it is anything but. It may have bags of altitude (not far off the perrine) but not all of that is useable.

Not trying to scare you off the idea. If you're going to jumping objects which don't come with instruction booklets (off piste jumping), then it's best to go in there knowing exactly what to expect and what to avoid.

Have a good plan but be 100% prepared to change that plan as things become more apprarent. Towers are strange beasts. Once you get 100ft up things start to look and feel very different. Landing areas which looked easy no longer do and the exit point you thought looked sketchy now looks like the best option. Having a plan on the ground and dogmatically sticking to it at the exit point, despite it now being completely unsuitable is a recipe for disaster.


A question though. You say there are no platforms. Are you certain of this or do you mean there are no platforms like the crows nest type which overhang slightly on many antennas. It would be unusual for a freestander to have no platforms or access grates leading off from the ladder at all as this would limit the workmen/maintainance to just the one side of the mast.

Thanks for the thoughts Ian. The tower is A LOT wider at the bottom. Probably 40 ft compared to what looks like 10 ft or so at the top below the stinger.
The ladder is on the NE corner and the wind is usually out of the W or SW around here so the ladder seemed like the logical place to exit. It's hard to tell from the ground, but it looks like I could probably climb around to the other side if I need to, but I guess I won't know that for sure until I get up there and look at it.

The landing area is wide open. There is nothing between the object and the landing area.

There are very small platforms on it by each of the dishes, but the highest one is about 250ft. I'd rather get a little higher. There is no crows nest like on the ones I've jumped before.

I think I'm just going to climb up there and look at it. I'll have no problem climbing backdown if things don't look right.

Thanks again,

Tony

Good luck and take care.

Remember, it doesn't matter if this tower has been jumped 100 times or zero times before. As no one is around to tell you the "hows and whys and ifs" on this jump, it is effectively a virgin object and as far as you're concerned, you ARE opening it. Should it transpire later that people have jumped it before, it really doesn't matter.

A second opinion from someone more experienced is never a bad thing however, and if you can get a local (even retired) jumper to take a quick look first then i'd say that would be prudent.

One final point. A 450ft outside ladder climb (without fall protection) is a lot harder on the arms than a caged climb of double that height. Unless you are super-confident and have no fear of heights, you'll probably grip the rungs twice as tightly which means you'll tire a lot quicker and your arms will be like blocks of concrete by the time you reach the top.

I fucking hate those climbs.

ian

PS:
Do you know what kind of antenna it is? Is it going to shoch the crap out of you when you touch it?
~J