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I just found out my bf did his firstbase jump last night. He did jumped off a 700 ft antenna, and ended up with a couple of cuts and bruises from a hard landing. Apparently now he's hooked, which worries me alot. I don't know a whole lot about BASE, but I'm really scared that he's gonna hurt himself. I had a friend spend 6 months in bed with a broken back, and I just want to see that again. Of course I can't tell him not to do it, it would be like someone telling me not to skydive. So I guess what I want to know is how dangerous are antennas, and is 700 ft relatively safe? Like I said I don't know alot about BASE jumping, so sorry if I these are dumb questions. He does have over 400 jumps, but I am still very scared. Thanks for your help.

An antenna in a good tailwind is pretty safe, as far as object strike considerations. Antennas with low or nil winds are significantly more dangerous.

Antennas usually have pretty good landing areas (lots of them have wide open fields around them). Do you know what caused the hard landing? I'd be concerned about jumping an object with a regular "BASE" landing area until he's fully comfortable (and un-scraped) off that tower.

700 feet is fairly high. At that altitude, you could go slider up, although I'd probably put a first timer off that slider down.

Taking a first jump off a tower is reasonable, but personally I would never do it. I feel pretty strongly that a jumper's first 20 or so jumps ought to be off a good open span over water. And with legal spans available, it seems silly to take extra risk in the learning process.

I'd really be more concerned about who is taking him jumping. If he's got a good mentor, than he's probably doing all right. If you're interested in what I mean by good, start another thread and we'll go into that.

Bottom line: who is his teacher, what are the teacher's qualifications, and do you trust the teacher (and, more importantly, does your boyfriend)?

Thanks Tom,
As far as I know he went with someone whose qualifications me and him strongly dissagree on. I know the person that took him is a very experienced BASE jumper, (500+ jumps) but from what I know this person is not very safe, or at least when it comes to himself he's not. I don't think anyone who will base jump drunk has any right teaching anyone. But I think there was another person with them who was also pretty experienced, and less of an asshole. Well, at least its good to know that at least it was relatively safe. I guess I just have to accept it, since thats pretty much all I can do.

I know it's just a ladder, but what about the danger of the approach? Has anyone ever fallen from an antenna while climbing?

I think I'm in okay climbing shape, but I still find my muscles fatiging after about 1200 feet of ladder climbing. If a person was in bad shape or really scared, I could see how they could have a greater risk of falling.

Just wondering...

CP

I'll give 'em 5 weeks.
I've found first hand and many times second hand that when your BASE jumping scares your significant other, one of two things happen. The relationship ends, or the BASE jumping ends. I guess the outcome of my ex-situation is obvious.

A good post by Tom--however, how much experience does your dude have? Hopefully enough Skydiving experience to know when to back off. Make sure he knows that he doesn't ever have to jump, and no-one will look down on him if he doesn't.

Sounds ever so familiar!!!! hehehehe

most A´s here which is avbowe 300ft has this cave you climb inside,so if you fall im sure you´ll survive but you´ll need a visit to the nearest hospital to a look at broken arms and legs..

I´m more scared about falling while i climb the last rail at exit,falling from there would give you an unstabel popsistion.

Emmie,about the mentor you talk about(please no names),we all make our personal desisions.If he makes drunk BASE,then let´s hope he wont make a fool out of himself while doing it.And i think that he wont teach your boyfreind BASE while his drunk(in thar case are both guys just too stupied,by my oppinion.But i dont think it happens that way.
Why dont you have a chat whith your bf and ask him about what he thinks and explain what you feel...

climbing 1200ft huh... crazy boy he he

I know of two cases in which a jumper fell from an antenna while climbing. One resulted in only bumps and bruises, the other in minor injuries.

I do know of at least one case in which a jumper died while hiking to a cliff exit (slipped and fell over the edge with the rig still in a stash bag) in winter conditions. I also know of one case of a jumper falling off the steel of a span, and fracturing vertebrae.

More dangerous is probably the tendency among jumpers to make jumps under marginal conditions because of the difficulty or tediousness of the downclimb. I've seen several jumps made that way.

I think I'm in okay climbing shape, but I still find my muscles fatiging after about 1200 feet of ladder climbing.

That is my biggest fear also. A couple I climb are outside climbs. Which means small "A", which translates into climbing around the outside of the tower at exit point to the sector I'm exiting. Then, once on the side of the tower I want to be on, I have to do an "about face" wilst hanging on. So back to the original post, yea, antennas are dangerous. (only my point of view)

What really scares me is once I get to the exit point on the ladder, I latch onto a rung with my D-ring and tether and lean back so I can make final gear preperations. Because once I get to the side I'm exiting, it's pretty much hanging there waiting for cars to pass, or that damn train to go by.

cya
Rod

P.S. I lost my jump partner today. He headed out for that span in the spud State. Have fun T.M.

aint they more while you climb the tower?
While im most scared while i climb the last rail,i dont think i would like to be conected to the tower,which i so should release on the egde just before jumping.. then my fear would be falling while disconect it=same,but more trouble,or did i misunderstand?