[aprssig] APRS Irrigation Pipe 55' mast

[Ken Brown]

But keep in mind that hot sticks of the various types are periodically
tested for continued insulating status.  Many utilities, including my
employer, immediately will cut up / destroy the tool if it fails the test.
Reason being so that there is no chance it will ever be used and result in
an accident.  So that may make getting one for ham use problematic. 

The test is neat to watch as the stick is clamped in a device and each
segment brought up to text voltage and it crackles and glows in spots.  For
true transmission live line work, such as 256 or 500kV lines, a large bucket
truck with fiberglass boom is used and the workers bond on with a
pigtail-like wire with clamp to the live phase so their bodies are energized
to the 500kV, no issues, like a bird sitting on a wire.  

73, ---Ken W2KB



-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org]
On Behalf Of Paul Zawada
Sent: May 12, 2006 21:39
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [aprssig] APRS Irrigation Pipe 55' mast

Actually, in electrical line mechanic vernacular, a "hot stick"
doesn't necessarily extend as described below.  Many times a "hot
stick" can be any insulated stick or tong that can be used for
live-line work.  When specifically talking about the telescoping type,
line mechanics usually refer to them as "extendo sticks."  (Which may
come from a trade mark name, but anymore the word is like Kleenex or
Scotch tape.)  So if you are going to hit up your local utility for
one of these sticks when it gets retired, asking for an "extendo
stick" will increase your chances of getting exactly what you want...

--zawada
ailman/listinfo/aprssig