This was a much smaller project on a shorter tower, for which labor will be on the rough order of $1k for half a day's work by two climbers -- and about $150 for the parts.
Top-beacon work on the main tower is normally done between midnight and 4:00 a.m. The elevator ride to the top is only ten minutes but the 100' antenna on top is tricky to climb, and if you replace the entire beacon assembly, the new one must be hauled up and the old one carried down -- and the old ones are a yard tall and *heavy.* Replacement lighting fixtures cost about $1700 and labor could -- depending on the area of the country -- cost twice as much.
Tower work is pricey but it doesn't pay well. Insurance costs are high, equipment is expensive, and there's a lot of non-productive travel time. Climbers tend to be rough and tough, and the good ones are extremely competent electricians, mechanics and riggers.
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I'm quite curios -
ReplyDeleteWhat's the ballpark figure on replacing a nav beacon on a typical 1,000 foot broadcast tower?
This was a much smaller project on a shorter tower, for which labor will be on the rough order of $1k for half a day's work by two climbers -- and about $150 for the parts.
ReplyDeleteTop-beacon work on the main tower is normally done between midnight and 4:00 a.m. The elevator ride to the top is only ten minutes but the 100' antenna on top is tricky to climb, and if you replace the entire beacon assembly, the new one must be hauled up and the old one carried down -- and the old ones are a yard tall and *heavy.* Replacement lighting fixtures cost about $1700 and labor could -- depending on the area of the country -- cost twice as much.
Tower work is pricey but it doesn't pay well. Insurance costs are high, equipment is expensive, and there's a lot of non-productive travel time. Climbers tend to be rough and tough, and the good ones are extremely competent electricians, mechanics and riggers.
Ummm... You forgot the adrenalin junkie part... :-)
ReplyDeleteBecause they're not, NFO. Ask and nearly all will tell you if their job becomes exiting, they're having a real bad day.
ReplyDelete