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Jim Mullin, W8KKK (SK), Falls Off Tower
Jim Mullin, W8KKK, of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, fell to his death from atop his 100 foot tower on June 6, reports
Frank “Fritz” Hemrich, K8WLF. According to a post Hemrich made on QRZ.com, Mullin, 69, was in the process of
dismantling a tower and antennas when his safety belt “parted at one of the seams and just let go.” Hemrich
recounted that Mullin had already been up on the tower twice that day: “It appears as if he was on his third trip
up to re-position his gin pole to start taking apart and down the tower sections. His ground assistant had just
finished taking some pictures of the tower and was putting his camera back in his car. As he turned away from the
car he heard Jim hit the ground.” A service for Mullin was held June 11.
Michigan Ham Dies in Field Day Day Tower Collapse
A Michigan ham has died following a tower collapse during antenna set-up on Field Day. According to news reports,
Larry Prelog, KE4PM, of Niles was helping to erect a thirty-foot high tower for the Blossomland Amateur Radio Association
on Saturday, June 27th. He had climbed the tower when it collapsed under him and throwing him to the ground.
He was airlifted to the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo where he succumbed to his injuries the following day.A
professional radio technician by trade, Larry Perlog was most recently employed as a telecommunications specialist
for Lakeland Regional Health Care System. Throughout his career performed many tower climbs and was considered as
being one of the most safety conscious climbers in the business. A family member described him as being very meticulous
about being safe. Larry Perlog, KE4PM, was age 57. [AR Newsline]
Niles man dies after falling from ham radio tower
Larry Prelog, KE4PM, Silent Key
An experienced installer of ham radio equipment has died after a 60-foot-high radio tower he was scaling during an antenna-installation competition collapsed beneath him.
Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey says 57-year-old Larry Prelog of Niles died Sunday, a day after falling during the event in Watervliet Township, about 60 miles south-southwest of Grand Rapids.
Prelog and several others were competing to install antenna towers that receive amateur radio transmissions from around the world.
Bailey tells The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph such towers are stabilized with guy wires. It's not known why the structure that Prelog was climbing gave way.
Prelog died at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.
Guide on lightning protection available for downloading
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has released a new lightning protection guide: How
To Protect Your House and Its Contents From Lightning: IEEE Guide for Surge Protection of Equipment Connected to AC
Power and Communication Circuits By: Richard L. Cohen, Doug Dorr, James Funke, Chuck Jensen, and S. Frank Waterer.
This is a 52 page illustrated guide written by the IEEE Surge Protection Device Committee. It covers lighting hazards,
integration of the various components of a lightning protection system, AC and signal surge protectors, multi-port
protectors for equipment connected to signal and power lines, and grounding methods. It is written in plain technical
language, and is an excellent guide for all amateurs concerned about protecting their antennas, shack and homes from
the effects of lightning. The guide is available at no cost as a 1.1 mb pdf file (61 pages) from the following URL:
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/IEEE_Guide.pdf (Thanks to Ed Frazer, VE7EF)
| NEXT BRATS MEETING Thursday, August 13, 7:15 PM at the Pikesville Library |
Complimentary Wi-Fi Service Now available at all Barnes & Noble stores. No fees. No charges. Just log on. |
| August, 2009 | |
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