ARLA/CLUSTER : RADIOAMADOR CAI DA TORRE E MORRE

[Carlos Fonseca - CT1GFQ]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JDias" <py7oj.dias  bol.com.br>

RADIOAMADOR CAI DA TORRE E MORRE


vejam esta notícia sobre o W7IX (EXTRAÍDO DO QRZ.COM)
:
OREGON RADIO AMATEUR DIES IN TOWER MISHAP

Well-known DXer Ron J. Spears, W7IX, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, died May 14
when an Amateur Radio tower he was working on in Northern California broke
and toppled. He was 44.

News accounts say Spears, an ARRL DXCC Honor Roll member (CW), was
attempting to retrieve a 40-meter beam from atop a 170-foot tower near
MacDoel, California, when the structure collapsed and fell to the ground
with Spears still attached by his safety belt. He was pronounced dead at the
scene. His father, Aubrey, was assisting on the ground and witnessed the
accident.

Spears had built the tower for its previous owner, Ray Balch, K6VX (SK), and
used to do all of Balch's antenna work, so he had prior experience working
on the structure. According to his father, Spears had first inspected the
tower for safety. Spears earlier had bought the antenna from the current
property owner and was attempting to bring it down in pieces. The heavy-duty
support structure broke as Spears was about 10 feet from the top.

One unofficial report says that when Spears removed the antenna, it slipped
and struck one of the top guy wires, starting the tower swaying until the
guy broke. Another account says the beam "got away from" Spears and its huge
boom struck and broke the tower guy. All but the lower 40 feet of the
structure reportedly fell.

In addition to his father, survivors include his mother, Oletta, N7OHO, and
a sister. Spears was a member of the ARRL and of the Southern Oregon Amateur
Packet Radio Association.--News media reports; The Daily DX; Rod Ingram,
WC7N