I saw this the other day, a technician working on a cell tower! Click the image to see a larger view so you can full appreciate his situation - notice how large the transmitters/receivers are and notice the limited foot room - how did he even get out there?!
I couldn’t really find too much info on the job other then these are some of the responsibilities:
- Perform preventative and remedial maintenance on all base station and transmitter equipment.
- Perform installation and optimization of the same.
- Perform routine building and grounds maintenance and inspections.
- Integrate Network hardware and interconnect facilities.
- Analyzes network coverage to ensure contiguous communication and network integrity.
- Makes recommendations to engineering for improving network coverage and implementation.
- Maintains inventories of test equipment, base station, and transmitters.
- Updates daily logs with site-specific information
- Composes clear and concise reports for system documentation
I have total respect for those guys, i could never climb up that tower, its crazy
Thanks for the respect!!! I am a tower tech or a Tower Monkey is what we like to call it..lol. People think I am crazy for having such a dangerous job but the money is good and the view from my office is great! you can see some pics of me on some tower sites at myspace.com/jsining and no I am not some porn start trying to get you to look at my webcam for 4.99 an hour hahaha
My husband is an electrician and is wanting to repair lights on towers. he already has to be high when he repairs exterior lights so it doesn’t faze him. Could you tell me where he could apply for a job like that. Please email me at feliz_navidad_18@yahoo.com. we would so appreciate it because we have a 3 year old and a new baby and could use the money. Thanks
yap i have been climbing cell towers for 14 years and have had alot of friends get killed,they have been 7 guys fall off of these towers from 04-12-2008 till now ,the cell carriers have no value of life but only $$$$$$$$$$$ so we are rushed and under paid ,would love to get some help out there for guy like me ,so we could get paid for the danger we face every day so people can talk on there cell phones and cops can use there two way radios for help,the avrage guy makes 15 bucks an hour and stays away from his family months at a time..
They don’t provide you guys with any safety harnesses?!
Yes you have all the saftey items one could ever need. The reason that people fall is because they get lazy on saftey and then dont do the proper tie off procedures. I have been doing this for 5 years and have never had anyone around me even fall what so ever. I feel bad for those families and friends.
Not really something I would like to do
But it’s still not as crazy as guys who work on the construction of skyscrapers, like these guys in the 1930s http://www.artwallpapers.com/photography_desktop_wallpapers/lunch_on_a_skyscraper/02/lunch_on_skyscraper02.jpg
No doubt - that’s some balls!
Wow that is a huge tower. Did that guy climb all the way up
Oh yeah - unless he’s actually Batman and used his grappling gun!
Or superman many be. LOL!
Someone has to do it. I have seen these towers where they put fake branches on them to make them look like pine trees.
I was watching a show about a company that “stealths” cell towers - they build fake houses and many different types of trees and even put them in churches - I can’t remember what show it was though…
d00d- -thats so kewl!!! I say a tower that loked like a pam tree!!
Those trees never look to convincing. You have to make a double take, but they are never very realistic. I think they would be better to just make them a nice design and accept them for what they are, instead of trying to hide them.
I have to disagree with you on this one - the tree may not look 100% real, but I’d rather see a stealthed tower then a metal monolith…
“Integrate Network hardware and interconnect facilities.” Thank God. I’m not in hardware industry, I’m a software developer.
That’s funny - I think the hardware side would be a lot of fun!
From my days in the Army, the tower jocks were always well respected. It was a good school, and they were always taking volunteers.However, climbing a tower at 2am on a stormy Saturday night is not my idea of fun.
Having been a tactical communications expert , I am still qualified to do that job, but would rather not. It does pay well though.
No kidding! That doesn’t sound like fun!
That guy in the picture needs a belt or rope. I guess they work without a net. Kind of like steel workers on skyscrapers. I met two guys that used to do that and they were kind of crazy.
“I am still qualified to do that job, but would rather not. It does pay well though.” - IT BETTER PAY WELL!! I got woozy on my 11th floor patio for the 1st month I lived here, I can’t imagine being that high up without footing. I’ll just stay home thanks.
Wow…I am really curious how well that pays. I’d never be able to handle the height. Some of those towers sway in the wind as well. No thanks.
I just hope that guy works for Verizon and not some foreign spy agency!
wow!!that is really high.i would love to do this job…to be able to feel alive!
wow that is really high up there! i would love to do this job:for the excitment,and to be able to feel alive up there!
Not to sound stupid. But, that guy is in a really tame position. It is the most insane job to have. You find your self BSing with some dude 250′ in the air. I’ve done it for a while and it is crazy. The money is ok, but its the per diem that makes it worth it. It takes a certain amount of “craziness” to do the job
I just became a tower tech it is awesome!
I worked on towers for many years. Here’s the deal. Safety comes first is the preaching. Get the job done fast is the standard.
There are no safety nets, but there are harnesses.
I worked in some of the coldest and nastiest weather that made you feel miserable, but on a comfortable sunny day it was heaven being on top of those towers. Peaceful and you can hardly imagine the views. We did not work in icing or high winds above 20 MPH.
We climbed to the top and walked or scooted to the edge of the antenna arrays. I built towers so we had ground crews that would send us up equipment and parts via lines and pulleys that the first man up the pole would attach to a solid anchoring point. We communicate our needs via radios.
It was dangerous. An interesting thing was to see how the new guys handled working at the top for the first time. It’s amazing how many “fearless” people suddenly develop a serious fear of heights when up there. I have what I like to call a very healthy respect for heights. I use and trust my equipment. I have worked with guys that would jump from one array to another without being tied in. CRAZY!!! They learned quickly that when they worked with me they were going to hear an ear full if they did that while I was on the tower.
I often miss the job, but the pay was so bad that I couldn’t support a family on it. The time away from home was hard too. Forget relationships if you ever do this job.
I’ve been in the cleaning business for the last thirteen years and would like to start a new career. I live in atlanta, Ga. Are there any companies that would hire a greenhorn. I’m ready!
I worked for a compnay called Viper Communications, they are based in Ocala FL, with an additonal office in Charlotte, NC. We did a ton of work in Atlanta, my original antenna work is probably still in the Olympic torch there, check it out next time you are in the observatory at the top. Anyway, the deal with the tower business is, you can live almost anywhere and work for a tower company located almost anywhere. They pretty much own you for weeks at time. They move you around from hotel to hotel with extensive travel required, but hey, you are paid whether you are fighting or marching. They pay perdiem which is great too! Live cheap and you can bankroll! Typically, you stay out on the road about 8 weeks and then home one week. If you and your family can live with that, you can make great $$$. I did it in 2000, during Sprint’s push for a nation-wide digitial network. Man did we move all over the US.. It was a blast, you develop brotherships that last forever because you have to trust those you work with, with your life. Another huge benefit is you will be in the best shape of your life after pulling yourself vertically for a few months!
I agree with James McQueen i was a tower worker for 2 years and was away from home alot and paid 15 bucks an hour to risk my life for a cell phone connection! Not only that it was in 30 degree weather with crazy about of wind cuz your working up thier above the tree line with nothing to block the wind!
I’ve been looking into becoming a tower tech. I’m 6′4″ bout 270lbs. so I’m not really sure if thats gonna work out. But i’m tryin to save up the $$ for the climbing classes. that crap is expensive! but I look forward to it.
Jared,
I am a certified trainer in the tower industry and would be gald to work with anyone who has the ambition to be a self starter and not just beg for a job in an industry where very few can succeed. Where are you from maybe i can help you get tied in with the right people?
I am an ex contractor/builder the econemy got real bad and had to close down my company. It sucks but i sucked up my pride and answered an add in the paper and it didn’t say exactly what it was except wireless comunications and it was tower climbing 1st time up 150 ft not to bad 2nd time 450 thought i was crazy but loved it. it’s been 7 months i am the only one to make it out of 27 guys look to actually make it a career you thinking about it make sure cause i have rescued 4 people off the tower and 350 ft repelling down with a man atached to you thats where you seperate the boys from the men and yeah just this short time ive been to 9 different states so hope the pay gets better than 17 bucks an hour
U guys somed it up pretty well. It is probably the best and worst jobs win the world. The beautiful scenery, powerful..
That feeling of landing a boom.,crosing the threashholds of normalcy and feeling alive. Even when its tough.. these are the things that make us stronger. To all my bros strappin on a belt …cheers.
Just sent in my application to Industrial Communications her in MA. Lets see how it goes.
Never had a fear of heights, just working with idiots.