RMHAM had a Support Skills Improvement Day on the Critchell site at which Mike, K7AIH demonstrated skills for supporting installation of items on a tower. The first item on the list of skills to be reviewed was doing a Job Safety Assessment (JSA). The JSA is to discuss the task of the day, safety considerations for the site, and where the nearest medical facility is located. Mike then showed us some useful knots and how tie them. He discussed when to use knots such as a Figure 8, Figure 8 on a Bight, Figure 8 with Follow-Through, Alpine butterfly, and Barrel knots. Mike said the website “Animated Knots” could be helpful (Animated Knots by Grog | Learn how to tie knots with step-by-step animation) as well as an app called “Knots 3D” which is for Android and Apple (sometimes the app is free, so check often). We then learned about a Prusik loop and the Prusik knot. Mike explained how using this knot would allow us to “progress capture” a load when lifting it and keep tension on the line while allowing a person to reset their grip or when resting.
After lunch, we went over some of the equipment and how it would be used for installs on towers. This was to help us in identifying items a climber on the tower might request be sent up to him. Various pieces of the equipment could be set up in such a way as to gain a mechanical advantage, which Mike demonstrated. This would be used to help lift objects which may be a heavier than a person could easily lift using ropes alone. There were setups for demonstrating simple and complex mechanical advantages. The day finished with setting up a trolley line and safely lowering Tristan, NM0TH from the tower to the ground.
The attendees would like to extend thanks to Mike for taking time and providing instructions. Persons then headed home to practice the various knots and are looking forward to applying what they learned.