A word of warning

[Bureau Chief]

Alright, Im not supposed to have to do live shots anymore since moving to the desk...but today we were short handed so I did a live shot....it was close enough to the station that I didnt have to raise the mast...while rolling up my cable,, I heard the compressor kick in...it took me a second to realise what the noise was...and THEN I remembered I had power lines over head! I looked up to see the mast going up on its on....and headed for a mass of power lines. I knew I had one shot at it then I was going to have to back off and call for help. I just barely made it to the door of the truck and hit the switch in time to bring the mast back down. I looked up and the mast had stopped just a foot from the wires. DAMN! Another couple of seconds and we would have needed a new live truck and a new fat guy to run it.

We still dont know why the compressor engaged. I dont know if maybe the switch was partly toggled and I bumped it or what...all I know is that I had to sit down for a few minutes afterwards.

If you still do live shots, BE CAREFUL even when you think you are safe, be extra careful cause them damn live trucks are out to get you!

[Brain Cramp]

Does your live truck look like this?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/39/76719775_f63bd69aca.jpg?v=0

[!]

I knew I had one shot at it then I was going to have to back off and call for help.

bum-bum-BUUUUUM!

Drama in the field!
. I looked up and the mast had stopped just a foot from the wires.
If TV news has taught us nothing else, it is that the phrase should have been "...just inches from the deadly wires!"

[The Mockingbird]

http://www.uship.com/shiphappens/photos/uship/images/679/original.aspx

[Jane Craig]

"Duel" (directed by Steven Spielberg)
http://www.automotiveblogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/duel2.jpg

[wx or not]

...all I know is that I had to sit down for a few minutes afterwards.
And, ladies and gentlemen, another testimonial for Depends on the job.

[Produce man]

More like "Oops, I crapped my pants".

[Mighty Dyckerson]

Alright, Im not supposed to have to do live shots anymore...

I think that's your answer right there.

[shootist]

as much as they can often be a bit of a pain in the @$$, a functioning "d-tec" system should prevent that.

and i thought most markets had fitted d-tec on their trucks already.

ownership has moved toward these not only for immediate protection of lives and equipment.....but for insurance and lawsuit considerations as well.

[Sigonfile]

You were lucky!

[Spike]

as much as they can often be a bit of a pain in the @$$, a functioning "d-tec" system should prevent that.

A simple nylon mast pin would prevent that. Apparently this truck has no interlocks.

[SamG]

A simple nylon mast pin would prevent that. Apparently this truck has no interlocks.
Not always. We have two trucks with mast pins, but they're not wired to the compressor. They're in place to keep the truck from driving off with the mast up. Our newest truck has the pin tied to the compressor... during our "freezing rain" event this past winter, the ice had frozen the pin in the "closed" position, preventing the compressor from coming on. We ended up killing live shots because of it, or photogs would try to climb on top of the truck and chip the ice away (sometimes successful).

Now which is better?

[wx or not]

We ended up killing live shots because of it, or photogs would try to climb on top of the truck and chip the ice away (sometimes successful).Now which is better?
I'm going with live shots of photogs on an ice-covered moving truck chipping away at the ice. (I kid, I kid, I love photogs!);)

[Spike]

Not always. We have two trucks with mast pins, but they're not wired to the compressor. They're in place to keep the truck from driving off with the mast up. Our newest truck has the pin tied to the compressor... during our "freezing rain" event this past winter, the ice had frozen the pin in the "closed" position, preventing the compressor from coming on. We ended up killing live shots because of it, or photogs would try to climb on top of the truck and chip the ice away (sometimes successful).

Now which is better?

I'm sorry I wasn't specific enough for the nitpickers. A simple nylon mast pin wired into the compressor circuit would prevent that.

[3.58 mHZ]

"Duel" (directed by Steven Spielberg)
http://www.automotiveblogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/duel2.jpg

Man, I still love that movie . . .

[The Mockingbird]

Necromancy on teh internets never ends well for anyone, 3.58 mhz.

http://macteens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10104/zombie.jpg

[Roy Hobbs]

Necromancy on teh internets never ends well for anyone, 3.58 mhz.

http://macteens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10104/zombie.jpg
Wow. Billy Joe called, he wants his cover ensemble back.
http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/img/200808/BillyJoel-TheStranger.jpg
He could really be a Beau Brummel, Baby, if he just gave it half a chance...:rockon:

[The Mockingbird]

I think Billy Joel should be sitting on his hand on that album cover art.

You know why.

[Spike]

Wow. Billy Joe called, he wants his cover ensemble back.
http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/img/200808/BillyJoel-TheStranger.jpg

That's not Billy Joe. That's Billy JoeL.

This is Green Day's Billy Joe:

http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/7/1/1/3/10733117-10733120-slarge.jpg

My god, that's the zombie!

[The Mockingbird]

And apparently, they all bought their suits at Abercrombie.

[The Thrill]

This is another good reminder: LOOK UP AND LIVE.

If it can happen to a Los Angeles crew (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhXEQl9jaRg), it can happen to any of us.

LOOK UP AND LIVE.