So, we've been pushing on with using Limpet as a system for lifting and lowering materials, including antenna onto and off cellular telecoms masts. There are about 52 thousand base stations in the UK and that doesn't include the monopole masts. Anyway, cellular network providers like Vodafone are going about upgrading their network to 4G and this requires new equipment to be installed onto the base station towers and old equipment removed. The task of swapping out all of this equipment falls to professional riggers and historically they've either lifted equipment onto the masts by pulling on ropes, block and tackle style or have brought in MEWPS (cherry pickers). The manual method is hard work, time consuming and not very safe if heavy loads are involved, and cherry pickers are expensive to hire and can't always get into the areas where the towers are situated.
Enter Limpet as a low cost but efficient, fast and safe way of lifting and lowering. Since the line can be up to 130 metres long and can be diverted through multiple pulleys, the system can be quickly rigged and the rope put into an orientation for optimal lifting and lowering.
We were down in Bracknell at the start of this week, training a group of professional riggers in its use. Some antenna can weigh up to 85kg and you can see in this video how easy a Limpet makes the work. Watch this space for more developments...
Enter Limpet as a low cost but efficient, fast and safe way of lifting and lowering. Since the line can be up to 130 metres long and can be diverted through multiple pulleys, the system can be quickly rigged and the rope put into an orientation for optimal lifting and lowering.
We were down in Bracknell at the start of this week, training a group of professional riggers in its use. Some antenna can weigh up to 85kg and you can see in this video how easy a Limpet makes the work. Watch this space for more developments...
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