Coping with Vegetation That is Trying to Take Over
[February 2026] A Spring Surprise awaits for many of us. A suggestion or two might save you time and frustration over the next few months.
As the Winter yields to Spring, transmitter sites all over place start sprouting all sorts of greenery and other things that are not exactly conducive to site operations or maintenance, much less personal safety.
We are referring especially to the area around tower bases and the paths to get there. While issues relating to the transmitter building are important, and need proper attention. The size and speed of what can happen at the tower base can be a bit daunting.
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOWER
Efficient RF transmission generally requires the tower and antenna be in good shape. Yet, in these days of reduced manpower, not all sites are visited as often as in years past.
And, yes, “stuff happens.”
Vegetation may be more or less dormant in Winter, but when it starts warming up – some vegetation seems is if it wants to “make up for lost time.”
For the engineer, getting to the tower base to inspect things may not be as easy as it was the last time he was there. The tower does give a hint, but exactly where is the base?
NOT QUITE READY FOR SNACKING
Up in Oregon, Kent Randles ran into a bit of a roadblock when he went out work at a site.
He relates: “Blackberries are a huge problem in Oregon. You either need to spray them or mow them.” To be accurate, the site had not had any real attention in several years.
What to do?
Kent continues that he had “to open up paths again in the spring before the blackberries start sprouting again.”
The site was technically farmland, with radials buried deep enough to enable plowing of the area. However, budget got in the way. The station owner chose not to pay for mowing, and the size of the growth sort of meant that was probably for too late for simply spraying.
In the end, Kent relied on an electric string trimmer and pruning tools to open the paths to the tower bases and ATUs.
In future, a recommendation to spray the area around the tower bases is certain!
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The Worst I’ve Ever Seen! – a tribute to the words our late friend Richard Haskey would deliver the phrase upon seeing situations like these – is a periodic look at some of the curious things that happen in broadcasting. It is never designed to embarrass anyone but to remember “stuff happens” at the various sites we have to visit. In fact, it is a chance for us to learn from others’ experiences.
And, after we chuckle a bit, it does remind us to check out our own facilities … carefully!
Got a good picture to share? Let us know at editor@theBDR.net
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