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Update: I finally switched from hand signals to a radio for all lifts over 50 feet
I used to think a good signalman was all you needed, but a job in Houston last fall changed my mind. We had a load swing into a blind spot and the hand signals just didn't cut it. Has anyone else made this switch and found a specific radio model that holds up on a loud site?
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the_miles25d ago
Man, I feel that. We had a close call with a pipe rack in a tight yard, and that was it for me. We've been using the Motorola CLS1410 radios for about a year now. They're not cheap, but the noise-cancelling actually works around the crusher plant. The battery still lasts a full shift, which is the real test.
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hayden_lane25d ago
Isn't there still a place for a skilled signalman? I worry radios just add another point of failure with batteries and channels. The problem in Houston sounds like a communication breakdown, not a tool problem. Even @the_miles admits those fancy radios are not cheap. A good crew with clear, practiced signals and proper spotting can handle blind spots without extra gear that can die or get lost. Sometimes the old way is the right way because it depends on people watching each other, not just a piece of tech.
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