Microspace called in the professionals to get rid of several trees that are blocking a satellite signal.

In their continued mission to provide professional satellite video, data and audio broadcast services to their clients, Microspace Communications Corporation recently removed several trees from their Highwoods property location.

Based on compass and inclinometer readings for Intelsat’s IS-14 satellite, it was determined that 14 trees on the Microspace property would need to be removed. The trees blocked the look angle (transmit/receive path) of Microspace’s Prodelin 3.8M satellite dish to Intelsat’s IS-14 satellite.

IS-14 is over the Atlantic Ocean and not in the US domestic satellite arc that Microspace normally uses for uplinking. Cisco has placed military/ civilian hardware on that satellite for their new product offering called “IRIS”. 

The trees come tumbling down…

The trees were removed by 3 tree removal professionals, using chainsaws, a wood chipper and a crane. One of the crew members was lifted by the crane in a sling-style seat to the tops of the trees to attach a rope at the tree top.

Once lowered back to the ground, he used a chainsaw to cut through base of the tree. The tree was lifted by the crane straight up, away from surrounding trees and lowered to the ground.

The ground crew then removed the tree branches with chainsaws and feed them to the wood chipper to be turned into mulch. The tree trunks were cut into sections short enough to remove with a flat-bed truck for recycling.

Thanks to MCC’s Carla Torrence for this capcom story & these capcom photos.