Danny, K6MHE wrote:
"I hot jumped the tower several times."

I`ve done the same in a 5 KW medium wave broadcast station to avoid a
burn during transfer, climbing the hot tower with no ill effects.

I`ve also accidentally contacted a 50 KW signal on a 600-ohm line while
standing on the roof of a shortwave broadcast plant. That wire really
burnt my ear. Glad I wasn`t a bird!

Our shortwave transmission lines carried mostly 50 KW and 100 KW
signals, usually at near 100% modulation of the amplitude variety. Our
carriers were between 6 MHz and 16 MHz, sometimes higher or lower,
depending on target, time of day, or season.

When a bird landed on a transmission line wire he mostly evaporated
without a trace except for his claws gripping the wire. There was a puff
of smoke and steam during the instantaneous event. The transmitter
usually had no visible response. It kept right on pumping out the
megacycles. Our transmission lines were coated with bird claws.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI