CBC, We Had Permission. Probably.

Adventures in Technology | Somewhere west of Red Deer · circa 1998–1999

There are certain details from the past that become less clear with time.

There are certain details from the past that become less clear with time.

Names. Dates. Where you left your car keys.

And apparently, whether you were actually authorized to climb a communications tower.

Back when we were trying to restore an XpressNet wireless link, our technician knew of a tower west of Red Deer.

I was told we had access through some arrangement involving CBC.

Excellent!

That seemed like all the information we needed at the time.

Fast-forward nearly three decades, and I've begun thinking about that arrangement a little more carefully.

Was there a formal agreement? Was somebody supposed to call somebody? Did someone have a key?

I genuinely don't remember.

What I do remember is climbing a tower and wrestling with a very large communications dish.

So, to anyone at CBC who might happen to read this:

I was told we had permission.

I'm beginning to appreciate that being told and having documentation are two slightly different things.

Please accept this cartoon as my extremely belated request for clarification. 😂📡

The access arrangement remains unverified. This is a humorous recollection, not an assertion that unauthorized access occurred.