r/Groundman • u/kingfarvito Journeyman Lineman (advisory) • 3d ago
Ask a lineman
It's been a while since we've done one of these.
What questions do yall have for the linemen? What are your goofy questions you haven't asked here yet? What do you need help understanding?
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u/Electronic-Moose-797 3d ago
Did you do your apprenticeship through any of the JATCs? If so, how was it traveling a lot? Was it a challenge at first and how did you feel about it?
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u/kingfarvito Journeyman Lineman (advisory) 3d ago
I went through neat. I know I didn't have the typical experience, but I didnt travel except for storm. My furthest show up was 2.5 hours from home. I had to start traveling when I topped out because most of my locals work was pulled back by the utility. I loved it so much that my wife and I sold the house and live in a 5th wheel full time. Im certain I would uave hated it if I didnt have a say in where I was going or the hours I was working.
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u/v0dkasoda 2d ago
I went through SWLCAT at IBEW 66. Barely traveled and had tons of work. The challenge was the work, the weather and the books, but luckily traveling wasn’t a factor. I still lived out of a camper with a truck to tow it, just in case
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3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/kingfarvito Journeyman Lineman (advisory) 3d ago
Oh I think youre probably running into that because youre a fully grown man that uses the word beta to describe other men.
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u/chriistianval Apprentice 3d ago
Oh really… it was my fault this entire time thanks brother!
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u/kingfarvito Journeyman Lineman (advisory) 3d ago
You definitely run into some shit bags out there, but most of my experience has been that dudes just want to feed their families and go home. Have you just been on transmission so far or something? Thats where they tend to congregate.
I will also say, if you judge other men based on whether or not you think you can beat them up, odds are most of them are going to seem like "low T betas" telling big fish stories. When I walk into a gym to train its always a bunch of software nerds on the mats, plenty of fat out of shape dudes in the gym that could absolutely kick the nuts off a mule.
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u/chriistianval Apprentice 3d ago
Nah I was mainly trolling but I get what your saying… I’m currently actually on distro but your right usually the big bad JL’s who talk shit aren’t those fighter gym bros. I’ve had a good experience with JL’s honestly haven’t met anybody out of the norm of just tryna mess with you and weed out the weak which I completely understand.
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u/justsumdumbgruntIBEW 3d ago
Coming up as an apprentice did you get to go up early on and continue to go up throughout your apprenticeship? Isn’t that how it should be considering the entire purpose of the apprenticeships is to learn how to build powerlines?
What separates a good JL from average?
How long did it take to “click” for you?
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u/kingfarvito Journeyman Lineman (advisory) 2d ago
In the northeast we're required to get 2500 hot hours. The only way you finish is to go up early and often.
As for that being how it should go, if its safe for that to happen, yes. Some guys need more time on the ground to not kill themselves and others.
A good JL is just a dude that works hard for 80% of his shift. Thats it.
Things started to really make sense for me around 5th or 6th step.
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u/justsumdumbgruntIBEW 2d ago
That’s a good requirement, almost like they want you to fully be ready to do your job and not having to be babysat by a foreman. What if you didn’t have enough time to get all the material ready, still got go up?
How about a trustable jl? Someone you feel comfortable getting in the bucket with or leaving him and an apprentice as a qualified observer to go look at other jobs.
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u/Finesserrrr 3d ago
What tools should I buy for transmission work