The reason I show the picture of that ladder is twofold. First, you don’t really appreciate the fact that most ladders you climb are tilted. This one is entirely vertical. BIG DIFFERENCE!
Not to mention that when you got to the top, you had to push up on that aluminum plate door to gain access to that level.
Second, after climbing this ladder several hundred times, I became comfortable climbing it using one hand to carry a notebook and a portable meter and the other to hang onto the ladder.
This shot shows the ladder leading up to the antenna. Behind the antenna was the main transmitter travelling wave tube and the associated controls for it.
The high voltage power supply was in this building at ground level.
The controls for the whole transmitter were a quarter-mile away in the main building.
With the various parts of the transmitter spread out like this, trouble-shooting and maintenance on a daily basis became a workout.
A view of Roi-Namur with a finished MMW radar (mouse over the image). In the foreground is the part of the airfield used as a catchment basin for water on the island.
To the right is a shot of the back of the antenna dish. You can see that the frame has been filled in.