The Wall design

[Abbey Marie]

Which one do you prefer?

http://www.ustruthwire.com/2017/04/09/mexico-border-wall-designs/

[pete311]

The solar panel idea is the best.

[jimnyc]

The solar idea is great because it may bring in some that are worried about costs. 20 years to have it pay for itself is very quick. It's hard to tell the appearance though, looks weird in that small picture.

The 1 way visibility option is cool as hell, and the 30ft high and 6 feet underground is great.

And the mesh fencing one - not being able to be cut and nearly impossible to climb? Excellent! I wonder the height?

[NightTrain]

No to any sort of fencing / mesh system... the reason is that with a simple handheld hook, you can scale the fence. Besides, a blowtorch makes short work of any kind of economically feasible fencing.

The Hadrian design doesn't look like it would withstand much battering... and the solar panel idea doesn't say what kind of wall is underneath it, which is the most important part.

Which leaves #3 which is a bonafide wall.

The wall that's selected will have to be equipped with anti-tunneling sensors and cameras, backed up by 24/7 drone surveillance equipped with infrared for those late night northbound expeditions. And I'd say a minimum of 6' underground extension is mandatory... 10' would be better.

[Abbey Marie]

The solar idea is great because it may bring in some that are worried about costs. 20 years to have it pay for itself is very quick. It's hard to tell the appearance though, looks weird in that small picture.

The 1 way visibility option is cool as hell, and the 30ft high and 6 feet underground is great.

And the mesh fencing one - not being able to be cut and nearly impossible to climb? Excellent! I wonder the height?

The pictures are bigger within the article.

I agree about the 6 feet under ground. Great idea!

[Balu]

The solar idea is great because it may bring in some that are worried about costs. 20 years to have it pay for itself is very quick. It's hard to tell the appearance though, looks weird in that small picture.

The 1 way visibility option is cool as hell, and the 30ft high and 6 feet underground is great.

And the mesh fencing one - not being able to be cut and nearly impossible to climb? Excellent! I wonder the height? .

... with a step voltage... Just to be on the safe side and repulse the willing to engage in mountaineering. http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/standart/acute.gif

[NightTrain]

... with a step voltage... Just to be on the safe side and repulse the willing to engage in mountaineering. http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/standart/acute.gif

Yeah, there's engineering issues with electrifying 2,000 miles of fence, though.

First, because it has to extend underground, there's no way to electrify that part and you'd need to isolate it from the above-ground portion. That's easily done, but it's an expense. Then after a storm, the metal fencing will become dirty with sand & soil - and combined with water, that conducts electricity and it will short to ground. I'm not sure how to overcome that other than blasting the fence with a water hose to clean it periodically.

Keeping 2,000 miles of fence electrified will be expensive. That can be greatly reduced by having it automatically turned on via a switch when movement is detected by sensors in the fence, which can also activate floodlights in that sector which will panic the trespassers and aid our Border Agents.

I think an actual concrete wall is the best solution - certainly the most expensive, but most effective I think.

A well built fence will deter 99% of the illegals, though, so if that's what is chosen then I'm all for it. Anything is better than the joke we have going now.

[Abbey Marie]

Yeah, there's engineering issues with electrifying 2,000 miles of fence, though.

First, because it has to extend underground, there's no way to electrify that part and you'd need to isolate it from the above-ground portion. That's easily done, but it's an expense. Then after a storm, the metal fencing will become dirty with sand & soil - and combined with water, that conducts electricity and it will short to ground. I'm not sure how to overcome that other than blasting the fence with a water hose to clean it periodically.

Keeping 2,000 miles of fence electrified will be expensive. That can be greatly reduced by having it automatically turned on via a switch when movement is detected by sensors in the fence, which can also activate floodlights in that sector which will panic the trespassers and aid our Border Agents.

I think an actual concrete wall is the best solution - certainly the most expensive, but most effective I think.

A well built fence will deter 99% of the illegals, though, so if that's what is chosen then I'm all for it. Anything is better than the joke we have going now.

Wouldn't want to electrify any innocent people or animals, either.

[NightTrain]

Wouldn't want to electrify any innocent people or animals, either.

Oh, it wouldn't be lethal... just enough to deliver a good sting, like a horse fence. It pulses every 5 seconds or so, and if you're holding on to it (or a mischievous horse plucking the strand with his mouth) it'll zap you good but no actual damage.

My mom had one for her yearling that liked to escape and go walkabout around the neighborhood. The first time he got zapped with it, he sprang back and began bucking like a wild bronco all over the yard putting on a hell of a show, then zoomed back to the exact same spot to get revenge, got zapped again and that was that. He respected the fence after that... and I think our southern neighbors can be trained similarly! :coffee:

[Balu]

Yeah, there's engineering issues with electrifying 2,000 miles of fence, though.

First, because it has to extend underground, there's no way to electrify that part and you'd need to isolate it from the above-ground portion. That's easily done, but it's an expense. Then after a storm, the metal fencing will become dirty with sand & soil - and combined with water, that conducts electricity and it will short to ground. I'm not sure how to overcome that other than blasting the fence with a water hose to clean it periodically.

Keeping 2,000 miles of fence electrified will be expensive. That can be greatly reduced by having it automatically turned on via a switch when movement is detected by sensors in the fence, which can also activate floodlights in that sector which will panic the trespassers and aid our Border Agents.

I think an actual concrete wall is the best solution - certainly the most expensive, but most effective I think.

A well built fence will deter 99% of the illegals, though, so if that's what is chosen then I'm all for it. Anything is better than the joke we have going now.
Next time I'll mark similar proposals of mine by a note 'a joke' to goal proper understanding. :slap:

[NightTrain]

Next time I'll mark similar proposals of mine by a note 'a joke' to goal proper understanding. :slap:

Oh, I knew you were joking.

Many of the designs being submitted incorporate electrifying elements into the barrier... I'm just thinking out loud as far as the problems as I see them with such proposals.