RE: [A/S] Measuring overall height of an Airstream

["John Sargeant" <john.sargeant@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I can just see Jerry balancing that piece of 2X4 on top of his air
conditioner!

Another way to skin this cat is to use some simple geometry we all learned
in high school.
It revolves around right angles and parallel lines.

Wait till the sun shines so that the air conditioner is casting a shadow on
the ground. (Presuming that the air conditioner is the highest point of the
trailer)
Measure the distance from the tongue ball receptacle (the middle of the
trailer width) to the end of the shadow. (at right angles) Write that number
down.
Get a 3' stick (aka a yard stick) and put it upright at right angles to the
ground. Measure the length of shadow it casts.
Write that number down.

The height of the trailer is directly proportionate to the height of the
yard stick as it relates to the shadow it casts compared to the shadow the
trailer casts.

Height of trailer equals length of trailer shadow multiplied by the length
of the yard stick  divided by the length of the yard stick shadow.

Egg Sample

Height of trailer equals (length of trailer shadow - 25') times the length
of the yard stick (3') divided by the length of the yard stick shadow (5')

or

25X3 / 5=15

This method can be used to measure the height of any object (tree, building,
tall friend) by simply measuring the length of shadow it casts and at the
same time knowing the height of another upright object and its shadow. That
way you don't have to climb up the tree with the tape measure to figure out
if it's going to hit your trailer when you cut the tree down.

Sarge