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Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: WD8BIL on February 08, 2005, 11:58:02 AM The beginning of the W8ER 20V3 story !!
It was a good night..... mud n' all !!! The Beginning (http://www.w8er.com/20V3.htm) Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 08, 2005, 07:12:26 PM Thanks Buddly, you beat me to the post!
One of the fun evenings. I knew it had possibilities when I stepped out of my S-10 at the transmitter site and heard those two sounds "plunk and plunk" of my right foot following the left into the driest part of the path between it and me. The second laugh was watching you do the backstroke between the F-150 and the transmitter building. Mike W8BAC followed, by locking the hubs on his truck while treading water! I would not have thought it possible to disconnect, remove the iron from and load the transmitter in just three hours but that's what happened! It helped to have Mike's expertise on the box and your cool thinking. When trying to negotiate the door of the building with the beast, instead of removing the door to the building, which looked to be the only reasonable way to get the rig out, your suggestion to move the truck out a couple of feet and slide the transmitter closer to the door so the balance of the top was easier to handle, was but one example. It was a symphony! The final laugh was when Bill Bowin, the Chief Engineer, came out holding a dead mouse that had fallen out of the 20V3. He noted that it was good to find the source of the smell that had been getting stronger the past few days! My feet were soaked and my pants wet to the knees but I had more laughs in that three hours than I can remember in recent history. Today Mike stopped back over and we went over the rig with a fine comb. We found the mouse nest, just inside the bottom. It has been unpowered for nearly 18 years and I am shocked at the condition that it is in, meaning that after sitting in a building in a farm field for it's entire life, the largest problem is that it is dirty., a testament to Collins construction and use of quality parts. I will keep the page updated with photographs as the project progresses. The wife mentioned this morning that she hoped I would "give it a bath" before bringing it into the house and I figured that if that was her only objection, I was a lucky guy! Thanks to Mike W8BAC, Bill Bowen, WBCO, and you Bud. A great time! I see a catered firing up party on the horizon! --Larry W8ER http://www.w8er.com/20V3.htm Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W3SLK on February 08, 2005, 10:14:57 PM Nice box Larry. I hope to hear it sometime on 160(?) BTW I like your avitar.
Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Jim W8DRZ on February 10, 2005, 02:54:45 PM Congradulations Larry!
I heard you talking on 52 on the way out, and back. I'm turning GREEN with envy. I have been looking for some Heavy Iron for 2 years, always find stuff to far away to get. GOOD CATCH! Hope to hear you on the air with it soon. Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 11, 2005, 01:09:22 AM Thanks Mikey and Jim,
It was Buddly's catch and his extreme generosity. I nearly had one from Houston, but in the end .. 2.5 days down and 2.5 days back, and only an S-10 to carry it, just killed the deal. I've got my eyes out for one for him now! Since I moved to Vermilion, Jim you are a stones throw away. Come on over! --Larry Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Jack-KA3ZLR- on February 11, 2005, 03:59:40 AM Good Luck on the Rig Larry, looks like a FBOM situation...
Enjoyed the Pics, ..Excellent... Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: WD8BIL on February 11, 2005, 01:02:33 PM Where the heck is McConnelsburg Mark ???
Hmmmmm......... Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: WD8BIL on February 11, 2005, 01:48:41 PM Ya... I see on the map it's just north of Altoona.
Do you know the dimensions of the beast ? (that's an open question to all viewers) Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: WD8BIL on February 11, 2005, 02:53:12 PM Quote 78H x 36W x 32D. Front door swings 28 Inches. Hey Larry... this'll fit in my truck with 3" to spare !! Mis-spelled McConnellsburg. It points you to the middle of the state (just north of Altoona) when ya do that. I'm thinkin' hard about it Mark. Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Jim W8DRZ on February 11, 2005, 03:46:15 PM Wowzers, I'm partial to Gates anyway having spent many years with a
BC-500 in my younger days. If buddy does not want it, I would appreciate a shot at it. Please let me know. It's not to far away for me, hi. Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 11, 2005, 04:26:37 PM Buddly,
Say the word, me and the S-10 will follow anywhere! --Larry Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Jack-KA3ZLR- on February 11, 2005, 06:20:23 PM Hey, When you guys gona Hook me up with some BIG IRON... So I can Be a Strapping Lad from Canonsburg Pa...Heck with these Linear Amps..
That's a dangerous thought... Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Mike/W8BAC on February 11, 2005, 11:41:46 PM I can help to Bud. Say the word
Mike Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Jim W8DRZ on February 12, 2005, 03:00:22 PM Mark, thanks for sharing the pictures. Good to know its found a home
instead of the scrap heap. I'll keep looking, someday I'm sure I will luck into something. Glad to lend a hand if Buddy and the gang need any help. I have installed a few Broadcast rigs in my time, from 250 Watts to 100KW always hopeing that someday one could follow me home, HI HI. Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 13, 2005, 09:26:42 PM I received this and thought that I'd pass it on. It's too good to keep to myself.
(http://www.w8er.com/pics/churchsign.jpg) --Larry W8ER :lol: :lol: :lol: Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: w3jn on February 14, 2005, 07:27:30 AM So who's Arthur, and is he gonna help you get that strapmaster xmitter on the air?
73 John Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 14, 2005, 08:09:23 AM Arthur Collins maybe?
Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Mike/W8BAC on February 14, 2005, 08:19:29 AM That's awesome. You put a big transmitter like that on the air and everyone wants to saith something to you. They only speaketh in tongs to me but you get personal messages from the commander and chief. What happens if your angle music gets into the church sound system? Do you get a slip from St. Peter?
Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Paul, K2ORC on February 14, 2005, 08:29:46 AM And who are Arthur's "fruits"?
Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: Mike/W8BAC on February 14, 2005, 08:56:29 AM If you look at his avatar, Larry is gently cradling Arthur's fruits. Bias them wisely my son and let them not go into self oscillation. For thyne is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Deliver us from St Riley. Amen
Title: May the Strap Be With You Post by: W1IA on February 14, 2005, 09:10:10 AM Quote from: Mike/W8BAC If you look at his avatar, Larry is gently cradling Arthur's fruits. Bias them wisely my son and let them not go into self oscillation. For thyne is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Deliver us from St Riley. Amen Our four by one who art in the window, hallowed be thy strap! :-P Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: WD8BIL on February 14, 2005, 09:18:33 AM Quote Mike/W8BAC wrote: If you look at his avatar, Larry is gently cradling Arthur's fruits. Bias them wisely my son and let them not go into self oscillation. For thyne is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Deliver us from St Riley. Amen Our four by one who art in the window, hallowed be thy strap! Amen ! Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 14, 2005, 09:26:11 AM Arthur's fruits .. hell I thought they were 4-400's! No wonder you had a grin on your face when you handed them to me! :lol: :lol: :lol:
--Larry Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: w3jn on February 14, 2005, 11:15:21 AM Larry, you'll get a slip from St. Peter sure as shootin' if you get across the B+ in that beast.... I know I don't hafta tell ya to be careful but let's hope this isn't some sort of omen!
73 John Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: W8ER on February 14, 2005, 11:35:21 AM Thanks for your concern John. As an old broadcast engineer type of guy, used to working on a 50 KW AM transmitter, I am overly cautious when inside one of these birds. What you don't see in the pictures is my platform sneakers and the velcro wristband that keeps one of my hands behind my back when working on it. Then there's the 200 pound HV transformer that has reminded me already, by it's sheer weight, that it's nothing to play games with.
By the way, with the permission of radio station WBCO general Manager Debbie Gifford, my avatar is again changing to keep up with Mike W8BAC. I will not however, be changing my call to W8BCO!!! (http://www.w8er.com/pics/wbco.gif) --Larry Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: N3DRB The Derb on February 18, 2005, 11:35:00 PM Hmmmmm.....my girlfriend lives about 40 miles from there.....we go to Altoona ALL the time..... I drive a Dodge Ram.....hmmmmm
Title: Collins 20V3 Arrives at W8ER Vermilion,Ohio Post by: wavebourn on February 18, 2005, 11:58:47 PM Quote from: N3DRB The Derb Hmmmmm.....my girlfriend lives about 40 miles from there.....we go to Altoona ALL the time..... I drive a Dodge Ram.....hmmmmm ...legendary identity... hmmm... :cool: |