Finally antenna weather

[KB2WIG]

Its good to have it back. Now I can work on the fan 80 dipole/40m inverted U.

The extension cords will just reach.


http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.95742757637941&lon=-76.21009826660156

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS
EVENING TO 1 PM EST TUESDAY...

* LOCATIONS...POCONOS... CATSKILLS... SOUTHERN TIER OF NEW
  YORK... FINGER LAKES REGION AND GREATER SYRACUSE AREA.

* HAZARD TYPES...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SLEET AND SNOW ACCUMULATION LESS THAN 1
  INCH...ALONG WITH AROUND ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE.

* TIMING...A MIX OF SNOW AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS
  EVENING. THE PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME ALL SLEET DURING THE
  EVENING...THEN CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN OVERNIGHT. TEMPERATURES
  WILL RISE ABOVE FREEZING BY EARLY AFTERNOON TUESDAY WITH ICING
  ENDING AT THAT TIME.

* IMPACTS...VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL. SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES
  POSSIBLE FROM THE COMBINATION OF ICE AND GUSTY WINDS.

* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...REMAINING FROM THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S TONIGHT
  AND TUESDAY MORNING. CLIMBING ABOVE FREEZING BY EARLY TUESDAY
  AFTERNOON.

It was good dragging the western leg out of the apple tree this afternoon.

The nice thing about antenna weather, is you don't really worry about bugs any more. Feed for 80m/40m dipole.


klc

P.S. Brian, I told you I would be working on it tonight.

[KB2WIG]

The Festivus Pole has a high weight to strength ratio. Here it is used with the bow and arrow method of placing suport lines. The tree in the far center is the new end support.



A pull over here and Up she goes.  Now, the dog leg is mostly gone, and the antenna is running N-S. The snow changed to sleet, or I would have a pic of the new location, now 50 feet in the air.

[Opcom]

Very festive scenes. What is the red item on the festivus pole? Should it not be un-adorned?

[KB2WIG]

"Should it not be un-adorned? "

Yes Pat, you are right. But I don't want to be held up to public scorn over Festivus. And being the pole is not in the crawlspace (actually its a 4 feet 9 inches waddle like a duck space), I had to use it for something. The red thing is a spinning reel. If you look closely at the Hoist Away photo, you can see 25# Super Strong Trilene monofilament fishing line wadded around the bitter end. I take the fiberglass bow my brother found in the trash about 45 year ago, string it with Echo Weed Eater line, and let fly with a arrow. After copious amounts of oaths, I was able to get the arrow over a particular branch. And after fighting the twigs, blackberry canes and thorn trees, the arrow comes to the ground. I then tie masons twine to the fish line, reel back on the Festivus Pole, the twine now flows over the tree and then I run the real 3/8 inch line back over the tree. Add a pulely at one end, thread smaller poly line in the pulley, and the ant goes up.

Please don't ask about the 12 ft. Telescoping Pruning Stick and the 10' step ladder.

It was a bit messy tonight, and I kept falling over on the branches. So, I just strung the ant up and went inside around 1030PM. SO now the end is actually up at 50', up from ~35'.  But I'm happy for now, and I'll be back tomorrow. The 160m eL is going up tomorrow, after the freezing rain stops.

klc

[flintstone mop]

The relentless high winds of last night tore the top of that wimpy POS pine tree off and my beloved 160M dipole is gone. I'll convert what remains, when there are strong days to an "L".
Pine trees are wimpy and sway too much.
7.290, here is come!! or some other AM channel
Fred

[KB2WIG]

F,

 I feel your pine. At the old QTH, we had a similar event. The top of several trees came down. One pine had about 15 feet torn off. I told the home owner (my future wife), that we should put one of the big glass mirror globes (you find on bird bath stands) on top. She was not amused.

You may consider lashing some type of support to the remains of the pine.  Painters pole, fiberglass pruning pole, Rohn 25? , anything to give you some more height.

klc

[flintstone mop]

F,

 I feel your pine. At the old QTH, we had a similar event. The top of several trees came down. One pine had about 15 feet torn off. I told the home owner (my future wife), that we should put one of the big glass mirror globes (you find on bird bath stands) on top. She was not amused.

You may consider lashing some type of support to the remains of the pine.  Painters pole, fiberglass pruning pole, Rohn 25? , anything to give you some more height.

klc

I'll have to rely on Ma Nature for supports. There are no more fund$$$ available for Ham radio projects. I can swing what left and convert it to an "L". I'll have 70 feet vertical, on the utility pole side, and 60 something feet horizontal, heading for a tree about 50 feet high.....and go with it. Last winter was great QSO's with the "mid-west" gang and a couple had "L's" and I heard them fine.

Fred

[KB2WIG]

F,

Your set up is going to be much better than mine. As you probably already know, the 'secret' to 160m verticals is the ground......( or radials shhhh). How many do you have???

klc

[N2DTS]

I pine for a good tower (pine pun) but make do with sturdy oaks and a tall cedar.
The antenna/ropes seem strong enough to help keep the trees up.

[Opcom]

"Should it not be un-adorned? "

Yes Pat, you are right. But I don't want to be held up to public scorn over Festivus. And being the pole is not in the crawlspace (actually its a 4 feet 9 inches waddle like a duck space), I had to use it for something. The red thing is a spinning reel.

klc

I can't see why anyone would scorn Festivus unless they don't understand humor or tolerance. I don't observe it but some of its concepts are worthy such as abandoning the seasonal hype of material and money frenzy that people allow themselves to be whipped into around Christmas.

I have a small crossbow with a 100 LB pull. I wonder if such a reel would fit on that? Just re-tip the bolt with a rubber ball and it should carry a line far.

[KB2WIG]

 B,

The idea of a good tower rosinates here also. The only oak around here is in some wine. The grape type, not the other.

P,

You'd be ok with the compound bow if you have some line uncoiled. I borrowed a compound from a local benefactor, and learned this. The initial shock tends to break the line.

I broke an 'luminum arrow after it hit a branch and the front of the shaft snapped off. The other thing is to get as close as you can to the target, and the maximum elevation possible. A 45 deg angle is a no no. Like using firearms and mortars, be sure of watts behind yer target. My arrow had 100 grain practice tips.

In other news, the 40m inverted U is now ~20 feet high at one end, and not 5 feet. It kinda looks like a squashed  inverted  omega sign..... You can barely see the pipe wrench hanging from its end.


klc

[Opcom]

The crossbow is conventional, not compound. It's a bear to cock. It was cheap but no toy. I have some misgivings about using it in this way and appreciate your advice there.

Glad the pipe wrench is somewhat  obscured. Can't have those just looking like they are floating in the air or people will think you have ghosts..

[KB2WIG]

P,

You could always try a spud gun.  I bit less penetration than an arrow  (or a bolt), and the mass will help things along.



klc