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[TowerTalk] solder jobs up the tower

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] solder jobs up the tower
From: twoway@scoden.ma.ultranet.com (Scott Bullock)
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 05:53:15 -0400
<sniiiiiiiiiiiip>

I'M
DISCLAIMING ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO TRY THIS.

You should too, why not just make one trip up the tower with a proper
extension cord and a solder gun, go up and down once and be a hell of a lot
safer too?
If youse guys keep doing stuff like that, we'll goin to have to start a
Towertalk silent keys page! 

Guys, use some common sense with AC voltage, I see and hear about too many
guys getting zorched! If you know someone doing stupid things like this,
take it on yourself to show them the error of their ways!

Scott
KA1CLX


At 09:00 PM 4/15/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Well, I can tell you how a friend of mine does it, but first: DISCLAIMER --
>DO NOT TRY THIS, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS OR EVEN FATAL IF NOT DONE PROPERLY.
>
>(of course, when you compare it to the potential danger of using a propane
>torch at the top of a tower, it might not look so bad.)
>
>My friend unplugs the coax at the antenna, attaches (via a homemade
>SO239-to-AC-outlet-box adapter) a temperature-regulated soldering station
>with a big tip, returns to the shack and attaches the other end of the coax
>to a 110VAC outlet (via a homemade two-prong-plug-to-SO239 adapter), returns
>to the antenna, solders away, turns off the iron, returns to the shack,
>unplugs the coax from the AC, returns to the antenna, disconnects the
>soldering iron, and reattaches the coax. Only three trips up and down the
>tower! This can be reduced to one trip by utilizing a friend in the shack
>and a pair of handy-talkies, but you really have to trust that your friend
>will do exactly what you tell him/her (it could be too tempting for a
>spouse, especially if you carry life insurance ;-)
>
>I did this once in desperation during a contest (raining, in the dark) when
>critters chewed through the coax where it attached to my lone ground-mounted
>vertical 250 feet from the house. You have to be EXTREMELY careful in
>fabricating your adapters not to connect the hot side of the AC to the
>ground portion of the SO239 connectors (use a non-reversible two-pronged AC
>plug), and, just in case, NEVER TOUCH THE CONNECTORS WHEN THE SETUP IS
>PLUGGED IN. ALSO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO GROUND SAFETY WIRE IN THIS SETUP.
>
>I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE TRY THIS BECAUSE IT IS CLEARLY NOT SAFE AND
>NOT COMPLIANT WITH ANY CODE STANDARDS AND I DON'T WANT TO GET SUED. I'M
>DISCLAIMING ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO TRY THIS.
>
>I just thought you might like to know how it has been done by foolish
>people.
>
>73, Dick, WC1M
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Matt--K7BG <aa7bg@3rivers.net>
>To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>Date: Wednesday, April 15, 1998 7:51 PM
>Subject: [TowerTalk] solder jobs up the tower
>
>
>>I seem to have a flakey PL259 connection at the top of the tower.
>>
>>What do you use to solder up their? One of those radio shack torches? Any
>>tips/hints or is this in the arhives somewhere?
>>
>>73, Matt--K7BG
>>
>>
>>--
>>FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
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>
>
>--
>FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
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>
>

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