HI Ron,
Sorry to hear about your ice storm and the antenna damage. Very
frustrating indeed!
Here is SW Connecticut we unfortunately get ice storms several times each
fall and winter although we have not had the big ice AND the big winds at
the same time for a few years.
When you rebuild I suggest that you put a boom truss on ALL your antennas to
prevent the booms from breaking next time.
(Heavy wet snows are just as bad as heavy ice). Make a separate
boom-to-mast plate out of 1/4" steel or aluminum stock and drill four holes
for 4 galvanized u-bolts. Take a 3' piece of steel pipe or heavy duty
aluminum and bolt it to the plate and the boom.
Mount a u-bolt on the top of the pipe, bolt two turnbuckles (one on each
side of the u-bolt) and run kevlar or phillystran out about 2/3 of the way
to the end of the boom and drill a hole for an eye-bolt on each side of the
boom. Use 3 cable clamps to clamp the kevlar around the eyebolt and the
turnbuckle (tighten the turnbuckle first before tightening the cable
clamps). Then weave some rope through the turnbuckle to hold it in place.
You can epoxy or silicone the eyebolt holes in the boom to keep out any
water.
I have skipped a few details but you get the idea. You might not be able to
save the elements but they are relatively easy to replace/repair (with the
booms intact).
You can do all the drilling, mounting and clamping in a leisurely 2 - 3
hours per antenna and all the hardware and stock will run about $15.. It
will save you a lot of time and money in the future.
73 and Gl!
Bob KQ2M
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Havlicek <n8de@thepoint.net>
To: Major Ron <majrabsr@rconnect.com>
Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2002 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Antennas down
>
> Ron
> Educate us!
> What was the orientation of those antennas to the wind direction when
> they 'failed' the stress test?
> What was the amount of radial ice on them?
> Were they stacked in a Xmas tree?
> If so, was the Xmas tree 'ordinary' or 'inverted'?
> Where did the 205CA boom fail?
> Where did the 155CA boom bend?
> Where did the 105CA boom bend?
> Which elements on which beams failed?
> Did you have 'compensators' on the booms?
> Very interested in the answers to these questions, as I am about to
> erect an 'inverted' Xmas tree of 20 over 15 over 10 .. 204BA instead of
> 205CA.
> Thanks in advance.
> Don
> N8DE
>
>
> Major Ron wrote:
> >
> > We here in SW MN had freezing rain and high winds SAT night & SUN
morning.
> > My HyGain 205CA, 155CA and 105CA are history. Broken elements on all of
them
> > and broken boom on 205. 155 & 105 booms are severly bent. Guess I'll be
in
> > the market for some new antennas after I find a new job. Only surviving
beam
> > is Tennadyne T6.
> >
> > Ron, KA9ALC
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________________
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> > Order online at http://store.eham.net.
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> ________________________________________________________________________
> Where do you get ICE bandpass filters & beverage matching boxes? The
> same place that pays for the hosting of this list: The eHam Store.
> Order online at http://store.eham.net.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> -----
> FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
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> Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
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>
>
________________________________________________________________________
Where do you get ICE bandpass filters & beverage matching boxes? The
same place that pays for the hosting of this list: The eHam Store.
Order online at http://store.eham.net.
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