On Mon, 11 Feb 2002 "Major Ron" <majrabsr@rconnect.com> writes:
>
> OK Don (and All),
>
> The antennas were stacked in 'normal' Christmas tree fashion.
> There was about 1/4" to 3/8" (measurements were taken on the
> ground AFTERWARDS) of ice after the freezing rain, which then
> turned into heavy wet snow. There were no compensators on the
> antennas and they were pointed into the wind. Winds were steady
> at 55-70MPH with gusts reaching 90MPH.
> ALL elements failed at the swage points.
N4KG: Do you mean the super thin wall 7/16 inch diameter
Element TIPS failed? I HATE those flimsy HyGain
end tips. Too bad someone ( HELLO TEXAS TOWERS )
doesn't sell heavier wall 7/16 inch O.D. replacements!
> The 20M boom broke on one side of the re-inforcement at the
> center near the mast. 10 & 15m booms bent at the same point.
> One side of the driven element on 15 & 20M beams broke at the
> insulators. Several element pieces (don't know which antenna they
> came from yet) appear to be twisted radially.
>
> I really am amazed that the T6 escaped any damage at all. Its
> elements were sagging badly and waving around in the wind when
> I last looked at them,
N4KG: Please provide a description of the T6 elements
(lengths, diameters, wall thicknesses, double wall?, etc)
> while the HG antennas elements appeared to be handling
> everything pretty well. I took a rest break from the contest
> and went to bed to find this mess of aluminum laying on
> the ground when I awoke and couldn't tune the antennas.
>
> I have to figure out something different because I cannot afford
> this to happen again.
>
> 73,
> Ron, KA9ALC
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Havlicek" <n8de@thepoint.net>
> To: "Major Ron" <majrabsr@rconnect.com>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: February 11, 2002 21:40
> 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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