Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 17:38:23 -0400
Just make sure you get them all as any you miss will be mad as hornets. <:-)) As others have said, wear clothing they can not get into or sting through. Tape shirt and pant cuffs to prevent them fro
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 20:07:36 -0400
I'm on Google Earth (You can see the car in the drive and the satellite antennas, but not on this. This one just shows an icon for my house. Gene, I checked my QTH and I'm not there!!! :-) The aerial
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 23:53:14 -0400
I just came in the shop from checking. I've been using two main types, Spectracide and Ortho, both of which are foaming and both advertise they shoot 20 feet. Both are almost instantaneous, but "for
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 00:09:07 -0400
Nuther note on the bugs. The Japanese beetles and Box Elder bugs are worth spraying too. I went to the loacal grain elevator and they gave me..er sold me a commercial mix I can spray right on the sid
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 00:11:10 -0400
We have Charter here as well, but the Township had some hams on the planning comission.<:-)) To be able to come into the township they had to agree *any* TVI problems were their problems and would be
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 00:44:13 -0400
Although I agree with the above sentiments versues one and two I'd bet you could see some cracks. It might take a dye penetrant test to do it though. Still even if it passed a test like that which wo
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 15:11:09 -0400
This varies between companies. For some, the tower needs to be attached and for some it needs to be isolated. You may find "adjacent structure" will not give you as much coverage as leaving it isola
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 00:11:58 -0400
Jim makes a very important point. We purchase insurrance to save money. The insurance company sells us insurance to make money. You don't have to pass Econ 101 to see this equation doesn't balance.
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 00:14:42 -0400
Look at it this way. When we have a major power outage for an extended period the cell phones are probably one of the first things to fail. Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member) N833R -
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 20:04:55 -0400
I "safety wire my turnbuckles with wire rope, but I've never found any of the stuff difficult to cut. (witht he right tools)<:-)) The old "universal skeleton key" works every time. I just use a hand
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:26:50 -0400
With a 1/4 wave sloper, the tower is the radiator. W8JI would say it's I was under the impression the tower served as a reflector, but agree on the luck when using a half sloper, or slopper. BTW Wher
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:04:21 -0400
There's been some good advise in here, but I'd add that not all things dangerous may be obvious. Of course when it comes to pruning, using heavier guys, and just making things stronger we reach a poi
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:37:17 -0400
Still, when using a tower base set in concrete the base goes through the concrete into crushed rock or pea gravel underneath for drainage. I can understand the need for the bottom of the tower sectio
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:30:50 -0400
The fencing material I've seen was very good. Yes, it had a welded seam but so does structural steel tubing which is what I'm using. There *might* be a difference in quality control between the struc
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:24:57 -0400
It's just a small thing, but I'm running some LMR-600 and 5/8 Heliax up the tower for six and two. From the rig to the antennas is roughly 228 feet. The pigtails from the entrance bulkhead are LMR-40
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 20:28:31 -0400
Thanks for all the input on the N Vs UHF. I think there was a lot of information that wasn't in the archives. The reason for the question, as I think I stated, was to decide on which type of connecto
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 01:45:27 -0400
The single wire tram is a lot more stable than the old two wire and a whole lot easier to set up. I don't understand why anyone is still using a two wire tram system. A single tram wire works superb.
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:49:29 -0400
Are all of your antennas at DC ground? Is the 40 an ungrounded dipole? If the answers to both of these are yes then the choke from the center connector on the chassis connection to ground may be open
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:11:53 -0400
If going that far There is the option of Dow Corning DC-4 or DC-5 compounds (Dielectric grease) which was developed for spark plug sealing on B-17s during WW II. The stuff is good for flooding connec
Author: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 00:07:46 -0400
Those are the RTVs and have a relatively short shelf life. The dielectric greases and vacuum greases should not get hard in the tube or any place else for that matter. I've had flooded connectors up