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Re: [TowerTalk] [CQ-Contest] mystery tool and damaged 40m antennas

To: K1TTT <k1ttt@arrl.net>, reflector -tower <towertalk@contesting.com>, reflector cq-contest <cq-contest@contesting.com>, YCCC <yccc@yccc.org>, Rlx <rlx@yahoogroups.com>, Nobarc <nobarc@nobarc.org>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [CQ-Contest] mystery tool and damaged 40m antennas
From: Dale Putnam <daleputnam@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:01:16 -0600
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
At first glance, it appears to be a can/bottle opener.... and would work very 
well for that.
It also may be a Hoof Pick. Depending upon the angle of attack, or amount of 
bend, it would
be useful when cleaning hoofs, or preparing for shoeing. 
 Just my 2 cents worth.. and that ain't much nowadays.....*g*--... ...--Dale - 
WC7S in Wy> Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 13:37:33 +0000> From: K1TTT@ARRL.NET> To: 
towertalk@contesting.com; CQ-Contest@Contesting.COM; yccc@yccc.org; 
RLX@yahoogroups.com; nobarc@nobarc.org> Subject: [CQ-Contest] mystery tool and 
damaged 40m antennas> > Take a look at the picture of the tool next to a pencil 
for size comparison:> http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_40m4lldd_repair_1.jpg> > 
This tool was uniquely suited for one particular job while disassembling an> 
ice and wind damaged 40m4lldd yagi. Out of all the tools in all my various> 
tool boxes this one stood out for this one specific task.> > Can you identify:> 
1. What it's original purpose(s) were? > 2. What it would be used for in a 40m 
yagi disassembly?> > > Pictures of the 40m damage in progress are below... We 
had 3 ice storms in 2> weeks, 2 of them were followed immediately by strong 
winds. Besides damage> to both 40m4lldd's there were several bent elements on 
20m4dx yagis that had> survived several years with 'normal' ice and wind. 
Something interesting to> note is that the loading rods on the 40m4lldd's did 
not provide any> mechanical strength to the elements even though they look like 
they would> act as trusses. The elements all bent on the same side of the 
antennas> because the wind hit them from the side while the element was already 
bent> down under the ice load. The same mechanism damaged all 4 elements of 
the> top fixed European 20m yagi that was sideways to the wind, while the> 
rotatable one above it only had 1 slightly bent element since it was> pointing 
into the NW wind at the time. The loading rods broke all on the> same side 
because the wind shifted while the elements were bent so one side> of the 
loading section was stretched against the side of the element.> > Tower is 180' 
of Rohn-55 with the 40m4lldd's on ring rotors at 70' and 170'.> > 2/2 Top 40m 
with ice and wind> http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_02_40m_ice_1.jpg> > 2/2 
Top 40m with ice, note how on the left side all 4 elements are bent at> the sme 
place and the loading rods are below the element tubing.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_02_40m_ice_2.jpg> > 2/2 Top 40m with ice 
element closeup> http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_02_40m_ice_3.jpg> > 2/2 
Bottom 40m with ice> http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_02_40m_ice_5.jpg> > 
2/7 Top 40m with ice and wind, round 2 of the storms you can see the 1st> 
loading rod broke on the right element. Eventually all 4 elements ended up> 
with 1 broken rod, all on the same side.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_07_40m_ice_11.jpg> > 2/7 Top 40m with ice 
and wind, slightly crooked elements.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_07_40m_ice_13.jpg> > 2/7 Top 40m broken 
loading rod closeup> http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_feb_07_40m_ice_8.jpg> > 
Removal of the damaged antennas was done by XX-Towers on 3/7:> Rigging bottom 
40m, tram line is cable coming down to left.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_2.jpg> > Bottom one coming down> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_4.jpg> > Bottom one wide view> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_5.jpg> > Closeup of broke loading 
rod end, its really not pulled out, the shorting> bar held and the rod broke. 
The ss saddle and eye arrangement on the philly> cable is my modification to 
prevent the philly from being cut on the side of> the small holes it used to go 
through on the shorting block. M2 has> modified the design with a strain relief 
to prevent that on new ones.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_6.jpg> > Rigging the top 40m, 
tram line is hard to see but comes down between guy> wires toward bottom.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_7.jpg> > Rigging top, wide view.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_8.jpg> > Liftoff of top one.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_10.jpg> > Top one starting down> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_12.jpg> > Interesting rigging, 
use ring rotor supports and boom brace to spread load> to 4 points on boom.> 
http://www.k1ttt.net/images/2008_mar_07_kc1xx_13.jpg> > Insurance has already 
paid off and I am awaiting delivery of a new 125mph> 40m4lldd for the top. For 
the bottom one I salvaged parts from the top one> to make it whole and have 
purchased aluminum to beef it up similar to how> the 125mph elements are done. 
I also am waiting delivery of a 20m4dx to be> used for parts to replace bent 
element sections on those antennas.> > Of course I am writing this today 
because we are now getting snow/freezing> rain/rain/whatever out there and I 
figured I can wait a while to continue> repairs.> > David Robbins K1TTT> 
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net> web: http://www.k1ttt.net> AR-Cluster node: 
145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net> > > > > 
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