Contesters view on Al towers...

[Mike Meehan]

Howdy folks,

I'm looking for any feedback from those having experience 
with freestanding aluminum towers...

  21 ft^2 at 70' with 70mph wind?


Kindest Regards,
-Mike

>From Tony and Celia Becker <becker at shell.portal.com>  Mon Oct 30 15:26:06 1995
From: Tony and Celia Becker <becker at shell.portal.com> (Tony and Celia Becker)
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 1995 10:26:06 -0500
Subject: CQWW SSB Score and Story
Message-ID: <199510301824.KAA20345 at nova.unix.portal.com>

                    CQ WORLD WIDE DX CONTEST -- 1995

Call: AE0M  Ops: AE0M/N0BBS    Country:  United States
Mode: SSB   Club: NCCC         Category: Multi Single, One Radio, No Packet

BAND   QSO QSO PTS  PTS/QSO  ZONES COUNTRIES  Ants (100% aluminum free)
 80     20     42     2.10    10      10      Delta Loop @ 8'
 40    162    453     2.80    21      33      Delta Loop @ 10'
 20    134    350     2.61    21      39      Delta Loop @ 20'/ Attic Dipole
 15    172    443     2.58    22      48      Delta Loop @ 20'/ Attic Dipole
---------------------------------------------------
Totals 488   1288     2.64    74     130  =>  262,752

RIG: FT-990, FL7000 at 500W & 486DX2-66 MHz running CT version 9.23.  

Soapbox:  Regular readers will be disappointed to hear that nothing went
wrong with rig or antennas and the propagation was GREAT!  Not that all went
well...

Celia is still getting the hang of split operation.  It's frustrating when
the DX won't listen stateside, but by 4 a.m. the X**** was the only DX left
on 40 m left to work.  We could hear him quite well--and all the other rare
DX calling him (where were they hiding before and after?) X****
unintentionally aggravated the frustration by not maintaining a stable
listening frequency.  Since there was more DX than U.S. calling (and we are
thought ubiqitous), he only occasionally and briefly listened above 7.100
causing various stations to think that frequency was clear and begin to use
it.  The X**** operator (apparently very tired) announced that he was
listening on 7.19*, found it was taken, announced another frequency and
while everyone scrambled to enter first one, then the second, etc. he
decided no one was calling and went immediately back listening on his
transmit frequency.  It brought to mind an old cartoon about a frog and
moving lily pads--"just about the time you think you can make the ends meet,
someone moves the ends again..."  Several of us were kept hopping for about
an hour and I think we sank in exhaustion.  (Much later Tony said "just type
-7194 <CR> and you're done.")

Tony came down with a cold just as the contest was starting, and Celia's HOT
& sour soup was a compassionate and creative culinary cure with KICK.  The
undoubtedly savory flavors were not, unfortunately, tasted, but could be
FELT on the way down.  Opening the windows kept the air cool and clear in
the shack, tissues kept the nose and forehead dry and by Sunday morning Tony
could talk normally again.  Good thing he recorded the voice keyer messages
on Thursday.

We must present a written plan to the Homeowners Association BoD the week
before the CQWW CW weekend, so this may be the last season for the
semi-stealthly delta loops.  The relevant paragraph in the CC&Rs says "No
... antennas ... visible to public view."  (Do you realize how difficult it
is to see a black #26 wire at 20'?)  Celia wants to plant a really BIG
redwood tree in the garden...

AE0M, Tony Becker - becker at shell.portal.com - Silicon Valley, U.S.A.