Crank-Ups

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 96-04-14 23:16:22 EDT, you write:

>But I get to work on my antennas on the roof ...no hauling up and down.  I
>do buy or make antennas with a known balance point, however.
>
>I may sell the crank up a deserving newbe..what do you know of the new Rohn
>self supporting tower.  Missed an SSV 100 footer that was on the ground in
>Texas for $650 by one E-mail!

Hiya, Dave --

    Re. crankups, I'll give you that one.  Yes it does make that kind of work
easy -- as long as you don't fall off the roof.

    The Rohn SSV has been around for years; they've just recently introduced
it for amateurs with a rotator and thrust bearing plates.  I've installed 3
or 4 over the last couple of years.  They're a pretty utilitarian tower and
Rohn makes many different versions of it.  They're easy to assemble on the
ground, then you have a crane lift the 20 foot sections into place.  It takes
about 3-4 hours per section to assemble and about 3-4 hours to stack 100 feet
of it.  You need a rattle gun (impact wrench) to tighten everything up but
I'm sure you can rent one for a couple of bucks.  This tower will free stand
to 300 feet but the cost increases dramatically as you get higher.  The only
drawbacks are the substantial base required (11 cubic yards for 100' minimum)
and the sections are 20 feet long instead of the usual 10 so you either need
a commercial ginpole or a crane.

    One hundred feet of new SSV runs from $5-8000 depending on load and wind
zone.    I had 100 feet of used SSV and it got snatched up for $1500 real
fast.  Too bad you missed that SSV; that was a heckuva deal.

73,  Steve   K7LXC  

>From Ralph Bowen <rbowen at computek.net>  Mon Apr 15 14:53:49 1996
From: Ralph Bowen <rbowen at computek.net> (Ralph Bowen)
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 08:53:49 -0500
Subject: Force12 Info Request
Message-ID: <199604151353.IAA22713 at ns1.computek.net>

Hi All:

I've been re-evluating my antenna setup over the past few months.  It looks
like in the scheme of my reconfiguration, the Force 12 C-4SXL (2el 40 + core
C3 on a single 23' boom) may be a good replacement for my Cushcraft 402CD at
112'.

Does anyone have experience with this antenna?  I am looking for both
electrical and mechanical performance items including but not limited to the
following:

1) Bandwidth on all bands.  Especially on 40M. Perfomance on the
"non-chosen" mode?

2) Any comparisons to other 40M antennas?

3) Mechanical considerations?  Any of you had these antennas go through a
nasty       windstorm?

4) I would like to continue using my T2X  -  good enough for this antenna?

5) Are the elements (incuding driven element) at DC ground potential?  Other
experiences with the feed systems?

6) Assembly & associated quality control?  "After the sale" support?

7) Any other experiences?


Please E-Mail information directly to me at:    rbowen at computek.net

Thanks for your help.

73,  Gator  N5RZ    rbowen at computek.net



>From Gary Nieborsky <k7fr at ncw.net>  Mon Apr 15 17:30:20 1996
From: Gary Nieborsky <k7fr at ncw.net> (Gary Nieborsky)
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 09:30:20 -0700
Subject: VOACAP
Message-ID: <199604151630.JAA07368 at bing.ncw.net>

I took Brian Beezly's hint/advice and downloaded the propagation program he
described.

WOW!  It is worth the down load time!  I've been playing with it and am very
impressed. I have done some playing around listening to the BBC/VOA/Radio
Russia putting in dummy numbers for them and listening to various
frequencies to see if I can hear them as predicted.  90% of the time they
are there.  The other 10% may well have been because they weren't
broadcasting then.

There is a ton of info generated.  There is no manual per se, but it is
pretty easy to poke around in and see what pops out.  Took about 1 hour to
get meaningful i/o.

Again it's at: ftp.voa.gov.  I went in through the VOA homepage and snatched it.

73 Gary K7FR


>From Robert Penneys <radio at UDel.Edu>  Mon Apr 15 20:00:21 1996
From: Robert Penneys <radio at UDel.Edu> (Robert Penneys)
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 15:00:21 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <199604151900.PAA12782 at copland.udel.edu>

Date for Delaware QSO Party?

It looks like the Delaware QSO party may be reactivated this year, and we
are really excited. The guys are looking for a fall date, preferably 
September.

In order to minimize conflict with other contests and events, I seek your
suggestions.


Thanks!! 

Bob WN3K
Frankford Radio Club

GO  FRC!!!!!!!!!



>From Charles H. Harpole" <harpole at pegasus.cc.ucf.edu  Mon Apr 15 23:00:55 1996
From: Charles H. Harpole" <harpole at pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Charles H. Harpole)
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 1996 18:00:55 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: EL emergency and call for help.
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960415175828.28771A-100000 at Pegasus>

I would much rather have everyone see your thoughts on simple, brief 
calls for help in REAL emergencies.  I disagree with your position and 
feel it is anti-the reasons for ham radio's existence.  But, you are the 
"have" with the technology and the power, and I am the "have not (and no 
hope to get)."  Enjoy your power.  de K4VUD

On Sat, 13 Apr 1996, Trey Garlough wrote:

> X-Mailing Address: 101 Cooper Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 
> 
> > Trey, First, I only sent two messages on two different days noting the 
> > possibility of ELs using the ham bands to call for help.  If two postings, 
> > on what could have been a life-saving topic that should be (and by 
> > regulation, practice, and likely law--is) of vital concern to all hams 
> > who could provide assistance, 
> > among all the other things that appear here are too much, I recommend you 
> > re-examine your value system and the deepest reasons ham radio exists.  
> > For a tiny drop of good will for humanity, I wish you warmest 73, K4VUD
> 
> Firstly, this sub-thread about what is appropriate and what is not
> appropriate for CQ-Contest should be taken up with me directly and not
> conducted on the mailing list itself, where it is filling up the 
> mailboxes of 2000 or so others.
> 
> Secondly, I have reconsidered the situation and once again I ask that
> you refrain from making non-contesting related postings to the
> CQ-Contest mailing list.  A much better place to post this type of
> information would be in a general interest amateur radio discussion 
> group, like misc.radio.amateur.misc.
> 
> --Trey, WN4KKN/6
>