[CQ-Contest] Ice Storms in NE

[David Pruett]

All:

I've had cases with my homemade full-sized 3L 40 (which has severe 
element taper and small diameter tips) where ice loaded the elements to 
the point where the tips were pointing straight down.  Jerking the beam 
back and forth with the rotator caused the elements to flop around 
enough that all the ice was shed and the elements sprung back to normal.

Really.

Still, these conditions were not as severe as those endured by our W1 
brethren his past weekend.  My empathy goes out to those who lost 
antennas.  As K3LR says, our hearts break to see the results of your 
hard work damaged.

73,

Dave/K8CC


K1TTT wrote:
> In most of the cases once the boom is bent, especially if its an acute
> angle, that is a permanent loss... a smooth bow in a boom may return to
> normal if it didn't reach the elastic limit.
>
> Elements are often more surprising, they can sometimes look horribly bowed
> when ice loaded but snap right back up to normal when it melts.  In the case
> here though the ice was followed by strong winds which permanently bent or
> broke elements.
>
> If you go to my blog at
> http://wiki.k1ttt.net/2008%20Maintenance%20and%20Upgrade%20Blog.ashx#Bottom
> And scroll up to the entries for 12/12 you will see some pictures elements
> that look like horseshoes, but were still intact until the wind came up.
>
>
> David Robbins K1TTT
> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
> web: http://www.k1ttt.net
> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
>  
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Chris Smith [mailto:mi0lll at btinternet.com]
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 18:09
>> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Ice Storms in NE
>>
>> After seeing these pictures my deepest sympathy goes out to Matt and all
>> the KC1XX team
>> and whoever else has suffered such devastation, not only financial but the
>> amount of man hours
>> that has been spent by all perfecting their antenna systems is truly sad
>> to look at.
>>
>> I wonder if when the ice melts do some of the elements and booms return
>> back to shape or
>> will it be permanently damaged ?.
>> What we worry about in this part of the world (we don't get ice
>> loading) is high wind, which is
>> a small worry when compared to this.
>>
>> Hoping all effected get the will power to bounce back from this and work
>> you on the air soon.
>>
>> 73's
>>
>> Chris
>> MI0LLL / GI5K
>>
>>
>> I'm not certain where our local contester found this link, but here's a
>> slideshow with photos of the damage at KC1XX.
>>
>> http://gallery.me.com/wlmyers#100029&bgcolor=black&view=grid_
>>
>> Mother nature can be a brute. Toward the end there are photos of the
>> "sheath" of ice on the guys, elements, and booms. I don't know how you can
>> design antennas for a 2" radial ice situation.
>>
>> 73 de Bob - KØRC in MN
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <K5NZ at aol.com>
>> To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 6:53 AM
>> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Ice Storms in NE
>>
>>
>>     
>>> I know many of you in the NE have had a tuff time last few days with the
>>> ice
>>> storm.  Hope you get power back ASAP and didn't have too much antenna
>>> damage..
>>>
>>> k5nz
>>>       
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