[RTTY] AA5AU down but not out...

[Don Hill AA5AU]

First off, I want to thank the many of you who wished me well during the Gustav evacuation.  I'm sorry I wasn't able to respond to
every E-mail. The evacuation went well and we arrived safely home last Thursday.  It is a frightening thing to have to leave your
home; not knowing what will happen.  Receiving encouragement from my RTTY friends is great comfort during these trying times and I
am quite appreciative.

I lost my main 65' tower during Gustav when the guy anchor on the east side pulled completely from the ground.  It apparently flew
over the house as I found it on the west side of the house with the Phillystran guys still intact.  The A3S and D40 were destroyed.
The tip top of the mast landed on the edge of my neighbor's roof but the only damage to the roof was a broken shingle.  I was able
to salvage 2 ten foot sections of the tower, but the rest was cut up and hauled off to the dump.

The 40' unguyed tower stayed up along with my "Katrina" yagi.  The "Katrina" yagi is one built from pieces & parts of all the
antennas that were destroyed during Katrina.  The "Katrina" yagi did sustain damage as the winds seriously compromised the center
insulator in the driven element.  I removed that antenna Saturday and will be able to rebuilt it using parts from the damaged A3S.

Sustained winds measuring 77 MPH were reported in my area with gusts well over 100 MPH.  Fortunately there was no major damage to my
house this time.

I will be QRT for a little while, at least until hurricane season is over.  It doesn't make sense to put anything back up that will
come down again. Although I have the spirit to rebuild, I do not have the financial resources to put up a second tower and be
competitive at this time.  Unfortunately, since the tower and antennas were the only things damaged, we will not make our hurricane
deductible.  After losing three towers to two storms in 3 years, enough is enough at this QTH.  My wife and I are hoping to relocate
in the near future.

I've been sad lately over the thought of not being able to defend my USA SOLP title in the upcoming CQWW RTTY contest.  And I was
hoping to make JARTS and WAE this year as well.  I don't know if I will even be ready for the Roundup.  But I will be back.  I don't
how or when, but somehow I'll make it happen and once again will be able listen to that RTTY "music" that brings me so much joy.  I
will continue to update rttycontesting.com and help as many of you with RTTY questions as I can.

My thoughts and prayers to those in path of Hurricane Ike.  Good luck Texas!

73, Don AA5AU
http://www.aa5au.com
http://www.rttycontesting.com