[TowerTalk] getting out and back on 160 and 80 via the railroad

[Madison R. Jones]

I need to put wires up for 80 and 160.  I have two Rohn 45 towers about
150' apart on an east-west line, and both lie about 125' south of an
active railroad line.  The west tower is 160' high; the east tower is
130'.  There is a water will about 75' east of the east tower with the
usual collection of galvanized pipe running to and from it.  There is
enough space on the railroad right-of-way to run beverages from the
shack just south of the the towers approximately NW and NE, and enough
brush to hide the fact that they are there.  The trouble with beverages
is keeping them up due to maintenance on the right-of-way.  In the past
I have had slopers NE and NW on 80, and an inverted L on 160 between the
towers, but they all came down for repairs last fall.  I used to have a
EWE up for 80/160 reception, but I fried it when I inadvertantly
transmitted on it.  The boxes still are repairable, though.

I heard somewhere that one can attach a coax to the rail and make an
antenna.  I suppose putting legal limit to the rails might wreak havoc
with the signal light system upon which the trains seem to rely, but
perhaps they might do as a receive antenna.  Should I consider doing
this, or just put the EWE, slopers and inverted L back up?  I need to do
something before it gets too hot around here (Houston, TX) to work up
the tower. I miss the top band and its cousin . . .

Regards,

Madison
w5mj

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