[VHFcontesting] VE3/KC8QVO in EN39 - post-field day trial setup update

[steve d]

Well I got to test the antenna setup for my EN39 trip this past weekend  at field day. We had a snag from the beginning - my buddy's welder ran  out of gas half way through him building a star mount for the guy  lines. So we had to come up with something else. The guy that had the  place where we set up had some scrap angle iron from a garage door  opener, so we used a couple pieces of this bolted to the rotator  bracket and guyed off of them. It worked alright. Overall the system  worked how it was supposed to - we raised and lowered the antennas in a  relatively safe, controlled environment. In terms of raising the  antennas we hit one snag but were able to get around it for field day.  That was the pulley blocks were side loading, causing even more  resistance on the hoist line and the system locked up. So we had to  push a pole up below the rotator bracket to take some of the weight off  the block and tackle and then were able to get it up. We had to do it  in stages
 because we needed the guy lines tied down to keep the system  upright as we were raising it. We went about 4-6 inches at a time and  then went back around the guys to loosen them up, then another 4-6  inches. 
  
  So, the next step is to get the star mount finnished. I also need to  get different pulley blocks - either ones that have much less  resistance (larger sheaves) or go to a fiddle block to eliminate the  side loading. Other than that, I think I have have a system that is  actually going to work when I get to EN39! Also, the guy lines shouldnt  be as necessary while setting up when I am in EN39 because the main  mast will be anchored to a deck about 5' up - the mast wont be  free-standing. That should knock out a whole lot of time in setup - I  should be able to raise everything and then guy it down, rather than  raise in 6"  increments. 
  
  Steve, KC8QVO
  
       
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