[VHFcontesting] Sept Contest

[Dave Olean]

Problems in FN43MJ!
    There will be no organized operation from K1WHS in the September 
Contest. A last minute emergency has curtailed our plans to be on in force. 
I had all bands up thru 10 GHz working very well. All of the 7 towers on the 
hill are guyed with rock anchors into hard rock.  During the last bad storm, 
an entire set of guys were broken away from the rock as the rock anchor 
failed. The failure mode was corrosion of a high strength 1/2" steel shank 
causing it to break! I almost lost the entire tower, but have managed to 
stabilize it with a few come- a-longs and some strategic trees.  A quick 
inspection of all of the guy anchors has shown significant corrosion to the 
point where I believe the site is unsafe in the present condition.  I am 
trying to get the problem resolved as fast as possible, with new drilled 
holes and rock anchors, but in the interest of safety, am limiting access to 
the site just in case some more guy anchors fail.
    The problem occurred as a result of high levels of Iron Pyrite, FeS2, in 
the rock formation. It oxidizes and transforms to FeSO4 and can form acids 
with mixing water and air.  The steel near the rock is badly corroded, while 
the portion of the steel above ground is undamaged  and looks good as new.
Sorry, but there will not be a contest serious effort this weekend. I will 
be working on preparing for drilling another 21 holes for new anchors 
instead.

73
Dave K1WHS

-----Original Message----- 
From: Herb Krumich
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 11:12 AM
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Sept Contest

We will be ready to go this weekend
I'm looking for skeds especially on 6 or 2 meters FSK scatter.
I will be on 50-10ghz with decent equipment
Please send me sked requests
Thanks
Herb at WA2FGK FN21 bf
wa2fgk at yahoo.com
www.wa2fgk.com
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