[VHFcontesting] 222 mhz and the eme contest

[Dave Olean]

We had very high winds here in the last few days and a bad wind gust 
managed to snap one of my 222 MHz yagis in half. It broke right at the 
boom to mast plate where the boom had been double walled with 1 1/2 and 
then 1 5/8" tubing overlapping. It still snapped and wrecked the array. 
To make matters worse, I did not see the damage when I went up there on 
Thursday night. In trying to turn the array, I managed to drag the 
broken aluminum around the tower and it destroyed my fixed 222 array or 
at least the top two yagis  rear mounted on the tower. So I am off the 
air indefinitely on 222 MHz. I am very discouraged.  The same wind also 
wrecked a ten meter six element yagi as it broke the boom to mast plate 
in half. When I went up there this morning I found that yagi hanging by 
one loose u-bolt. It looked so bad, I did not want to be under it.  I 
spent the day rigging the tower and then removed the six element yagi 
along with one of two five element ten meter yagis located under my 222 
MHz EMe/tropo array. I figured they would be in the way  when I try to 
lower all the damaged 222 Mhz parts. What a mess.  so no eme contest 
this time. I will have to sit it out along with some Tuesday night 
activity periods. I have to remove the damaged yagi and then re build it 
and re install it on the tower. The wx here next week looks awfully cold 
and windy so I am not expecting a quick turn around.

I am sorry to miss the last weekend 222 MHz activity in the contest.  I 
was all set to have some fun.


73

Dave K1WHS

ps never build an EME antenna 100 ft up in the air.