I need one because I need to go back in time–to write about the workload. But here’s a jaunt down memory lane, regardless.
A couple weeks back found us down in Dawsonville, GA, to install 120-ft of 45G for commercial station WLTS. Everything went okay, although the high temperatures slowed things down, as did find the antenna, with its required reflector, weighed in at 309-lbs, and not the 125-lbs mentioned previously. Plus some of the welds on the stainless steel reflector were off enough to make assembly difficult. But, everything went okay in the end. There was some confusion when Leoni delayed delivery of the Heliax by one day, but again, it was all finally worked out by simply staying another overnight.
Then, headed to Ohio, where I installed the base and anchors for N4REC’s new tower. That went pretty well, although once again, the weather was simply too damn hot for an old fart to be playing with concrete, etc. From Ohio, headed East to State College,where I met W2GD and we were finally able to fully resolve the K0XG orbital ring rotator install for the K3CR station. Even though this ring was larger than our normally-used 55G size (the K3CR towers are Rohn 65G-sized), it went together just a tad faster–an hour
and 45 minutes, as opposed to our usual two hours. Or maybe we’re just getting better? Having done almost 30 of these things, maybe it’s just that simple? We replaced the rotator on the topmost 10M Yagi while we were up that–replacing a Prosistel with a G-2800 Yaesu. Then we headed down to Carlisle, PA, where we met up with W3TX, to install a Super Bertha base. Once again, digging in the dirt, but mostly standing around watching an experienced backhoe man maneuver his way through a 13 X 13 X 6-ft hole in the ground. And watching Don Agar, of Agar Steel & Crane, weld up the #7 rebar cage. Big stuff, all right. Finished with a concrete pour of 42 yards on Wednesday afternoon. Totally bushed, so stayed one more night in Carlisle, then drove to K3CT’s QTH, and retrieved a number of items I’d previously purchased from K3II (tnx John!), who had been kindly storing them until I could get in the area with a trailer. 55G parts, a chrome-moly mast, and a boxful of 502 insulators (I was out of them). Headed home Thursday mid-morning at long last.
Then on Friday, it was back on the road, heading to Huntsville AL, where I was scheduled to do a site survey for new client W4ABW on Sunday, after attending the Huntsville Hamfest Saturday morning. Marti went along and visited with old friends (she used to live in Huntsville) while I did the hamfest walkaround. Saw a few acquaintances, especially at their tiny contest forum gathering, including perennial contest guy N4KG. Recommended a crank up tower for W4ABW, due to lot size, his xyl’s wishes, and not wanting to upset their new neighbors. Finally headed home, getting back to Charlotte in exactly eight hours, mostly through rainstorms.
A quick comment, from someone who spends a fair amount of time on our nation’s highways and byways: No one knows what YIELD means, no one pays any attention to solid white or yellow lines on the roadways, and everyone is exceeding whatever the speed limit is, everywhere. I’m sure these remarks qualify me as a genuine old fart. But I honestly don’t care.
stay tuned…
