Putting the “blogging” on a lower priority level, and moving up to a “real webpage,” due to increased reader comments and continuing inquiries as to why I don’t have a website. The blog will become a feature or linked-to page on the website.
The last trip North began at W4CYS. The pre-inspection was the most rigorous I’ve ever experienced. The inspector went over every detail: measuring and marking and looking at the drawings every few minutes. I used bricks to elevate the rebar cage, and he didn’t like that. Bricks are only 2.5-inches and the drawings call for a three inch separation from the undisturbed soil. But he let it go, finally. So, as soon as the inspection was completed, we called for concrete. And managed to get the tower base and the three elevated guy post anchors installed. KR7X’s design for the elevated posts had me wondering, as the posts are to be three-feet down in the six foot deep hole. How to support them was my primary concern. Ended up using concrete blocks and simple 2X4s every 120-degrees to plumb and hold them in place. The first pour went off without incident, but on the second hole, the blocks fell to one side as we were easing the concrete in. So, I tugged off my shoes & dropped in to the hole. Somehow, I was able to pull the blocks and the pole back upright. How I ever moved them remains somewhat of a mystery. One of those adrenalin-powered surges, I guess, as the client was aghast and agog, hi hi. The rest of the pour went okay, although we all got wet in the pouring rain. Great help from the local drivers of Allied Concrete, however! Simply the best experience I’ve ever had.
Called N4RV and W4RM for their tower projects, which I was thinking would be next, but neither ever called back or sent emails, so who knows what happened? Jack reads the blog. What’s up…?
Moved to N3EON’s, where his KT34M2 suddenly stopped working. No amount of fiddling with it seemed to help. M2 seems to think it’s loose connections, but Mike Staal told me it’s likely water having gotten into the capacitor tubing. But never able to get anywhere. My MFJ analyzer seems to have developed that loose N-connector malady–the readings are all over the place. Sometimes it said the antenna was fine; other times it agreed with Steve’s rig–the SWR was 5:1, so no definite conclusions could ever be drawn. Bought a new analyzer from Array Solutions.
Headed home after brief stop w/WA2BCK. Looks like we can maybe stick a guyed tower in his backyard after all. 100 feet of 55G is what he wants.
Getting ready to (finally) head West, to AI0O’s, to put up his dedicated 160M vertical. Rob became a GrandFather. Amazing, as I recall playing with his young son Daniel back in the early 80s when I lived in Missouri, and he was a preschooler! Time…boy….
stay tuned!
