[MAMS] [Mw] K4TO off 2-10 ghz

[Russ Pillsbury]

Hi Dave.  Sorry you had the lightning damage to your gear, but very glad to
hear about your miraculous recovery of your health.  Like you, I feel very
able to climb towers and do my ham work still.  But a few years ago I made a
promise to my XYL that I would stop climbing - and I think it was a smart
thing to do.  At 69, I do notice that I don't have the stamina I used to
have and sometimes my coordination is a little off.  Being on a tower and
having a bad moment is just not something to take a chance on.  I have
decided that if I do get a new tower at my new QTH it will be a crank up /
tilt tower so I don't have to climb.  For now, I only have a 2 meter EME
array and it is only 20 feet up, and on a tilt tower.

Good luck with your repairs and hope you can find someone to do the high
tower work for you.

73, Russ K2TXB
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: microwave-bounces at lists.eclectechs.com 
> [mailto:microwave-bounces at lists.eclectechs.com] On Behalf Of 
> Dave Sublette
> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2012 4:44 PM
> To: Microwave Reflector; Mid-America Microwave Society
> Subject: [Mw] K4TO off 2-10 ghz
> 
> Due to several close lightning strikes two nights ago, I am 
> off of the air on 2304 through 10368 Mhz.  The damage is 
> two-fold (and maybe more I haven't found yet).  1) The PTT 
> line to the top of the tower is shorted.  and 2) The 
> potentiometer on my PST 71D rotator is shot.
> 
> All things considered I feel really good about a lot of 
> things. First, I don't think the damage is too severe.  I had 
> all cables, power and ground at the shack disconnected as I 
> always do, else the lightning might have really hit directly 
> and taken everything. Second, I have just finished an 
> exhilarating afternoon working at 50 feet.  I removed the 
> PST-71D and it is now in the shop, ready to get a new pot. I 
> neglected to look up the weight of the unit before climbing 
> and it was so heavy
> (77lbs!) I almost couldn't get it down (gracefully) after 
> getting it loose from the tower.
> 
> This was my first major climb in just over a year. Last year 
> at this time I just got out of ICU where I was for three 
> weeks, unconscious. The first week they didn't give me any 
> chance of survival. Five weeks after I went in, I walked out 
> and started rehab.  I am just now really getting back close 
> to where I was.  I had so much fun this afternoon I was almost giddy.
> 
> I am thankful for the Grace of God that allowed and enabled 
> me to recover. I don't take things for granted much anymore 
> these days.
> 
> 
> So ....  I will keep you all posted on progress. After getting the 
> rotator fixed and back up, I have to climb to 185 feet, take 
> down the 55 
> pound four band microwave box, repair it and put it back up. 
> I'll shoot 
> for the September contest.
> 
> Thanks for listening.
> 
> Dave, K4TO
> _______________________________________________
> Microwave mailing list
> microwave at lists.valinet.com
> http://lists.valinet.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/microwave
>