[OKDXA] Antenna Update

[N5PA]

Now that I have the power back on I decided to try and see what worked and
what did not work in the shack.  My rotator works, albeit the beam has moved
about 45 degrees to the north.  I really do not know how the elements faired
but the boom is bent in front of the rotator and the elements are at about
70 degrees.  I got on 14.200 and the SWR was 1.1:1, so it appears it may be
electrically intact.  All my wire antennas are draped down beside the tower
and are pretty mangled from the trees coming down on them.  I will see what
I can do about hooking them to something and testing them.  If I have time
this evening I will tighten up my guy wires and then one afternoon this week
try to get off work before dark and climb the tower and see what I can do.
I do not know if I will have to bring the Force 12 down or not.  If nothing
else maybe I can get the element even with the horizon and align it back
with the rotator.  

I know I faired much better than most people did.  I just talked to my next
door neighbor and asked him about his trip to his fish camp on the Jordan
River on the Mississippi Coast.  He said the slab of his camp is 14 feet
above sea level and it is 14 feet up to the bottom of the first floor.  He
said he had water up to the ceiling of his second floor and that the mud is
anywhere from six inches to knee deep inside.  I would say that is a big
storm surge.  He said there are no utilities and people are camping in tents
because they have no homes.  He said the parking lot where the Wal-Mart used
to be on Highway 90 is now a tent city and that the military is running
everything.  He said the smell is horrible.  I know all the national
attention is on New Orleans, but keep the folks on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast in your prayers; they took the brunt of the storm.

73,
Alan, N5PA
Laurel, MS