[OKDXA] Ice

[Kim Elmore]

In NE Norman we've been getting short, intermittent shots of moderate 
freezing rain. It's brought the temperature up to 29 F, but that's 
not high enough. Nothing has broken, yet, but the 40CD2 and KT-34A 
are looking mighty droopy.

The 40CD2 usually tunes well 1:1 at 7005, but the dielectric loading 
has lowered the resonant frequency so that it's now around 2.6:1. My 
Sigma 80 vertical dipole loading coils are iced up, as are the 
loading cross bars. At 3505 it also usually tunes to 1:1, but it's 
now up to 2:1. Similarly, the 20 m part of the KT-34A is up to 2:1, 
and the 30 m part of the DW3 is up to 2:1 at 10100. 17, 15, 12 and 10 
m seem fine so far. At least, until something breaks.

I was hoping that we'd get above freezing today and dump this load of 
ice, but it doesn't look like it, now. Some of it will sublimate off, 
but not enough, I fear.

If only I had about 10-20 kW I could pump into those babies on RTTY, 
I could get the ice off, I'll bet.

Sigh.

Kim Elmore N5OP

Honest, I much prefer snow...