[OKDXA] Ice and Antennas

[Coy Day]

Kim,

Sounds like a good plan.  Mine didn't freeze up enough to keep the 2800
from rotating it.  It was sluggish because of the weight of the ice.  The
temp also reached 32 deg here.  I noticed the ice was falling off the guys
so I checked the antenna and it was held fast.  So I should the top guy
wires and was able to shake most of the ice off the SteppIR.  The elements
immediately sprang up as though nothing had happened.

The bands were good today.  even worked a few on 12m ft8.

Stay warm....   73,  Coy

On Thu, Feb 22, 2018 at 1:02 PM, Kim Elmore <cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

> That last round of convection certainly added more ice because the
> mismatch on all antennas is considerably worse, but my QTH is now at 32F so
> no matter what comes over, they aren't going to accumulate much more ice.
>
> We don't get cold enough here to render the grease a solid: my problems
> come directly form ice accumulating around the thrust bearing at the top of
> the tower. The next time I go up there, I need to take a cone of some sort,
> perhaps a roof seal, or a toilet tank flapper with the center cut out, and
> put it over the thrust bearing such that freezing rain and sleet can't
> accumulate between the thrust bearing and the top section surface. That
> way, I can still rotate my antennas after a bit of freezing rain. Of
> course, that assumes I'll have antennas to rotate...
>
> 73,
>
> Kim N5OP
>
>
>
> On 2/22/2018 11:05 AM, GARYLM at kiamichiwb.org wrote:
>
>> IN ALASKA WE WOULD TAKE ROTATOR APART AND WASH ALL THE GREASE OUT OF THE
>> BEARINGS WITH SOLVENT THEN USE GRAPHITE IN THE BEARINGS TO KEEP IT FROM
>> FREEZING UP IN WINTER.  SOMETIMES THEY WOULD STILL FREEZE WITH TEMP DOWN TO
>> MINUS 50 TO 70 BELOW IN ARTIC.
>> GOOD LUCK WITH THE ANTENNAS.
>> 73  WQ5R  GARY
>>
>> --- cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net wrote:
>>
>> From: Kim Elmore <cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: Oklahoma DX Association <okdxa at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: [OKDXA] Ice and Antennas
>> Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2018 12:16:27 -0600
>>
>> Both OU and NSSL are closed today due to impending weather, so I'm home
>> and can play radio a bit. So far, may antennas are fine, if a bit
>> droopy,?? but more ice is on the way. I'm hoping most of it comes as ice
>> pellets (sleet) and not freezing rain.
>>
>> If you'd like to look at the different types of precipitation that are
>> occurring around your area (or the whole country) in real time, look at
>> https://mping.ou.edu/display. This displays data that are part of a
>> project I head at the National Sever Storms Laboratory to better detect
>> and forecast precipitation type. It shows precipitation type
>> observations from regular people (dubbed citizen science) and is
>> submitted via a (FREE!) smart phone app. You can check it out at
>> https://mping.ou.edu and get the app form either Google Play or the
>> iTunes App Store.
>>
>> Back to antennas: Even though the antennas are (so far) only a bit
>> mistuned due to dielectric loading I'm having trouble rotating my
>> antennas, however. I've rocked them back and forth enough that I can gr
>> from about 170 to 350 degrees, but haven't gotten them much farther.
>> More ice is likely on the way and I made sure my ARRL insurance is paid
>> up. I've not yet lost any due to ice, but without doubt my day will
>> come. I hope it's not today...
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Kim N5OP
>>
>>
> --
>
> Kim Elmore, Ph.D. (Adj. Assoc. Prof., OU School of Meteorology, CCM, PP
> SEL/MEL/Glider, N5OP, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph, GROL)
>
> /"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in
> practice, there is." //??? Attributed to many people; it???s so true that
> it doesn???t matter who said it./
>
>
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