[PVRCNC] Ice report from NX9T homestead....20 miles N of Raleigh

[NX9T@aol.com]

Hi Guys!                            Saturday evening....

Now that was interesting wasn't it?!  Geez.....  The NX9T homeplace lost all 
AC Wed. night late...and it was out until 10:30pm on Friday night.  Phone 
service just restored this evening.  So, we went approximately 48 hours w/ no 
ac/heat/water/phone, etc...I have 2 young kids(3 and 5) so that made it even 
more exciting.  To add to that glorious picture...my 3 year old had a 5 hour 
bout w/ the stomach flu Thursday night!  Our generator didn't run(my 
fault..carb. problems due to "old gas") so had to invent a new "Plan B" 
emergency power plan.  That was simpliy a power inverter hooked to the family 
van battery that would allow us to run the blower on a Ready Heater propane 
heater that I'd run 15 minutes every few hours during the night to keep 
temps. in the "camp" bedroom above 55!  It also allowed us to charge a cell 
phone, cam corder battery, and run a little mini b/w tv for the kids.  It 
wasn't much...but the $40 bucks spent on it a few months ago paid off big 
time.  Needless to say the generator is torn apart right now and it WILL be 
running next time.(got it going this evening..Sunday)

The ice was worst than I can remember.  I lost several pines....and had 20 of 
the smaller ones bend over all the way to where there tops were resting on 
the ground.  Antennas?  Only "damage" was one end of the 160m inverted  
V....no big deal....already fixed up.  THe quad was quite a site as the 
fiberglass spreader went out of alignment with the ice load and wire was all 
over...however...thankfully...as it thawed out it snapped right back in to 
place! WHew......So....I have plenty(way too much) clean up work on the 
property to do now but I am so glad to have a working heating system that 
doesn't require me to get up every few hours throughout the night and does 
more than the one room! 

As far as the contest(160 cw)....I got on for 2 hours..one hour each 
night...and made 104 Q's(LP).  I had planned to really put in some time on 
this one but after all the "stress" of the days prior...just couldn't do it.  
Was more interested in merely enjoying central heat/ TV/ and looking at the 
glow of light bulbs!  

I do plan to operate next weekend on the 10m test...let's hope for great 
conditions and no ice.

73!
Jeff NX9T


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