[PVRCNC] [PVRC] Ice Report

[Willie L. Baber]

Hi Jim:

...glad to hear you and others report getting through ok.  
Next field day I will pay more attention to generators and 
such.  I purchased a 5,000 watt generator and as we were 
dragging it across the floor to get to the deck, the lights 
came on....Murphy in reverse, I guess.  Anyway, I'm ready 
next time but without any experience working with 
generators, hi!

No serious damage at wj9b (all antennas stayed up, 
including the 80 meter delta loop, hanging from a limb 
that should have fallen but didn't), and I managed to work 
178 contacts on the second night of the 160 contest.  If 
only I had the generator BEFORE the storm...

All the best to everyone, and enjoy the holiday season.

73, will, wj9b, dit dit

On Sun, 8 Dec 2002 18:33:03 -0500 Jim Jordan K4QPL 
<k4qpl@bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Having turned on the computer for the first time in almost five days, and
> looked through 85 messages not including spam, it's great to be back to
> normal.
> 
> CP&L power came on about 5:00 this afternoon (Sunday) after a total of 3
> days 18 hours of "Field Day" generator power. That translates into 50+
> gallons of gas run through a 4400 watt generator poured in 5 gallons at a
> time at all hours of the days and nights obtained by numerous trips to
> whatever gas stations were open; one oil change, COUNTLESS trips to the
> garage to use the "Sneaker Net" method of power management, flipping
> breakers to alternate the power flow to the well water pump, one burner on
> the range, the hot water heater and the SubZero freezer, not counting the
> trips outside to reset the generator breaker when I got too aggressive on
> simultaneous loads.  Also not to mention one trip to Home Depot to buy a
> propane space heater and connecting it in place of the useless (for heating
> purposes) gas logs in the fireplace.
> 
> Trees and tops of trees: Haven't counted--probably 30 plus branches. (5
> across power line leaving the transformer on the ground and a couple snapped
> poles along the street. It looks like a war zone around here.
> 
> Antenna toll: All wire antennas--160/80 V's, 80/40 V's, 40M Wire Yagi
> snapped and buried somewhere under branches and trees.
> The GOOD NEWS: Tower, Tribander and 40M rotating dipole undamaged.
> 
> Cars: Major damage to XYL's Honda Accord. Woke up 6 a.m. Saturday to the
> burglar alarm signalling intrusion at rear door and windshield by portion of
> pine tree.
> 
> Water Garden: Falling branch punched hole reducing water to about 30%.
> Hopefully enough for fish to survive.
> 
> Bedroom Temps: I think one afternoon they got up to about 50 F. Other living
> areas OK after getting propane heat.
> 
> Invasions: Daughter and roommate from Durham townhouse trying to study for
> first year law exam at Duke tomorrow; (they were able to leave today when
> Durham got power) son from his N.Raleigh house which got power Friday.
> 
> Power Co. response:  Despite the time and bad rap the utilities have
> received, I think CP&L did a great job under the circumstances. They
> obviously had to work outward from the cities first and we could see how
> their plan was developing as we could see power getting closer every day.
> The devastation in our area was enormous, much like Hurricane Fran, and when
> the storm crews (mostly out of GA and TN) finally arrived in our small
> subdivision early this morning, they worked flat out all day moving trees,
> resetting poles, installing transformers, etc.
> 
> And you ask why you didn't hear me in 160 and why I didn't check my email
> for 4 days???!
> 
> Yes, it could have been worse. Probably in a few days I'll figure out how.
> ;-)
> 
> 73,
> 
> Jim, K4QPL
> 
> 
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----------------------
Willie L. Baber
wlbaber@uncg.edu