[SJDXA] FW: Addl. Comments on West Creek Update for November 18th

[Bob Schenck N2OO]

FYI

 

See ya' in the Pileups!

73!

Bob Schenck, N2OO

President SJDXA

GO SJDXA!!! www.sjdxa.org

 

From: Bob Schenck N2OO [mailto:n2oo at comcast.net] 
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 1:01 PM
To: 'John Crovelli'; w1gd at aol.com; 'Marty Grozinski'; 'K2TW'; n2oo at arrl.net;
w2ob at arrl.net
Cc: ku2c at comcast.net; k2sg at comcast.net; pdhutter at yahoo.com;
n2nc at optonline.net; w2no at optonline.net; w2rq at embarqmail.com
Subject: RE: Addl. Comments on West Creek Update for November 18th

 

I left one screw anchor at the site to use as needed. I also have more if
needed. Let me know.

 

See ya' in the Pileups!

73!

Bob Schenck, N2OO

President SJDXA

GO SJDXA!!! www.sjdxa.org

 

From: John Crovelli [mailto:w2gd at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 12:17 AM
To: w1gd at aol.com; Marty Grozinski; K2TW; n2oo at arrl.net; w2ob at arrl.net
Cc: ku2c at comcast.net; k2sg at comcast.net; pdhutter at yahoo.com;
n2nc at optonline.net; w2no at optonline.net; w2rq at embarqmail.com
Subject: RE: Addl. Comments on West Creek Update for November 18th

 

Ger,
 
Thanks for writing up the report....as I was driving to Central PA this
evening.
 
Just a few addition comments and clarifications.
 
REF the TX array.  HM and I spent some quality time out in the
marsh.....first checking the distance of the NE anchor and then taking a
good look at loop geometry, NE sloper geometry etc.   We were surprised to
find the exisiting NE anchor is already 260 feet from the tower, but just in
case, we put in another anchor at 285'.   Then we looked a little closer and
saw that the horizontal leg of the loop was excessively far from the tower,
nearly 45 feet away in fact, not the expected 18 feet.  Since it was nearly
twice as far away as desired, we moved the SE corner of the loop (e.g. Tom's
end) to the next anchor post to the south (one of the hardline support
poles) to bring the lower leg closer to the tower.  This still didn't move
the bottom leg close enough  but it did point out the new tiedown stake for
the pull rope was now a new obstruction, the pulldown rope prevented us from
getting the lower leg close enough.  So we installed a new tiedown stake
about 15 feet from the tower to eliminate this obstruction and moved the
tiedown rope over to this new stake.  Then with the obstruction removed we
moved "Toms End" even further south, but ran into the two more obstructions,
the lower leg of the loop was now laying on the 3rd guy wire on both the
North and SouthEast guysets.    But we were successful getting  very close
to the target 18 feet distance from the tower.    
 
So to summarize actions needed to complete the Loop and NE sloper portion of
the TX Array:  
 
1.  This year we will abandon further attempts to position the loop apex up
at the pulley and drape the loop  wire over the sixth guyset.  Its something
that will work when the SE corner of the loop is pulled further to the south
but at this point the effort/time needed to do get it done is prohibitive in
light of our narrow time window on Dec. 2.  Next year.......
2.  As an alternative,  we'll pull the loop apex up so its just under the
6th SE guywire.  
3.  The bottom leg of the loop needs to be repositioned between the 2nd and
3rd guys at both ends (its currently between the 3rd and 4th guys).  This
will require loosening the SE sloper, dropping the loop to reach the bottom,
open the junction, move the ends between the 2nd and 3rd guys, reattach the
ends at the middle, pull it all up, reattach the ends, etc..  
4.  We need to add  a new anchor stake further to the south to properly
position and secure the SE end of the loop (there isn't anything out there
to tie the rope to in the right place).
5.  Once we loosen up/extend  the feedline currently taped to the tower at
110' we can tension the NE sloper so the bottom leg ends about 20 feet from
the tower when the rope is attached to the tower 30 feet in the air.  
 
HM and I did not have time to install of the WSW sloper today.  BUT we did
check out the trees along the tree line.  There is a tall pine about 25 to
30 feet closer to the house that should be easy to throw a line over at the
needed height.  The pull rope is still out there in another tree.  We should
erect the WSW sloper first on Dec 2nd to minimize the amount of tower
climbing needed later.  
 
With 5 people we can finish the TX array in 4 hours , and probably less.
We're close!
 
CU all on the radio from P40W next week.  Have a great Thanksgiving.
 
GD/3
 

  _____  

To: w2gd at hotmail.com; w2cg at comcast.net; k2tw at arrl.net; n2oo at arrl.net;
w2ob at arrl.net
Subject: West Creek Update for November 18th
From: w1gd at aol.com
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:24:16 -0500

I just got off the phone with W2GD.  He and N2HM had a productive day in
West Creek.  They took advantage of the good weather to connect up the
vertical dipole (connected to RG-213 at the back of the building.  

 

John measured the location of the current anchor for the NE sloper -- it's
already 260 feet from the tower!  He and Bob did place another anchor (8
foot ground rod??) about 25 feet further out and at a 45 degree heading from
the tower.  We can't move the NE sloper rope until the RG-8X coax to it is
unfastened from the tower.

 

John also measured the current location of the base of the loop and found it
to be 45 feeet from the tower.  The SE corner of the loop (a.k.a. "Tom's
End") needs to be tied down further south.  He and Bob may have done that
and tied it to the hard line down there.  We probably need a better anchor
there.

 

John raised the short vertical and connected it to the coax cable (RG-8X)
marked "T" at the bulkhead near the building.  John laid out the ground
radials, but, I beleive the still need to be connected..

 

We still need to raise the W sloper.  John scouted a tree we can used
(marked??).  To minimize tower climbing Friday of the contest, we need to
get the anchor rope installed and then raise the W sloper.  We can then move
the NE anchor point  anchor point, secure the feedlines and then adjust the
slopers.

 

BTW, I checked the MFJ 12 VDC distrrbution box and did not find any
intermittent connections.  I too the box apart and examined the solder
connections under magnification and found no problems.  Maybe the problem
was with the device power connector and not the box.

 

Back to getting set up for CQWW here.

 

Gerry, W1GD

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