[SJDXA] W2GD REPORT

[Bob Schenck N2OO]

REPAIR PARTY planned for THURS at 9 a.m till 2:45 p.m.

 

Hurricane force winds during the weekend Nor'easter has left the delta loop
reflector element in pieces.

 

Below is what I know so far as reported by Bob N2HM who is out in the marsh
as I type:

 

1.  The steel anchor stake that secured the NE rope snapped in two and a two
foot piece still attached to the rope got caught in the tower about 15 feet
up.....this saved us big time - the rope didn't get away into the guys where
it would be unreachable!

 

2.  It appears the NE and West sloping dipoles are still completely intact
as antennas and their feedlines are still in the air.  So it seems we still
have functional driven elements NE and West.

 

3.  The delta loop is damaged....the degree to be determined but from the
description from HM, the wire most likely snapped apart into at least
two...perhaps at a weak spot in the wire where the element had been up
against a guywire during the STEW (Bob observed burn marks at the end), or
perhaps coming apart at the center splice on the horizontal leg.  He
believes he has found the two corner insulators.  Both corner pull away
ropes had snapped off the insulators.  

 

Bob just now reported he was able to get the wires mostly unsnagged from
around the tower and off the West sloper rope.  He has coiled up a portion
of the SE (TW) side of the delta that came to rest near the west guy
set....pulling the wire up out of the ice.   He will continue to pull up
whatever wire he finds buried in the ice (before it re-freezes).  

 

4.  Based upon Bob's description, it now appears we may have the entire
delta wire....subject to further confirmation/examination.  He has
temporarily secured the NE down rope and the wire ends.  We should plan on
having some wire to make splices as needed.

 

 

 

So....here is what will likely need to be done Thursday - it may not be as
bad as originally envisioned:

 

Materials Reqd:  New 6 to 8 foot steel stake, 200  feet of rope for the
corner pull away points; sledge hammer; if the delta needs to be replaced,
~540 feet of #14 stranded house wire and three insulators if replacement of
the delta is the best solution.

 

 

Action Plan for THURSDAY workparty (9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.):

 

A.  Make assessment of damage to determine what if any wire is missing, is
repair of the delta is possible or are we better off replacing it in it's
entirety.

 

B.  Install a new steel anchor stake that secures the down rope on the NE
side about 25 feet out from the tower base.  Reattach/secure down rope with
top of delta and NE sloper pulled snug up to the pulley.

 

C.  Unwrap whatever delta wires that may still be wrapped around the west
sloper, the tower, or any other obstructions.

 

D.  Once we are sure we have both ends of whatever delta pieces remain
intact down on the ground, determine what wire we might be missing if any.

 

E.  With the delta loop ends reachable on the ground, have someone in the
shack take SWR readings to determine status of both sloper elements without
the reflector in place to have a clearer idea of what retuning might be
required in a configuration without the reflector.

 

F.  If we cannot locate (with total certainty)  all delta wire segments, we
are most likely best off dropping what remains of the delta  and replacing
it completely so we end up with a reflector element that is resonant close
to where it matters..  

 

F1.  We can consider modeling what this system would look like if we erect
an alternative reflector type, perhaps a 'dipole (plus 5%) sized inverted V
reflector element suspended from the tower at say 120 feet in between the
two slopers. I have no idea if this is even plausible but I'm looking for
quick fix ideas here..   W1GD will try to model this option to see if it
will do anything.  We should also model having just the two slopers without
a reflector to see what that looks like.  OTHER IDEAS?

 

As a final alternative, we can operate this contest with just the two
slopers without a reflector.  This will likely require some adjustment of
the slopers for best SWR at say 1820.  Not an ideal solution but we'll still
be loud and in the game....we have the saltwater advantage.  

 

COMMENTS - SUGGESTIONS - IDEAS?

 

K2TW and I and most likely N2HM will attend on Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
KU2C can come about noon. OTHERS?   We need one person in the shack and
ideally three or four workers out in the marsh to expedite this repair.
K2TW and I have a hard stop at 2:45 p.m. 

 

 

Please let the list know if you can attend on Thursday.

 

GD

 

908 391 5611

 

PS  Current weather models show a coastal storm in the Thursday/Friday time
frame....but as of now it appears it will exit out to sea well south of NJ.
There is a foot of snow on the ground at the station but the driveway is
passable. During the storm, the high tide came up to the berm but no
further....so no damage.  Marsh is partially frozen.

 

 

 

 

 

See ya' in the Pileups!

73!

Bob Schenck, N2OO

President South Jersey DX Assn

GO SJDXA!!!  <http://www.sjdxa.org/> www.sjdxa.org

President Chairman Old Barney ARC

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www.cq-amateur-radio.com

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Trustee 835 Amateur Radio Group  <http://www.146835.org> www.146835.org

QSL Managers Society  <http://www.qslmanagers.net> www.qslmanagers.net

ASM-SNJ ARRL  <http://www.arrl.org> www.arrl.org

 

 

 

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