While meant as a "tongue in cheek" joke, I have seen wind do things I never
would have believed. I maintained some antennas for a friend. He had a full
size 3 element 40m beam on top a 140' tower. The real deal 48' boom,
MASSIVE 100# elements made with layers of tubing to achieve strength. 4"
X.25" steel mast with a 1/4" steel cable boom sag going to the top of the
15' mast (with steps on it). The boom to mast plate was 1/2" think aluminum
and used 4 U bolts made with 1/2" diameter steel to hold the antenna to the
mast. He had an ice/wind event that actually sheared the 4, 1/2" Ubolts
which allowed the antenna (all 400+ lbs) of it to swing out from the mast
only held by the boom sags. The 4" mast buckled and the steel cables broke.
I found the antenna 150 feet away from the tower. I can't imagine what that
would have looked like in person. The tower is probably older than I am,
made by the Stainless Tower Company. It has 2" diameter solid legs and
probably 3 feet on a side. No diagonal bracing like Rohn 25/45/55 so when
the antenna turns and you are near the top, the tower twists for the first
few seconds with inertia, then catches up, quite a rush I might add.
It was probably some kind of micro-burst wind event.
Terry Price - W8ZN
Directive Systems and Engineering
703-754-3876
On Tue, Oct 3, 2023 at 2:06 PM Mike Smith VE9AA <ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:
> I'm sure you guys won't believe me, but one of the ideas(jokes) I was going
> to post was also pterodactyl as well! (I swear it)
>
>
>
> The other perhaps more obvious one, was Hurricane(post tropical
> depression?)
> Lee? It took out a lot of trees and power lines here in NB, NS and PEI.
> Not sure if it got close enough to FN43MJ to do much damage, but maybe
> there
> is some hidden shrapnel laying around also? (swaying trees close enough to
> inflict that kinda pain on your 222 array?)
>
>
>
> My 3rd guess would be maybe from a Turkey Vulture or two slamming into it?
> They've started moving into NB just in the past few years and boy are those
> guys big ! (look for feathers Dave)
>
>
>
> The missing antenna in Doug's post has me totally stumped !
>
>
>
> 73- Mike VE9Antenna Antenna
>
> p.s.- to add to *(but not top) these 2 (K1WHS/K4LY)mysteries.once, when I
> was just barely moved into my old QTH in FN65 c-1992, I had whole trees go
> missing. The (crime scene) cleanup was extraordinary. Found out it was the
> neighbour taking them for firewood.
>
>
>
> I am hoping this is not how the mumbo jumbo 222 antenna mystery is
> solved..by discovering a cranky neighbour who owns a chainsaw.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Today I came back from my camp only to find that my 222 MHz EME/TROPO array
> has sustained serious damage to one side of the H frame. It was working and
> looking just fine on Friday when I saw it last and there has been zero wind
> since then. I mean there has been no wind!! Both antennas on one side are
> smashed and the booms are pushed inward toward the main mast. Both booms
> have been snapped in half. All I can think of is that something big must
> have snagged it. A big bird could not damage both of them at once. The
> braces have been bent sideways so whatever hit it had considerable force
> behind it.
>
>
>
> I am off the air with a directional antenna until this gets repaired. The
> two local guys who might have helped are out of state so I am alone in
> trying to recover from whatever damaged them. It is a mess. I will be
> trying to figure out what to do. This is a huge disaster. There is no
> damage
> anywhere else. I have no clue what happened.
>
>
>
> 73
>
>
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
> Mike, Coreen & Corey
>
> Keswick Ridge, NB
>
>
>
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