We had very high winds here in the last few days and a bad wind gust
managed to snap one of my 222 MHz yagis in half. It broke right at the
boom to mast plate where the boom had been double walled with 1 1/2 and
then 1 5/8" tubing overlapping. It still snapped and wrecked the array.
To make matters worse, I did not see the damage when I went up there on
Thursday night. In trying to turn the array, I managed to drag the
broken aluminum around the tower and it destroyed my fixed 222 array or
at least the top two yagis rear mounted on the tower. So I am off the
air indefinitely on 222 MHz. I am very discouraged. The same wind also
wrecked a ten meter six element yagi as it broke the boom to mast plate
in half. When I went up there this morning I found that yagi hanging by
one loose u-bolt. It looked so bad, I did not want to be under it. I
spent the day rigging the tower and then removed the six element yagi
along with one of two five element ten meter yagis located under my 222
MHz EMe/tropo array. I figured they would be in the way when I try to
lower all the damaged 222 Mhz parts. What a mess. so no eme contest
this time. I will have to sit it out along with some Tuesday night
activity periods. I have to remove the damaged yagi and then re build it
and re install it on the tower. The wx here next week looks awfully cold
and windy so I am not expecting a quick turn around.
I am sorry to miss the last weekend 222 MHz activity in the contest. I
was all set to have some fun.
73
Dave K1WHS
ps never build an EME antenna 100 ft up in the air.
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