Good Evening,
I think winter has passed for the moment. The last two days have been
almost like spring! But, remember, spring in Oregon can last from February
until August :) According to the forecast temperatures will get into the 50s
with sunny days over the next week. Quite a change from only a few days ago.
Early in the week it was 33 degrees and pouring. That melted much of the snow
and gave me a chance to fix my antennas. Both of them were broken when I
started the repair work because there had been a windstorm which broke the
second one. The higher of the two had been broken by a snow loaded branch
falling through it which broke the feedline at the center insulator almost a
month ago. The same branch continued downward through the second antenna but
did not break it; it only broke the center guy line and lowered the antenna by
thirty feet. That was the antenna I used for last week's nets. However, it
too was broken in the windstorm.
With winds of thirty miles an hour and a steady downpour I got the extension
cord plugged into the GFI outlet and put on some rubber gloves. I grabbed a
utility knife, solder, my trusty Weller gun, a set of linemans pliers, and a
wire stripper. I took along some wirenuts but did not know whether they would
work; they did not. So I was up on the roof rapidly getting soaked clear
through. Since I was going to be soaked one way or the other I stayed until
the job was done. The solder flowed medium well in the cold and wet and the
joints were shiny. I know I could do a better job but under the circumstances
I did alright. Plus antennas work better when repaired under inclement
conditions. That being said I should be able to work EME at 5 watts with my
wire antenna!
The other antenna was not as difficult to repair but in relieving it of the
branch I found the center guy rope had parted. When it came free the weight of
the line pulled the broken end through the tree and back down again. I'll wait
for dry, windfree weather to shoot that line back in place. As it is the
antenna got spliced with wire nuts but it is still a low doublet instead of a
high inverted V. I was too soaked to fight with that one anymore. However,
the upper inverted V was always the one with the best signal and the least
noise. Hopefully it will work well on tomorrow's net. Yes net, not nets. I
have decided to cease running the 40 meter net until later into the season.
When propagation comes back with the lengthening days I will reinstate that net
and hold it at an appropriate time. Until then we can just take a little break
from the frustration.
Please join us tomorrow evening.
1) Hail signs (first letter or two of the suffix of your call)
2) NCS help (as well as QSP/QNP <relay> help)
Sunday 2300z (Sunday 3 PM PST) 14050 kHz
Stay warm,
Kevin. KD5ONS
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