Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. snip Bottom line: Almost all the advice I got here was 100% on-the-mark. Thanks to all who contributed. and please don't shoot me for not replacing the hardline. I don't get to make those decisions! I wouldn't worry about it-as you said, it's a ham project, and as long as it checks good, leave it. I would've done the same thing on my system. Now-for a PS agency, no. It is actually cheaper in the long run to replace it then pay someone to splice the old, just to have a problem again in 5 years or so. But when you have to pay someone to do something, the cost of that is a HUGE factor, and frequently is the majority of the cost of whatever is being done. -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Someone decided to pull the hardline out of the shack - I think the idea was to remove the bottom 35 feet, which had been spliced on using a hardline splice) to test the two sections individually. As we uncoiled it from where it passed behind the shack, next to the chainlink fence, the problem became quite apparent. Staring me directly in the face, was a spot on the hardline which was blown out by a lightning strike. I cut out about an 8 inch section around the blow-out and measured it with an ohmmeter - 100k! The two remaining halves from either side of the cut measured completely open. Out of curiosity, did you have ground kits on the feedline at top and bottom of the run? --- Jeff
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Mike this very same thing happened on a 47Mhz simplex base station - poor range, high vswr. Fold over monopole. Dummy load, still bad, replaced RG8 between the building and the antenna, still bad. Pulled a little cable from the building and there is was - RG8 blown up due to lightning. Steve NU5D Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. The tower crew showed up yesterday to swap out the antenna. Once at the top of the water tank, we had them connect a dummy load to the top of the feedline and discovered that the feedline itself had a poor VSWR.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Actually- I disagree. Ham or not- you should repair it the right way. At the very least you need to replace all the equipment, feedline, connectors, antenna, mounts, wireties, and anything else associated with the system. You do not want to take a chance on any of your equipment going bad at any point in the future. Second- I would approach the site owner about tearing down the water tower and rebuilding it. You wouldn't want to take any chances of the water tower causing any problems with your equipment, including becoming structurly unsound and falling down. You may want to push for a site study before they re-build it to see if that location is more prone to lightning strikes, and if that is the case work with them to relocate it at a more suitable location. Finally, I would push the local electric utility to bring in new lines all the way back to the closest generation station. You don't know if any of that strike got back in the ac mains and that there may be a potential problem lying out there. Best to do it right and cover all bases. ;) Just kidding. You fixed it like I would too- If it's working leave it alone! Congradulations on the good find! Tom W9SRV Jim [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. Bottom line: Almost all the advice I got here was 100% on-the-mark. Thanks to all who contributed. and please don't shoot me for not replacing the hardline. I don't get to make those decisions! I wouldn't worry about it-as you said, it's a ham project, and as long as it checks good, leave it. I would've done the same thing on my system. Now-for a PS agency, no. It is actually cheaper in the long run to replace it then pay someone to splice the old, just to have a problem again in 5 years or so. But when you have to pay someone to do something, the cost of that is a HUGE factor, and frequently is the majority of the cost of whatever is being done. -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL Yahoo! Groups Links - Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool.
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Yeah, and your repeater is probably responsible for the Honey Bee decline as well as the Lightning Bug becoming extinct. Durn Ham radio operators! Paul WB5IDM _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TGundo 2003 Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 9:21 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Actually- I disagree. Ham or not- you should repair it the right way. At the very least you need to replace all the equipment, feedline, connectors, antenna, mounts, wireties, and anything else associated with the system. You do not want to take a chance on any of your equipment going bad at any point in the future. Second- I would approach the site owner about tearing down the water tower and rebuilding it. You wouldn't want to take any chances of the water tower causing any problems with your equipment, including becoming structurly unsound and falling down. You may want to push for a site study before they re-build it to see if that location is more prone to lightning strikes, and if that is the case work with them to relocate it at a more suitable location. Finally, I would push the local electric utility to bring in new lines all the way back to the closest generation station. You don't know if any of that strike got back in the ac mains and that there may be a potential problem lying out there. Best to do it right and cover all bases. ;) Just kidding. You fixed it like I would too- If it's working leave it alone! Congradulations on the good find! Tom W9SRV Jim [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. Bottom line: Almost all the advice I got here was 100% on-the-mark. Thanks to all who contributed. and please don't shoot me for not replacing the hardline. I don't get to make those decisions! I wouldn't worry about it-as you said, it's a ham project, and as long as it checks good, leave it. I would've done the same thing on my system. Now-for a PS agency, no. It is actually cheaper in the long run to replace it then pay someone to splice the old, just to have a problem again in 5 years or so. But when you have to pay someone to do something, the cost of that is a HUGE factor, and frequently is the majority of the cost of whatever is being done. -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL Yahoo! Groups Links _ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out HYPERLINK http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48518/*http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/;_ylc=X3 oDMTE3NWsyMDd2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDY2FyLWZpbmRlcg--Yahoo ! Autos new Car Finder tool. HYPERLINK http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-238/1?aid=10356774pid=2316294; You can find it on ebaY No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
LOL! Actually, we were discussing having the county add 10 feet to the legs of the water tower, but when we realized that we'd have to recoordinate, we changed our minds! Mike WM4B _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TGundo 2003 Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:21 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Actually- I disagree. Ham or not- you should repair it the right way. At the very least you need to replace all the equipment, feedline, connectors, antenna, mounts, wireties, and anything else associated with the system. You do not want to take a chance on any of your equipment going bad at any point in the future. Second- I would approach the site owner about tearing down the water tower and rebuilding it. You wouldn't want to take any chances of the water tower causing any problems with your equipment, including becoming structurly unsound and falling down. You may want to push for a site study before they re-build it to see if that location is more prone to lightning strikes, and if that is the case work with them to relocate it at a more suitable location. Finally, I would push the local electric utility to bring in new lines all the way back to the closest generation station. You don't know if any of that strike got back in the ac mains and that there may be a potential problem lying out there. Best to do it right and cover all bases. ;) Just kidding. You fixed it like I would too- If it's working leave it alone! Congradulations on the good find! Tom W9SRV Jim [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. Bottom line: Almost all the advice I got here was 100% on-the-mark. Thanks to all who contributed. and please don't shoot me for not replacing the hardline. I don't get to make those decisions! I wouldn't worry about it-as you said, it's a ham project, and as long as it checks good, leave it. I would've done the same thing on my system. Now-for a PS agency, no. It is actually cheaper in the long run to replace it then pay someone to splice the old, just to have a problem again in 5 years or so. But when you have to pay someone to do something, the cost of that is a HUGE factor, and frequently is the majority of the cost of whatever is being done. -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL Yahoo! Groups Links _ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48518/*http:/autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/;_ylc=X3o DMTE3NWsyMDd2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDY2FyLWZpbmRlcg--%20 Autos new Car Finder tool.
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:13 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete No. but that was recommended and we're considering. What are your thoughts? From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:03 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Someone decided to pull the hardline out of the shack - I think the idea was to remove the bottom 35 feet, which had been spliced on using a hardline splice) to test the two sections individually. As we uncoiled it from where it passed behind the shack, next to the chainlink fence, the problem became quite apparent. Staring me directly in the face, was a spot on the hardline which was blown out by a lightning strike. I cut out about an 8 inch section around the blow-out and measured it with an ohmmeter - 100k! The two remaining halves from either side of the cut measured completely open. Out of curiosity, did you have ground kits on the feedline at top and bottom of the run? --- Jeff No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
I'll second that!! Jamey Wright KD4SIY -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater- [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 9:56 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:13 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete No. but that was recommended and we're considering. What are your thoughts? From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:03 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Someone decided to pull the hardline out of the shack - I think the idea was to remove the bottom 35 feet, which had been spliced on using a hardline splice) to test the two sections individually. As we uncoiled it from where it passed behind the shack, next to the chainlink fence, the problem became quite apparent. Staring me directly in the face, was a spot on the hardline which was blown out by a lightning strike. I cut out about an 8 inch section around the blow-out and measured it with an ohmmeter - 100k! The two remaining halves from either side of the cut measured completely open. Out of curiosity, did you have ground kits on the feedline at top and bottom of the run? --- Jeff No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM Yahoo! Groups Links
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Same advice the tower crew gave us. I'm definitely taking that to the club. Mike WM4B _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:56 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:13 AM To: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete No. but that was recommended and we're considering. What are your thoughts? From: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:03 AM To: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Someone decided to pull the hardline out of the shack - I think the idea was to remove the bottom 35 feet, which had been spliced on using a hardline splice) to test the two sections individually. As we uncoiled it from where it passed behind the shack, next to the chainlink fence, the problem became quite apparent. Staring me directly in the face, was a spot on the hardline which was blown out by a lightning strike. I cut out about an 8 inch section around the blow-out and measured it with an ohmmeter - 100k! The two remaining halves from either side of the cut measured completely open. Out of curiosity, did you have ground kits on the feedline at top and bottom of the run? --- Jeff No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Under 100 bucks for three ground kits and under 300 bucks for the ground kits, a ground bar, polyphaser, and copper strap. The copper strap is the most expensive part. Still cheap protection for the time and money invested in your repeater system. Jamey Wright Systems Analyst Morgan County EMCD 911 Decatur, AL 256-552-0911 _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:04 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Same advice the tower crew gave us. I'm definitely taking that to the club. Mike WM4B _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:56 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:13 AM To: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete No. but that was recommended and we're considering. What are your thoughts? From: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com [mailto:Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jeff DePolo Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:03 AM To: Repeater-Builder@ mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Someone decided to pull the hardline out of the shack - I think the idea was to remove the bottom 35 feet, which had been spliced on using a hardline splice) to test the two sections individually. As we uncoiled it from where it passed behind the shack, next to the chainlink fence, the problem became quite apparent. Staring me directly in the face, was a spot on the hardline which was blown out by a lightning strike. I cut out about an 8 inch section around the blow-out and measured it with an ohmmeter - 100k! The two remaining halves from either side of the cut measured completely open. Out of curiosity, did you have ground kits on the feedline at top and bottom of the run? --- Jeff No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Actually having worked for the water company, It would be easier and cheaper to have them get a group of earthmovers and remove about 100 ft of the surrounding land. That way the footings, piping and all the ground associated with the tank can be inspected at the same time. I would remove the land in a 1/2 mile radius to facilitate inspections _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Besemer (WM4B) Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 9:47 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete LOL! Actually, we were discussing having the county add 10 feet to the legs of the water tower, but when we realized that we’d have to recoordinate, we changed our minds! Mike WM4B _ From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of TGundo 2003 Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:21 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete Actually- I disagree. Ham or not- you should repair it the right way. At the very least you need to replace all the equipment, feedline, connectors, antenna, mounts, wireties, and anything else associated with the system. You do not want to take a chance on any of your equipment going bad at any point in the future. Second- I would approach the site owner about tearing down the water tower and rebuilding it. You wouldn't want to take any chances of the water tower causing any problems with your equipment, including becoming structurly unsound and falling down. You may want to push for a site study before they re-build it to see if that location is more prone to lightning strikes, and if that is the case work with them to relocate it at a more suitable location. Finally, I would push the local electric utility to bring in new lines all the way back to the closest generation station. You don't know if any of that strike got back in the ac mains and that there may be a potential problem lying out there. Best to do it right and cover all bases. ;) Just kidding. You fixed it like I would too- If it's working leave it alone! Congradulations on the good find! Tom W9SRV Jim [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Mike Besemer (WM4B) wrote: This is a follow up to my original post. Bottom line: Almost all the advice I got here was 100% on-the-mark. Thanks to all who contributed. and please don't shoot me for not replacing the hardline. I don't get to make those decisions! I wouldn't worry about it-as you said, it's a ham project, and as long as it checks good, leave it. I would've done the same thing on my system. Now-for a PS agency, no. It is actually cheaper in the long run to replace it then pay someone to splice the old, just to have a problem again in 5 years or so. But when you have to pay someone to do something, the cost of that is a HUGE factor, and frequently is the majority of the cost of whatever is being done. -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL Yahoo! Groups Links _ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out HYPERLINK http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48518/*http:/autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/;_ylc=X3o DMTE3NWsyMDd2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDY2FyLWZpbmRlcg--%20Yah oo! Autos new Car Finder tool. No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 2:18 PM
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
On Jun 21, 2007, at 8:56 AM, Jeff DePolo wrote: Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff Amen. You may be seated. :-) -- Nate Duehr [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
And doesn't that big coil of excess hardline look just like an inductor to lightning? That might explain why it arced where it did. Bob M. == --- Jeff DePolo [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Actually I should have said low R/L conductors. R/C came off my fingers instead. If you think of lightning being RF and not DC, a lot of the mysteries regarding the right way to ground equipment, antennas, feedlines, etc. goes away. Lightning behaves a lot like a very ragged step function, rife with harmonics. It has a DC component to it, but the short rise time and arc-like spectral equivalent demands it be treated like RF. Impedance increases caused by inductance in the lightning's path to ground is your biggest enemy. Having a good earth ground to dissipate the energy into is just as important; a single ground rod might satisfy NEC but isn't going to thwart Thor. You should have said I'm Nate Duehr, and I approve this message. --- Jeff -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nate Duehr Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 1:18 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete On Jun 21, 2007, at 8:56 AM, Jeff DePolo wrote: Ground kits at top and bottom of vertical feedline run (before any bends), and another ground kit at the entrance port to the buildling/shelter. Polyphasers inside the shelter mounted to the the common-point ground bus bar for all of the indoor equipment, with the indoor common-point ground tied into the site ground system using low L/C conductors (3 Cu strap preferred, #2 AWG for short runs, avoiding right-angle bends). --- Jeff Amen. You may be seated. :-) -- Nate Duehr [EMAIL PROTECTED] The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php
RE: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
You forgot to blame him for birds flying into towers and being killed In a given year, somewhere around a dozen birds die by crashing into the big windows on the front of my house. In contrast, I might see one or two dead birds per year in total at all of the 50 or more tower sites I go to (I spend 30 to 40 hours a week at tower sites), and even then, who knows whether they died from flying into the tower versus having died of natural causes. Maybe we should outlaw windows instead?
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
On Thu, 21 Jun 2007, Paul Finch wrote: Yeah, and your repeater is probably responsible for the Honey Bee decline as well as the Lightning Bug becoming extinct. Durn Ham radio operators! Wait-lightning bug becoming extinct? Not around here! -- Jim Barbour WD8CHL
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Jeff DePolo wrote: You should have said I'm Nate Duehr, and I approve this message. Hahaha.. nice. Actually I am wholeheartedly glad the folks working on our systems out here did all of the above on all of them, long ago -- in the 2nd highest lightning strike number State in the Union. We haven't had much recent damage. Thor has done some wicked things to stuff I've seen out here, even with all of that done... Our 220 MHz repeater has some nifty burn marks on the front of its case from a strike in the 1990's that literally blew the plugs out of a power strip on the AC side, and then found it's way to ground as ball lightning inside the cabinet, through the grounded chassis of the 220 MHz repeater. Another friend's system had an 8-bay DB folded-dipole that stopped working properly -- they decided to take a look. Arc-weld marks at top and in the middle to the steel frame of the ATT Long Lines type tower, even with all the protection gear. The holes in the DB and its mast were pronounced, and drippy looking melted spots on a couple of the arrays themselves were evident. When they took it down to take a closer look, (and to put up the spare DB) the two sections were welded together. Other stories from folks who've worked with fiberglass stick type antennas, reveal that they rarely survive visits from Thor, but as one ham out here described it... At first I couldn't figure out what all the bits of white stuff were all over the top of the mountain under the tower, until I realized the antenna was no longer there. What was left of the Station Master fit nicely into a very small trash bag. Nate WY0X
Re: [Repeater-Builder] RE: VSWR Issues - Repairs Complete
Leon Ingerick wrote: If we are to outlaw windows I think we should find out what version first.. I like the XP version here... Leon-N2HLT OT: Don't need to outlaw Vista, no one wants it. :-) Nate
