Wind in Wisconsin

Tom - WQ5O

First, the radio is working fine.

The antenna is also working although not with the sensitivity it had when it was up a little higher. LoL!  Unfortunately I'm off the air until I can get my tower up with the Hex Beam.  Looks as if the guys I had added to the mast weren't good enough for a little wind last night.  The HB is still in good shape with no broken spreaders or wires.  Apparently it just kind of fell over slowly and is resting  on the ground.  I was lucky.  It did take out my dual band antenna I was using for APRS.  Broke that antenna in half.  It could have been much worse.  It had survived some real winds during the winter so I didn't think that the little storm we had last night could have done the damage it did.  Live and learn.  The tower will keep it up no problem - if I can get my tower up.  Hopefully soon.  Need my ham fix and I'd hate to miss any upcoming CW DX.

de WQ5O 73 SK

Steve K9ZW

It was quite a front that went through - 55 miles north we were still cutting up fallen trees after lunch.

Official WX observations seem to have peaked at 35 MPH gusts, but the damage done seems a lot more.  

Hope you are up and going again quickly!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Tim Hill - KI6LSB

Should not put a Big Antenna on a small pole 

Tim
KI6LSB

k3Tim

Glad to hear the HexBeam was laid over gently.  Had a Cushcraft A3S that did a similar thing a while back.

I am curious if the picture was taken with a CellPhone camera and if yes, what brand / model/

Hope U get back on the air soon.

k3Tim

W7NGA

ground-wave improvement? sorry for your loss Tom. -W7NGA

Tom - WQ5O

Thanks for the advice.

Tom - WQ5O

it's an iPhone 6+.  Take pretty good photos for a camera phone.

I had an A4S that took a hit during an ice storm in Oklahoma.  That's a pretty good antenna and sturdy but it had a weak spot on the boom (my issue not the company's).  Had about an inch and a half of ice and that was all she wrote.

The HB only had 3 guys and i think that the wind swirled around causing it to just lay down.  We had stronger winds in the winter and it did fine.  My tower will be much better once I get it back up.  Just glad I don't have to buy a new antenna or repair it.  73.

Tom - WQ5O

LoL!  Yeah I'm sure my GW is better! 

Richard McClelland, AA5S

I just got back from a holiday in Iceland.  Wind there was blowing 37 m/s (almost 84 mph) one afternoon and it wasn't even a storm.  Maybe that's why I don't hear a lot of Iceland hams on the air.

Steve K9ZW

I was impressed in Iceland that the rescue boats were designed to roll 360 degrees and then self-right automatically.  A challenging place!

Here in Wisconsin we have a couple Islands which really get winds.  Washington Island happens to also be where Icelandic settlers ended up.  This picture is what happens if you don't get your Quad pointed into the wind and lowered before the gusts (estimated at 60 mph) hit.  Ouch!

The tower could largely be rebuilt, but the quad was scrap.

73

Steve

K9ZW

Richard McClelland, AA5S

I saw one of the rescue boats in dry dock.  The boat had at least as much depth as length, if not more.  My nine year old son said it looked like 1/3 of a boat.  I wouldn't want to be on-board when utilizing the 360 degree roll capability.

Tom - WQ5O

Wow!  That's a bummer. 

Tom - WQ5O

Check this out ..http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ebb_1236898905. CG 47ft motor life boats doing what they do best.  The bottom video shows it rolling over.  Self-bailing, self-righting.  The CG's had these types of boats for quite a while.  Thie 47 footer replaced the 44 ft MLB before I retired in 98. 

Ken - NM9P

Glad your antenna come in for a "soft landing!"  But now at least you can work satellites on 10 meters.
Hope the tower project goes quickly.  If the ground ever gets dry enough to get a bucket truck in my back yard, I will get my T-11 LP up in the air!

Good luck!

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

Ouch!  Indeed.  That thing is really shredded.  When did this happen?
I hope some of the quad parts are salvageable.

Ken - NM9P

k3Tim

The IP6+ is a good camera.  Thanks for your reply....

k3Tim

Tom - WQ5O

Thanks, Ken.