QRT for Antenna Repair

[N1API]

I expect that Fluid Motion will ship my ECUs and Controller Monday by FedEx. All of the ECUs have been rebuilt, two with new housings, (they ALL had small cracks in them), tapes and lead wires and the driven element had a new housing and lead wire, the tape, (elements), were good. The control box has the new Automatic Lightning Protection Board and the latest version of software called "Mustang".

If so I should have it by Friday and can begin to start to reassemble the beam, connect all the wires at the beam and test the motors on the ground to make sure they are wired correctly and all work. There is a test mode built in to the controller that feeds out about 6" of tape on each motor as you test it. Once that is done the new fiberglass poles go on, I have all new poles, clamps and mounts and also a way to seal the open end of the pole but leave it open for moisture to be able to dissipate. I'll put fiberglass screen material over the end and cap them with plugs that have holes in them.

After that I can start to stand the tower up, it has to come up a little at a time so I can attach each "bottom" fiberglass pole element, and heat shrink the the joint as I expand them. With the beam fully assembled it sits at about a 45 degree angle. Then I stand it up close the ring and put the pins in the support fixture. I've got all new hardware. I reattach the rotor and, (with some help), take down the lifting fixture. The last part, (and what takes the longest), is to crank it up to the full height. That takes a couple of hours a few turns at a time. Depending on shipping I'm shooting for the 14th of June to be back on the air but it may be a day or so later. I hope to be on before the weekend.

I'm most curious to see how the new VHF and UHF antennas perform but unfortunately I'll be missing the ARRL VHF Contest this weekend to see. There is a 10-10 Spirit of 76 QSO party that runs the week of July 4 and it will be interesting to see if 10 opens and I get to check performance there.

Wish me luck!

Al - N1API