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Storm damage and what I have learned
7 January 2012 | by  |
| Collage of photos, click to enlarge. |
Actually it’s a pity the beam has gone before I could make any tests. One of the loop antenna supports snapped and I had to cut the wire. But I can overlook the damage. My most important all band vertical is still working. And it’s nothing compared to the damage my “neighbour” station PA1A has. His 150ft (45m) Rohn tower with yagi antennas has snapped. He has been lucky it did not fall on his new house, don’t know what happened to the yagis exactly. Actually same thing (cause) happened to me if you take a look at the photo, although my “tower” was only 16ft (5m). What I learned already this new year is that “high towers catch much wind”. I extended my loop antenna from just 7m to 8m heigth last year and it didn’t work out. Sometimes a little difference has a huge impact on the construction. I’ll repair the loop and will take it to just 7m again to be on the safe side. We can’t joke with nature and since I live near the coast wind can sometimes be very malicious.
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| Windchart from PA1A website: 34m/s=120km/h |
4 Responses to “Storm damage and what I have learned”
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Good afternoon Bas, WOW that sure was a wind storm and it seems you were at the peak of it. The other pic’s of PA1A were something else. Are you able to save the beam at all and put it up again??
Hello Mike, I would be able to repair it. But it’s just a old beam, homemade 10 years ago. I got some spare beams as well with much thicker elements. The damage is my own fault, the supporting mast was not strong enough I knew that. I need to put up my versa tower which is a telescopic construction mast. That will hold even with stronger winds then this one. 73, Bas
Sounds good Bas and with a telescopic mast it can come down if a bad forecast is mentioned that may affect the antenna.
Really informative post. Really Cool.