T-0: Ready or... NOT!

In the end I came pretty close to being ready but here it is Friday afternoon and I haven't even started moving equipment into the house yet. Nevertheless, I think there is a strong possibility I will be on the air by tomorrow evening. Pictures and a lengthy station description to follow tomorrow. Stay tuned!

T-4 Days: Up, Up, and Away!

I worked like a dog all weekend and all day today but the effort paid off.  When the crane finally arrived it was only in the driveway for 40 minutes.  The lift went smoothly and in no time at all the tower was standing securely in the front yard.

Antennas mounted, cables coiled up, and everything ready to go.

Up she goes!

Having the right tools for the job is very important.

I hate climbing towers but the guy wanted his crane back so someone had to go up and undo the strap...

Ready to rock and roll!  TH6DXX at 64 feet for 10/15/20m, VB64DX at 75 feet for 6m and, still strapped to the tower in this picture, a 40m wire sloper and a 30m delta loop.

T-6 Days: A Stick in the Mud

I still can't get over this crazy weather.  10 degrees Celsius today when the normal high for this time of year is minus 7 and the low is minus -14!  You know, like winter. I'm even starting to appreciate all the mud because it really should be snow and ice.  Instead of a parka, I spent the day working in my shirtsleeves getting the base and the tower put together.

The old DMX tower has seen better days but I am installing all new hardware and it will be guyed instead of freestanding so should do the trick.  As promised, here are some pictures I grabbed right before dark.

Here is the base with the pins/ground rods installed.

Thrust bearing and custom made top plate with guy anchor points.



The truck is an integral part of the process to keep the business end of the tower high enough off the ground to get the antennas mounted.

T-7 days: A Week Away

The tower is ready to put together.  Over the last couple of days I fabricated the new top plate with thrust bearing, modified and mounted the rotor plate, and got all the miscellaneous hardware purchased.  The plan for Saturday is to build the base and completely assemble the tower at ground level.  It will be laid over the truck so I can mount the antennas on the mast.  On Sunday I will run all the coax cables, guy wires, and install the wire antennas- the 40m sloper and the 30m delta loop.  Pictures to follow tomorrow.

T-9 Days: Pulling Together the Pieces

Last couple of days saw the guy anchor platform built and the first couple of layers of paving stones laid, collected some assorted hardware, and started prepping all the tower sections.  I wanted to do a bit more but ran out of steam (and daylight) so will have to get cracking right after work tomorrow. 

The most important thing, though, is I booked the crane for next Monday and arranged to get that day off work, too.  Raising the tower is really the critical item so now that the crane is coming I need to get everything ready this weekend.  I want to have the entire tower and antennas put together with all the guys, wires, and cables strapped to the base and ready to lift into place. 

So much to do still but after putting this all together in my head a hundred times over the last two years I think we're good to go!

T-11 Days: Power Lines

Spent the day running power cables to the future radio room.  A 2-conductor #4 AWG Teck cable from my renewable energy backup power system will handle all of my 12 volt DC requirements.  On the AC side, the house has a natural gas range so I "borrowed" the feeder cable for the electric range receptacle in the kitchen and re-routed it over to the shack.  It was just the right length and when I get a chance I will install a four-circuit breaker panel to power a 220V receptacle for the amplifiers and a couple of standard 120V receptacles for everything else. 
So far, so good!