holds the ladder.
Links to photos of the WA7SVC tower raizing.
The Hi-Gain beam antenna.
The Rohn tower with the beam at 26 feet from the ground.
Carter unbolting the base of the tower.
The tower on its way down.
Carter disconnecting the antenna while Dean safely holds the ladder.
Tower and beam on the ground.
Tower and beam disassembled.
Links to photos of the WA7SVC tower base installation.
The tower base close up. This looked pretty ugly at first, but is now filled around with the soil that came out of the hole.
The tower base from a side angle. The pile of dirt on the left came out of the hole and was used to fill in around the base so that it all looks smooth and level now.
The tower base from the street view.
The Hi-Gain beam antenna after refurbishing, but before adding the trap elements. All of the original nuts and bolts were in a terrible rusted condition, and the plastic boots on the traps had completely disintegrated. I contacted Hy-Gain, now a subsidiary of MFJ Enerprises, and was told by a very helpful technician that I could purchase a "plastics kit" and a "stainless steel hardware kit" replacment parts for the antenna. This I did, and the antenna is now in factory mint condition.
Links to photos of the WA7SVC tower raising.
The tower crew. This shows the wierd contraption we put together to hold the tower up just high enough to attach the antenna to the mast. One 2x4 supported the assembly directly underneath while two more supported it on the sides to shore up any lateral movement. The ladder was leaned against the end of the mast and another 2x4 helped support it so it wouldn't put too much lateral pressure on the mast. The gang, from left to right:
The tower and beam, raised at long last. Looks a little taller than it was when we took it down, doesn't it? That's because I added another ten foot section that I scored from Steve, K7LXC, at Champion Radio. The total height is now about 35 feet, which is exactly the height limit I'm allowed without having to get a variance from the city.
Another angle from the side of the house.
The antenna from the street. Not really too conspicuous, is it?
And lastly, here is a cozy winter scene after the tower and beam had been in service for several months.
