Nov 162016
 

Chris PA2CHR and Jos PA3FYC have organized a DXpedition to Palestine E44.

So I had to fire up the eme station to get this rare one in the log. I first listened to see if they were active and if I could hear them. Due the fact I am busy with the HF station 2m moon bounce is a bit on the side at the moment. I turned the yagi in the right direction an started listening. I heard several stations of the moon and after I found out their calling frequency I could hear them every tx period. I went to the barn where the amps are and connected one of the bigger amps to the eme station. I fired the amp on and went back to the shack. Then I listened again and they were still there, I called and the next rx period they came back for me. I was surprised and happy at the same time because it was so busy.

e44cm

Nov 132016
 

Today Hilko PC1CP, Adriaan PD4AK, Thomas PA1M, and Jan PA0VAJ helped to lift de fourth tower. I had mounted the SteppIR in the tower when it was on the ground. I had mounted one side of the elements on the ground. We made a working platform from 4 meters high. Then we lifted the tower and when it was five meters from the ground Hilko went up the platform and mounted the other 4 fiberglass poles. After that we lifted the tower in his final position.

Crane arrives

Crane arrives

Building the platform. SteppIR on the ground with element up.

Building the platform. SteppIR on the ground with elements up.

Mounting the tower on the rotery base.

Mounting the tower on the rotary base.

Mounting the guy wires while the tower is hanging in the crane

Mounting the guy wires while the tower is hanging in the crane

Tower with Steppir in top is ready. Crane moves to other tower.

Tower with Steppir in top is ready. Crane moves to other tower.

Mounting a dipole for  40m for temporary use.

Mounting a dipole for 40m for temporary use.

Oct 232016
 

The problem tower is repaired. The flanges did not fit. This was a mistake made by the tower builder.

Adriaan PD4AK cut a few flanges from the tower and welded them back in a correct way. Now everyone fits and I can mount the ring and the rotator and bearing plates. And off course the rotator itself. The tower can turn but the top yagi can also turn.

Repaired tower

Repaired tower

Adriaan PD4AK (right) with the rapaired tower.

Adriaan PD4AK (right) with the rapaired tower.

Sep 182016
 

Today Thomas PA1M was here and I climbed the south west tower to remove the  safety wires I had mounted around the rings before we lifted the tower.

 

After that we rolled out a 380v cable and connected it to the tower. Then the moment was there to see how the tower would behave when we turned it for the first time. We found the rings has a glitch on the same point.

So I have to climb again and see close to the ring is behaving on that point.

Aug 272016
 

Today Thomas PA1M was here to help with lifting the first antenna in one of the towers. It is a 7 element Optibeam. It is one of the smaller antennas. This one will be stacked with the C31XR from Force 12. The Force 12 Yagi will go to the top of the tower. We lifted the yagi with a tramline. Something we never did. So it was also a practice to see how this is working out.

Connecting the ropes to the tower

 

Antenna lifted with a tramline to the tower.

Connecting antenna to the tower.