So as predicted I’ve been flat out with assingments/revision for an exam on Monday at Uni.
Having had taken Sweeety (our dog) for a walk, the weather was really nice – cold but bright and more importantly no wind. Having received the heavy duty guying kit in the week and now with the necessary tools to tighten the small clamps, though I would take 30 minutes/hour out to just get the antenna erected with the metal guying ropes.
I first started with the worst rope, where i have tied two piece together. As much as I trust my knots, this was the first one to address I could then work on the other two ‘front’ supports.
In no time I had the guy-wire measured out and firmly attached to the hitching post. As you can see that is not going to come loose any time soon, but there is quite a bit of excess wire as its designed for a 10m high mast, where as I’m at about 3.5m vertical on the first attachement point.
The tilt base really did make a huge difference in doing this work, it was so much easier in being able to push the mast up each time and then guy each hitching post. The end result was a very stable mast, even with only rigging point. Nethertheless I will still continue to guy up attachment points 3 & 4 with rope.
i even had time to make a quick video, and got the orientation right !
Overall, i’m happy with the weeks progress, in doing small jobs thruout the weak, such as painting the base, cutting the radials and then at any opputnity i had to get the mast up.
Hopefully next week should be slightly less busy out of office hours and will still have my lunch break to doing small jobs.
I think for next week i will do
cut 80, 40 and 20m vertical wires
solder into groups the radials (need to see how many radial attachemen t points i can use)
then sat/sun complete guying 2 & 3, attach radials & 80, get first S.W.R. reading.
Hope you are all keeping well ! Stay safe, 73
Alan / 2E0FWE