Pre-Trip Photos

These photos were shot at W0CG in December, 1997. Steve (N8LGP) and Geoff (W0CG) spent an entire Saturday refurbishing some old tower components and trial-fitting them prior to shipment to VP5.

All photos by Cindy Howard, W0CG's XYL.

Steve, N8LGP admiring his work on the 40 foot tower for the 40 meter yagi and the 30 foot tower for the 160 delta loop. Steve is a highly-experienced professional machinist, and fabricated a clever jig for re-rounding tower legs that have been smashed. After he finished his magic with the jig, the old Rohn 25 sections fitted together perfectly. We color-coded all pieces with color tape so that they would go together quickly, in the correct sequence, once we arrive on Providenciales.

This is the view of the assembled 40 meter tower from the "top" down. The HD-73 rotor provided by W8TK is visible in the top section.

W0CG and N8LGP goofing off, gawking at the 5 element 20 meter monobander (50 foot boom) about ready to go up and become the bottom half of W0CG's 20 meter stack. The "top" antenna is at 140 feet.

Here's one of the two hinged tower bases designed and fabicated by N8LGP. These began life as a piece of scrap steel that lived in CG's garage for years. They were sealifted to Provo in January and will become a permanent part of the VP5JM superstation.

Can't be read in the photo, but this is a custom wrench fabricated by N8LGP fpr the monster-bolts on the tower bases at VP5FXB. It is even stamped: "VP5 Tower Base."

Not an error! This picture was taken "tipped" and was then rotated about 60 degrees in the photo editor software. Another look at the completed 40 meter tower.

N8LGP (left) and W0CG pretending to be busy working on the 40 tower while Cindy shot a picture.