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.