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Author Topic: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today  (Read 1936 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« on: February 26, 2016, 1720 UTC »
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Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline EliteData

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2016, 1759 UTC »
was that from the storms we recently had ?
did it damage anything ?
my dipole (G5RV) got ripped down twice by fallen branches, once during the snowstorm and the second time with the storm just recently.
the copper wire snapped both times, had to wait for better temps and for the snow to melt to fix it the first time and the wind/rain to stop to fix it the second time.
tied the broken copper wire into a small knot together and applied solder to it and put it back up.
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Offline ff

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2016, 1807 UTC »
Sheesh Chris!  Trees are so handy - yet so unpredictable!  We had an F1 tornado touch down about 5 miles from me on Thursday morning.  Things are looking good here though.  I used some of that ultra-warm January to do some extra antenna maintenance and chain saw work.  It seems to have paid off.  Well, it looks like you'll be firing up the Jonsered this weekend - good excercise!
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Hailing from the upstate boondocks region of the progressive paradise which once was New York State

Offline flexoman61

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2016, 1810 UTC »
That sucks Chris. I've been worried about my antennas
these last few storms. 60 mph wind gust a few nights ago.
Trees and branches down all over town and power outages.
But the antennas made it, this time.
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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2016, 2013 UTC »
The tree probably fell during the Wednesday evening storm. I just noticed it this morning.  Interestingly enough, my reference AM station on 1280 was still the usual S9+50 dB.  I did notice  much higher noise levels on HF though, and more QRM.

Here is a waterfall I recorded this afternoon while I repaired the antenna. You can see the background noise dropped back to normal (dark blue) at the bottom of the waterfall, after the repair.

No wonder it was so noisy, my loop had turned into a dipole  ;D

« Last Edit: February 26, 2016, 2016 UTC by ChrisSmolinski »
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Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Fansome

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2016, 2330 UTC »
If a tree falls on an antenna, and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2016, 0516 UTC »
Don't go waxing philosophical, Penguin Boy.

It must have been the night for it, Chris. I had a large branch from the neighbors hickory down beside the longwire this morning. I don't know how it missed my house or the wire. If it had fallen to the side instead of straight back it would have came through the roof.
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Fansome

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2016, 0553 UTC »
Are those rodent gnaw-marks I see on the trunk?
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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Now I know why the Sky Loop is not working well today
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2016, 0606 UTC »
Nice catch, Al. Another reason to bring back the beaver hat.
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