07/17/10

091003 - End of day on Saturday, and I am tired.  Went across the line on Friday afternoon - STEPPIR shipped me two rolls of UV resistant rope - 3/16ths  - black - for tying up the dipoles, loops, etc.  I also had a shipment from The Wireman.  It contained 30 pulleys, a half a dozen dipole antenna feeds, with 'thimbles'.  There was also some insulated pieces for the ends of the dipoles.

My day started today, as just about every Saturday, with breakfast at 6:30 or so with a group of hams.  Good time, good learnings and good food.  By late morning, Al (VE7RMP) and I had picked up 1260 odd feet of white sewer pipe.  My brother Paul joined us, and we glued it up in forty foot sections.  Al drilled out 3/8 inch holes in the poles (that rhymes) at six inches, 10, 20 and 30 feet from the top of the pole.  We have 3/8 inch stainless ready rod, washers, nuts and some other miscellaneous stuff to put in the poles.  We'll do that, as well as add the lift lines, just before we stand them up.

On Monday, we expect the bull dozer to show up.  He is going to level the compound, and put in the road.  Once he has it levelled, we'll throw in the Geo-Cloth, and then lay down the chips and dust.  We need the excavator to dig in the grey water pipe, as well as the power conduit.  It is going to be an exciting week.

My C Cans still have not shipped.  I'm getting concerned.  If they don't ship on Monday, I'm going looking for the guy I gave the money to!

090930 - Did some work last night laying out the field - roughly to scale - the tower at the far right is another 5 meters further east if it were to be to scale.  Will work on laying out some antenna configurations next.

We should be able to figure out the distances between the poles and towers with this document

This is a thumbnail - click on it for the full picture - to print - select legal size paper

Ordered from the Wireman – for delivery to my Blaine post office this Friday – 30 x 1 inch swivel pulleys.   About $4.00 each

PULLEY, 1" - marine type, swivel - for 3/16" - 5/16" rope - WLL 80 lbs

I also ordered 5 x CQ dipole center, SO239, center hang, heavy duty, UV resistant. $13.00  Add a pair of thimbles and years of life for just $1.00! (See product #800)

And a dozen extra thimbles.

  CQ dipole center, SO239, center hang, heavy duty, UV resistant. Add a pair of thimbles and years of life for just $1.00! (See product #800)

090928 - The three hydro poles were skidded into the field today.  I met the heavy equipment operator at the site and we discussed the job and timing.  He is backed up with work - but does understand my timing concerns.  He has done a lot of work in wet fields, and has some ideas on how to get it done.

Brian has located some C cans for me - and has offered to rough frame them.  With any luck they should be ready by the end of the weekend to move into the field.  Once in, we'll set them on railway ties and level them.  A cutting torch will be used to open them up, and then bolt them together.  We need to look into getting the conduit and pipes installed prior to the Geo Cloth and chips and dust going in. 

Here is my first crack at a plan for the C cans.

090927 - Busy, Busy week.  Was in Toronto for the week.  Last weekend, before going to Toronto, I met with the two brothers who own the farm I have been interested in and we had a hand shake deal.  Whoooo Hoooo - time to get on with it.   A concern is that Fall is coming, and with Fall comes rain.  The field can get very wet.  I was in there in the Winter and Spring - and it was boggy, big time.  We are now racing against the clock to get some of the key infrastructure in place before we can't get into the field. 

There is also the fact that we have a Special Event Station call sign available to use on Thursday, October 1st, 2009.  I'd love to get the station up and running for that event - even if I am running from the jeep.

So what is happening?  In discussions with the farmers, we agreed that I needed to get most of my infrastructure in place before Thanksgiving.  That is Canadian Thanksgiving - October 12th.  That isn't a long way off.  We need the Hydro poles planted, the 'compound' and driveway installed, and ideally the tower bases poured.  I think I can pour the bases a bit later, but the rest needs to happen.

So - what did we do this week?  I had a line on three x 60 foot Hydro poles.  I had located them on Craigslist - and when I went to look for them again - they were gone.  I dropped a note to the individual who had them listed, and he still had them.  My buddy Al - VE7RMP, went down and looked at them, and they were ideal for the job we had in mind.  I made an offer, and they were mine for the project. 

We found a logging truck guy - had a self loading logging truck that could take a 60 foot pole.  We picked them up, very early today (Sunday a.m.) and brought them out to the project.  Pete was reluctant to go into the field - as there had been a heavy dew, and the field was damp.  He was concerned he might get in there, and not get out!

Al and I laid out the plan with stakes and tape.  We identified where the hydro poles were to go, as well as the first two towers.  In addition, we laid out two locations for the 'compound'.  There are some pros and cons of both locations - so it will be discussed with the owners, and we'll make a call based on that discussion.

I also saw Brian tonight - Brian owns a construction business and has a lot of experience with C Cans as tool cribs.  He is going to make some calls tomorrow and see what he can find for me.

So - we expect to get the hydro poles planted this week.  That means we have to get eye hooks and ties downs on the poles before they go up.  We will need some mini-bollards to tie down the rope pulls as well.  Again - all before the poles get planted.  Next we have to finalize the location of the 'Compound' and then get it roughly leveled, the Geo Cloth installed, and then 3-5 inches of chips and dust added on top.  This should give us what we need in terms of a stable surface to drive on.  I need to contact the railroad and arrange time to pick up the used Railroad Ties that we will put the C Containers on to level them.

Here are some pictures of today's adventures:

Crack of Dawn - loading the Hydro poles downtown - self loading logging truck

Measuring out the field - looking West - Bill is standing where the four hydro poles are going - looking to where Al is standing - the second tower is going in

We went down into the Ravine  - good cattle trail.  Al 'breaking trail' so that we can get up the other side through the Blackberry bushes to see the other side of the ravine

North of the ravine - power lines

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Back in the field - looking due south from the top of the ravine

Same spot - looking East

We couldn't get into the field with the hydro poles - too wet - so we left them at the entrance.  They will be skidded in by one of the brothers - thanks guys.