Copper Talk » Ask The Tech » Antennas » My antenna was blown down « Previous Next »

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Capt205
Intermediate Member
Username: Capt205

Post Number: 105
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 5:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well....last nights high winds took out the IMAX 2000 that had been up about 18 months. The antenna cracked in half just above the joint of the bottom and middle sections. Funny thing is.....The swr did not change. I guess since the sections did not pull the wire inside apart, it still works.

I have a spare IMAX in the garage, so I am headed out this afternoon/evening, to swap it out. Ill post up the details on the antenna after I get it down from that pine tree.
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Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808

Post Number: 10276
Registered: 8-2002


Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 6:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Capt205,

Sorry to hear that but Happy to hear that you have a spare IMAX to put up.

Hope you are back on the air SOON.

Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9CEF
CVC#2
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Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior

Post Number: 1616
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 6:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sorry to hear that Capt205....
Good luck with your other install.
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Starface
Advanced Member
Username: Starface

Post Number: 651
Registered: 1-2005


Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:41 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

beat Alburto and get back up soon!
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Jameslarson
Intermediate Member
Username: Jameslarson

Post Number: 204
Registered: 4-2006


Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Where are you located? How fast were the winds? Thanks, and good luck.
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Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad

Post Number: 922
Registered: 11-2004


Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 2:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So did the bottom section fail and it remained mounted on the mast? Or did the mast/tower come down thus causing the failure? Keep the other sections, seems a few have lost the top sections :-)

James, If you click on the member's name in in the post in blue most have their location listed in their profile, unfortunately not the wind speed though :-)

Chad
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Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior

Post Number: 1619
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 4:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There's alot of people that have Imaxs
around a 15 mile radius here. Heard of only
1 Imax that got broke. That was due to bad
ice buildup.
There's things you can do to prevent top
from coming off, but, not much you can
do to protect it from winds/ice that i can think
of anyhow.
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Capt205
Intermediate Member
Username: Capt205

Post Number: 106
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 11:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The bottom and the top sections are fine. It cracked just above the bottom of the middle section, about 2 inches up.

I'm going to check with Solarcon to see if I can get just the middle section, then put it and the rest of the old antenna in the box, and save it for a spare.

On a side note....before I realized the antenna was broke, I was on the radio, and the swr was fine. I was not getting the distance I normally did, and the other local's noticed that something was amiss, but it still had good ears, as I could not tell any difference in the rx. It did not dawn on me to check the antenna for damage untill I was out back talking on the phone, when I looked at the tree and saw the antenna cracked in half.
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833

Post Number: 1382
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 11:18 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Capt. As a courtesy to a fellow Copper forum member...

I have an Imax 2000 here with failed bottom section. You are welcome to the middle section. Just send me your address and I will ship it to you.
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Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious

Post Number: 1827
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 8:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

paul is the man.
we are lucky to have him here.
matt
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Capt205
Intermediate Member
Username: Capt205

Post Number: 108
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 7:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes he is........this is perfect timing as I discovered that I do NOT have the spare IMAX that I thought I had. I have no idea what happened to it, unless it got left behind in the move 2 years ago. Thanks again.

Capt205
CEF580
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Capt205
Intermediate Member
Username: Capt205

Post Number: 109
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 7:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

P.S. I am back on the air with a dipole, inverted V I guess you call it, up on the roof. Not as good of performance as the IMAX, but not bad either.

I made it for experimenting purposes, and just never used it.....kinda came in handy. I suggest everyone should try one even if only for a backup for unforseen damage.
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Chad
Advanced Member
Username: Chad

Post Number: 945
Registered: 11-2004


Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Heh, the storm that took down my tower/iMax also took out the tree holding the backup dipole. I couldn't win for losing that night :-) But I un-tangled that dipole from that mess :-) They are hard to damage, if you know what I mean!

Chad
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833

Post Number: 1383
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Friday, June 23, 2006 - 1:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Still need your address. Send it to me via email if you are uneasy with making it public here. My email is really easy, just put 'tech833' in front of '@copperelectronics.com' and there you go.

Tech833@copperelectronics.com
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Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat

Post Number: 918
Registered: 12-2003


Posted on Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 7:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If the antenna still works why don't you get some fiberglass resin and cloth and fix it. It might be ugly, but I don't think any generals or colonels are going to inspect it.
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Capt205
Intermediate Member
Username: Capt205

Post Number: 115
Registered: 5-2005
Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 2:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I received the section I needed today from Tech833. I want to say a big
Thank You!
I will be back on the air with the reserected IMAX soon!!!
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Freebird
Intermediate Member
Username: Freebird

Post Number: 447
Registered: 1-2003


Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 6:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

funny when my top section of my i max broke it broke right above the joint also.now i need a new top section and i dont know where to get one.The top section of the i max 2000 is to thin bends all the way over in high winds.
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Goat373
Intermediate Member
Username: Goat373

Post Number: 253
Registered: 3-2005


Posted on Saturday, July 08, 2006 - 9:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

if it didnt bend..it would break alot sooner...thats why they make them that felexi'.

same reason tall buildings in earthquake zones are build on shocks, so they can shake and shimmy and not fall down.

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