Baw Faw Members and Supporters:

 

I wanted to publicly thank all those members and non-members who contributed time and money to make the maintenance project at the peak a great success. It always amazes me what a group of great people can accomplish when asked. The project was the idea of Mike - AC7UP way back a year or so ago. He felt the tower was in need of some major TLC and the current status of the guys created unsafe and potentially disastrous conditions. We as a group decided at the annual meeting in January that the project include taking the tower down, scraping and painting, add all new hardware and replace the guys with new wire as well as adding turnbuckles and equalizer plates. It was also felt that the building needed to be cleaned and painted both inside and out. Gil - N7PRJ brought up the fact that the 220 Mhz control antenna also needed to be repaired and placed. Well by September 11 all our plans have been completed, thanks to all of you. So here starts the story.

Long about April or May Toni - KC7PIU sent an e-mail to the board suggesting we hold a Meet and Greet Pizza Gathering. Well everyone on the board thought it a great idea, but we all being the great communicators that we are, failed to let Toni know that we had even received his great idea. So, a couple of weeks later Tony, being the subtle individual he his, sent a SCATHING e-mail chastising the board for not even taking the time to respond to his first e-mail. We did get back to him this time (and he still talks to us) and actually set-up the time and place of the gathering. On June 4th we had a good turnout and great time. Those attending; Tony Metson - KC7PIU, Bill Sneathen - KD7ZBY, Rick Weiss - N7YQU, Rich Brush - KD7NVB, Adam Ferress - KD7TQX, Klaus Neubert -      AC7MG, Jon Jeschke - KD7SXV, Tom Owens - K7GUH, Tom Herman - N1BEC, Lisa Sipe - KB7TAS (poor Lisa doesn't remember attending as she was on pain medicine but she had a good time), Rick Sipe - KB7CCJ, Mike Payne - AC7UP, Loyann Munyan -   KC7KCJ, Jim Pace - K7CEX, Bill McGowen - W7FQQ, Butch McGowen - K7FQQ, Ruth Smith - KE7CZX, Steve Smith - W7HDO, Brian Abbott - KD7WKT, Lisa Bratina - KD7YUG, Nicholas Bratina - KD7YUF, Kim Aiken - AC7YY, Gil Elder - N7PRJ, donated a total of $247 for the maintenance project.

There were also many members unable to attend or unable to physically help with the project who contributed to the project. These people; Chuck Lund - K7VRE, Franklin Cooley - WA7LMI (donated twice), Evelyn Dailey - KE7ACI, Paul Leach - N7GGX, Larry Alvar - KD7TQW, James Livingston - A7EBV (donated twice), Charles Olsen - KD7LQY and Ed McDonald - WA7AUL donated a total of $220. So, as direct result of Tony's suggestion and your financial support $467 was contributed towards the maintenance project.

The goals for the first scheduled day of the project proved a bit optimistic. On the morning of September 3rd twelve very capable people; Toby - KD7JPK, Gil - N7PRJ, Mike - AC7UP, Tom - N1BEC, Bill - AC7SR, Bob - KD7OWN, Steve - WB7VAS, Bill - KD7ZBY, Kim - AC7YY, Brian - KD7WKT, John - KQ7JJ, and Jeff - KD7ACE made the trek to the 3100' level of Baw Faw Peak. Everyone jumped right to work. The new electrical panel and parts (Donated by Mike - AC7UP) were used to replaced the old non-functioning panel. The brush around the building was basically ripped and chopped away and the guys began knocking the old loose paint off the building. The repeater was completely taken out of the building and laid on its side. While the building was being painted, Mike - AC7UP and Tom - N1BEC dawned their climbing gear and began striping the coax and antennas from the tower as they climbed to the top. This began what turned out to be about 6-7 hours total time they were on the tower. A very long day for these two. At noon, Bill - KD7ZBY cooked up a lunch for everyone, he not only brought the food, but also a propane BBQ.

By the end of the day, the electrical panel was installed, the building was painted with two coats both inside and out, the tower was completely taken down and each section was taken down to bare metal and painted with zinc spray paint.

The plan was to have the tower back up and the repeater fully functional by the end of the first day. Well, that didn't happen. So......

The next Saturday, the 10th another was made trip to the peak. Dave Scheer of Bavarian Construction kindly brought his boom truck to the peak for nothing more than the cost of fuel (Thank you Dave). Dave Scheer, Mike - AC7UP, Brian - KD7WKT, Dave - AC7CQ, Tom - N1BEC, Gil - N7PRJ and Bill - AC7SR provided the labor and the know-how to reassemble the tower, re-place the antennas and feedlines as well as cutting and tightening the brand new stainless steel guylines. I was not there, but the story I heard was that Mike and Tom were on the tower when the weather got a bit shaky late in the day. The sound of thunder and the first lightning brought them down in a rather hurried fashion. The group decision was that it was pretty close to quitting time. They wrapped things up, and brought the repeater back up (almost).

It was discovered that Saturday night, I would guess, that the repeater wasn't functioning. Gil - N7PRJ and Mike - AC7UP made there way back up to the repeater site the next Sunday morning, September 11th. They found that the feedline from the 220Mhz control link antenna was inadvertently connected to the repeater by mistake. Gil did his magic with the repeater and controller. Then he and Mike finished up tying off the guylines and the remaining tasks that weren't completed the prior day. That Sunday night, I was returning from North Bend, I was able to hear Gil - N7PRJ programming the repeater controller with the current ID's that you now hear on the 147.06 repeater.

This was a big project; it took the efforts and resources of many people to accomplish. All those who helped either financially, physically or both thank you all. The tower, antennas and building will hopefully be ready to take on the severe weather at 3,100' for many years to come.

We all enjoy the availability of the Baw Faw repeater; remember that all our members own this repeater. Encourage others to contribute to the maintenance and continued support.

 

This is a summary of the repair costs:

            Crane Expense (Fuel)                                         $   75.26

            Electrical Panel and Parts (Donated)                               0

            Paint and Supplies                                                 130.33

            PreSelector                                                             40.00

            Rohn Torque Arms                                                 40.00

            Tower hardware/guylines                                       712.90

                Total Spent                                                    $ 998.49

 

Thank you all,

Kim - AC7YY

Board Member/Treasurer