[BC] about STL dishes and jumpers

[Glen Kippel]

On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 12:54 AM, Broadcast List USER <Broadcast at fetrow.org> wrote:

>if you are gong to use Wrap-Lock or #12 solid twisted copper instead
>of the proper mounts, you deserve what you get.  Sure, it will last a
>few years, but it won't last.

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Yeah, I did some contract work for a station in the Central Valley -- originally licensed to Los Banos, but then the COL changed to Merced.  A 500' stick with a 5-bay fed by a 25-kW AEL.  The Heliax was stuck on the tower with Wrap-Lock instead of proper hangers, and of course after a few years there were holes rubbed through the coax jacket and it was burning through a tank of nitrogen every few days.  The transmitter was on its last legs, and the antenna probably had water in it.  I suggested replacing the antenna with 10 bays, replacing the line and getting a Continental 11-kW XMTR to save about $2,000 monthly on their power bill but their corporate engineer, from the Philippines, said that wouldn't work.  We parted company soon after that, and then the whole thing burned up.  They blamed "lightning" but I knew better.  I'm glad I wasn't there to have to lie to the insurance company.