Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hey Charlie, We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country and on a well, so have drawn up some water, flash lights, oil lamps gas logs at the ready. I have a geny too, but its pretty hard to pull in cold wx...makes me think more abt a whole-house Genrac. Guess we will also get abt 1/4-1/2 inch of ice. Hang tuff Charlie and any others facing this mess. 73 de Bill K4JYS Half-way 'tween Smithfield and Newton Grove NC - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 2:37:13 PM Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV P.S. How are things down Atlanta and GA way? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hope for cloudy days after the ice build up. Towers often fail when the sun heats the south guy wires. When the ice drops off rapidly, the weight on the north guy wires can pull the tower over. 73 Bruce-k1fz We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country I have about a half inch of radial ice at the moment. The ropes for almost all of my wire antennas have snapped, and the Yagi's all look like noodles. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
It's really a shame what that freezing rain will do to an antenna farm. I wish that global warming was a reality in situations like this. I fortunately rarely get ice storms of this nature and I thank God for that. To see all your hard work taken down by nature is heart breaking. Doug Think of all the ways you can hurt yourself laughing. -Original Message- We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country I have about a half inch of radial ice at the moment. The ropes for almost all of my wire antennas have snapped, and the Yagi's all look like noodles. It smells like Pinesol disinfectant outside from all the broken pine trees. I'm not sure what is going to happen here. It is still raining and still at 31F here. We were predicted to be in the worse spot, but it looks like the worse ice spot in Georgia has moved to along the I-20 corridor out to Augusta. I expect antennas in southern SC won't do so well. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Charlie and All, We wish you the best of luck. I live in a heavily wooded neighborhood and used to lose power at least once a year. I also listen to the LF and the VLF spectrum as well as operate MF and HF. I bought a generator to power the refrigerator and the heating system in the winter. I can also operate my shack from 12 volt batteries. When things are stabilized I turn lemom into lemonade by taking advantage of the lower noise floor during a blackout amd do a lot of listening on the LF and VLF bands and some low power operating on 160 and 80. I lost power for 15 days after Sandy. The power company did extensive repairs and tree trimming after the storm. Since them we haven't lost power. Mike N2MS - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 19:37:13 - (UTC) Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hi, Bill! Well, it's bad out there! Lots of gridlock on the roads and now the weather people are calling for 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of ICE! That WILL bring the power down. Don’t' thimk I'm able to get my generator going, altho ugh it has bropu ght me through a few ice storms and a hurricane in the past but I'm too crippled now to; foo; with it! I'll just have to hunker down and hope for the best. I do have my gas logs. flashlights etc. If my ship comes in, I'd like to get a whole house generator with a transfer switch and electric start tho;at run's from natural gas but that doesn' help me right now! Take care and stay warm, Bill 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Bill Stewart [mailto:cw...@embarqmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:07 PM To: Charlie Cunningham Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Hey Charlie, We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country and on a well, so have drawn up some water, flash lights, oil lamps gas logs at the ready. I have a geny too, but its pretty hard to pull in cold wx...makes me think more abt a whole-house Genrac. Guess we will also get abt 1/4-1/2 inch of ice. Hang tuff Charlie and any others facing this mess. 73 de Bill K4JYS Half-way 'tween Smithfield and Newton Grove NC - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 2:37:13 PM Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV P.S. How are things down Atlanta and GA way? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hey, you had plenty of advanced warning this one was going to be brutal! I hope you and anyone else in the path get thru it OK. The 2008 ice storm up here still shows plenty of scars and some of my VHF/UHF long booms still arent repaired/replaced. Is easier to play on the ground with low receiving antennas! Carl KM1H Survivor of the Blizzard of 78 - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 2:37 PM Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV P.S. How are things down Atlanta and GA way? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7086 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
I keep a Honda EU 2000i genset (http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu2000i) in the house for emergencies. We (Fairbanks, Ak.) had a wind and ice storm in November…lost my 160 wires for a while, two trees hit the house, and another broke the power line for over a couple days. The little Honda was enough to keep the Toyo oil stoves going and lights available. On Eco mode they’ll run a gallon of gas for 8-10 hrs easy. And they only weigh ~50# so can be carried about. It’ll run a barefoot ham station in an emergency as well. 73 and hunker down folks, Gary NL7Y Hi, Bill! Well, it's bad out there! Lots of gridlock on the roads and now the weather people are calling for 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of ICE! That WILL bring the power down. Don’t' thimk I'm able to get my generator going, altho ugh it has bropu ght me through a few ice storms and a hurricane in the past but I'm too crippled now to; foo; with it! I'll just have to hunker down and hope for the best. I do have my gas logs. flashlights etc. If my ship comes in, I'd like to get a whole house generator with a transfer switch and electric start tho;at run's from natural gas but that doesn' help me right now! Take care and stay warm, Bill 73, Charlie, K4OTV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
On 2014-02-12, at 4:50 PM, Carl wrote: Hey, you had plenty of advanced warning this one was going to be brutal! You can NEVER EVER properly prepare for what hit us here, Carl---NEVER. ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hi, Doug and Eddy and all others! Well, sadly ice storms are more common than snow storms in North Carolina, Yes I've lost a few antennas to ice and wind. I lost my 160 inverted L when a hurricane tipped over the tree that was supporting the top wire. Worse though, was when tohe wind and ice took a big oak limb through the top of my little 40' tower and changed my self-designed, home brew, 2 el 5-band singe feedline quad to a 1 el 5-band quad! It was a wonderful kick-ass. killer antenna that I worked on in EZNEC for several months and did some really original ground breaking work on, that I've never seen published anywhere. I really miss it, but don't know that I'll ever be able to re-build it. Antennas are one thing, but right now the sleet has started on top of the snow - to be followed by freezing rain and a predicted 1/2-3/4 inch of ICE! So I'll be happy if my power stays on - but that much ice is likely to bring it down! I'm too crippled now to make it out to my detached garage and fire up the generator and run a cable into the house! Wish me luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Eddy Swynar Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:14 PM To: Doug Renwick Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC On 2014-02-12, at 3:58 PM, Doug Renwick wrote: It's really a shame what that freezing rain will do to an antenna farm. I wish that global warming was a reality in situations like this. I fortunately rarely get ice storms of this nature and I thank God for that. To see all your hard work taken down by nature is heart breaking. Doug Hi Guys, Welcome to MY world... The freezing rain storm that we had earlier this winter completely devastated my wire antenna farm, by virtue of the heavy ice literally BREAKING supporting trees... I lost my north east L elements in my topband array, my 160-meter half wave dipole, and my complete K89AY receiving antenna system. Just no spirit to get on 1.8-MHz right now---no way, no how... ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
I'll have to look into that, Gary! Mine is much bigger. A little generator like that, I could keep in the house and pull out on the back deck when needed if it would supply enough power to run the air handler on my gas furnace and a fluorescent light or two, I'd be good to go! I'll check it out! Thanks! 73, Charlie,K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gary and Kathleen Pearse Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:50 PM To: topband List Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC I keep a Honda EU 2000i genset (http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu2000i) in the house for emergencies. We (Fairbanks, Ak.) had a wind and ice storm in November.lost my 160 wires for a while, two trees hit the house, and another broke the power line for over a couple days. The little Honda was enough to keep the Toyo oil stoves going and lights available. On Eco mode they'll run a gallon of gas for 8-10 hrs easy. And they only weigh ~50# so can be carried about. It'll run a barefoot ham station in an emergency as well. 73 and hunker down folks, Gary NL7Y Hi, Bill! Well, it's bad out there! Lots of gridlock on the roads and now the weather people are calling for 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of ICE! That WILL bring the power down. Don't' thimk I'm able to get my generator going, altho ugh it has bropu ght me through a few ice storms and a hurricane in the past but I'm too crippled now to; foo; with it! I'll just have to hunker down and hope for the best. I do have my gas logs. flashlights etc. If my ship comes in, I'd like to get a whole house generator with a transfer switch and electric start tho;at run's from natural gas but that doesn' help me right now! Take care and stay warm, Bill 73, Charlie, K4OTV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
I'll have to look into that, Gary! Mine is much bigger. I have a 25kW continuous 50 KW intermittent at the power pole. It runs from a tractor PTO. All I do is back one of tractors up to it and away we go. What I like about this arrangement is I don't have to exercise it. It is always in good shape, and I have three tractors if one won't run. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
You can always prepare for your own safety Eddy; cut down trees that imperil buildings and vehicles, have a generator already pretested and in place, chain saw ready and tested in case you need to cut your way to a gas station, etc For the 2008 storm we were without power 12-13 days I believe and my neighbor and I both had 4x4 pickups with plows and we cut and pushed a path for 2.5 miles off the hill to the main road. Others heard us coming and helped with a lot of the cutting but just 2 of us lived uphill and had the proper vehicles. It was a 26 mile RT to the nearest gas station that had power and we were the last part of town to get power restored due to the location and the way the utility had their work mapped out. Preparing antennas is tricky when depending on trees and wire to cooperate. All 4 of my towers survived and so did wire antennas using #12 copperweld. Light duty WD11A type Beverages werent so lucky as were many elevated radials. But living in sight of the ocean directly in line with a typical Nor'easter (we get them year'round) about 20-25 miles away that I can see from the 100' level of a tower means this is not an occassional occurance in Southern NH and residents are better prepared. Losing power 3-4 times a year is the norm from storms or drunks hitting poles which happened 6 days ago at 130AM at 10F outside. The genny was on in 10 minutes after I opened my eyes and didnt see the LED clock! Carl KM1H - Original Message - From: Eddy Swynar deswy...@xplornet.ca To: Carl k...@jeremy.mv.com Cc: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com; topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:53 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow,freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC On 2014-02-12, at 4:50 PM, Carl wrote: Hey, you had plenty of advanced warning this one was going to be brutal! You can NEVER EVER properly prepare for what hit us here, Carl---NEVER. ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7086 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Hi, Tom! I just checked my junk mail folder and a LOT of messages have shown up there that don't normally go there, including msgs from Topband Reflector. Looks like you are bein hit pretty hard, but the weather service is callinfor 1/2 -3/4 inc of ice up here tonight, so I guess that you j ust got it ahead of us! I just was on the news that yo mi ght get as much as an inch of ice across GA! Yikes! I'l; bet yo'ur yagis are really mangled! Ice is awful!! Take care and stay inside and ride it out! I'd be happy if the power would stay on! I may have to resort tostayiongwrm by mg gas logs. I'm too crippled up at presen/t to make my way out the garage and fire up the generator and run a cable into the house! I should h;ave done that before the snow started! 73. Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Tom W8JI [mailto:w...@w8ji.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:20 PM To: Bill Stewart; Charlie Cunningham Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country I have about a half inch of radial ice at the moment. The ropes for almost all of my wire antennas have snapped, and the Yagi's all look like noodles. It smells like Pinesol disinfectant outside from all the broken pine trees. I'm not sure what is going to happen here. It is still raining and still at 31F here. We were predicted to be in the worse spot, but it looks like the worse ice spot in Georgia has moved to along the I-20 corridor out to Augusta. I expect antennas in southern SC won't do so well. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Yes, Bruce, that's what happened to the 2000 ft WRAL-TV tower here some years back. They said that chunks of ice were coming off those gu y wires to the south the size of refrigerators. The unequal loading on the tower and the vibration of the guys was just too much and the whole structure failed! I was driving up to Raleigh from Smithfield on Highway 70 the next morning - and what a shock! There was no 2000 ft tower over there beside 70! Un believable!! 73. Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Bruce [mailto:k...@myfairpoint.net] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:40 PM To: Tom W8JI; Bill Stewart; Charlie Cunningham Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow,freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Hope for cloudy days after the ice build up. Towers often fail when the sun heats the south guy wires. When the ice drops off rapidly, the weight on the north guy wires can pull the tower over. 73 Bruce-k1fz We have about 3-4 in. of snow on the gnd, and just started to sleet, and maybe some rain, abt an hr ago. We are in the country I have about a half inch of radial ice at the moment. The ropes for almost all of my wire antennas have snapped, and the Yagi's all look like noodles. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Thanks, Mike! Well, I guess I was in denial, perhaps. The last time we had one of these, I wasn't so crippled. I should have made my way out to the garage and dragged out the generator and run the cable to the house before the snow and ice started. But now. I am where I am and just have to do my best to make the best of it. I have a 5500 watt generator - enough to run everything OK if I do some intelligent load management. I lost power for 11 days after Hurricane Fran, and I swore never again and bought a generator! Take care up there! 73, Charlie,K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of mstang...@comcast.net Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:14 PM To: Charlie Cunningham Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Charlie and All, We wish you the best of luck. I live in a heavily wooded neighborhood and used to lose power at least once a year. I also listen to the LF and the VLF spectrum as well as operate MF and HF. I bought a generator to power the refrigerator and the heating system in the winter. I can also operate my shack from 12 volt batteries. When things are stabilized I turn lemom into lemonade by taking advantage of the lower noise floor during a blackout amd do a lot of listening on the LF and VLF bands and some low power operating on 160 and 80. I lost power for 15 days after Sandy. The power company did extensive repairs and tree trimming after the storm. Since them we haven't lost power. Mike N2MS - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 19:37:13 - (UTC) Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Gee, that should work great, Tom! How is the shaft rotatoion speed controlled to maintain 60 Hz? I've been seriousl y considering installin a 25-40 KW generator with electric start and automatic fail over and transfer switch that would run off natural gas. No fuel or cranking problems and no need to go outside and struggle with it! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Tom W8JI [mailto:w...@w8ji.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:26 PM To: Charlie Cunningham; 'Gary and Kathleen Pearse'; 'topband List' Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow,freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC I'll have to look into that, Gary! Mine is much bigger. I have a 25kW continuous 50 KW intermittent at the power pole. It runs from a tractor PTO. All I do is back one of tractors up to it and away we go. What I like about this arrangement is I don't have to exercise it. It is always in good shape, and I have three tractors if one won't run. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Gee, that should work great, Tom! How is the shaft rotatoion speed controlled to maintain 60 Hz? Tractors are like almost any other thing that has an engine and a manual throttle control, including lawn mowers. They have engine speed feedback that works like mechanical ALC. It isn't like car or something that has an open loop system with a human stuck there pushing a pedal to regulate power with varying loads. If it didn't have that feedback system, a person would have to constantly adjust the throttle when mowing or plowing. I guess you could think of it like a cruise control, except unlike cruise it is the primary throttle and has wide dynamic range. Lawnmowers regulate the carburetor throttle plate with a connection to a flapper plate. Air from a finned wheel hits that plate. The plate works against a spring, and the throttle just changes spring tension. The tractors around here are a little more sophisticated, but same basic concept. They stay put pretty good. Within a Hz or so at the most. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
Thanks, Tom! That all makes sense! Come to think of it, the Briggs Stratton engine on my 5500 watt generator maintains its speed well. I don't know what sort of feedback it uses, but it's effective! If I make a big load change, like bringing on a water heater, I can hear a pitch change but the speed remains constant. In the old days I've seen trucks and tractors used to run saws for cutting timber. I guess that sort of give awa y how old I am and what a hillbilly I am! :-) Take care down there! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Tom W8JI Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 8:29 PM To: Charlie Cunningham; 'topband List' Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Gee, that should work great, Tom! How is the shaft rotatoion speed controlled to maintain 60 Hz? Tractors are like almost any other thing that has an engine and a manual throttle control, including lawn mowers. They have engine speed feedback that works like mechanical ALC. It isn't like car or something that has an open loop system with a human stuck there pushing a pedal to regulate power with varying loads. If it didn't have that feedback system, a person would have to constantly adjust the throttle when mowing or plowing. I guess you could think of it like a cruise control, except unlike cruise it is the primary throttle and has wide dynamic range. Lawnmowers regulate the carburetor throttle plate with a connection to a flapper plate. Air from a finned wheel hits that plate. The plate works against a spring, and the throttle just changes spring tension. The tractors around here are a little more sophisticated, but same basic concept. They stay put pretty good. Within a Hz or so at the most. _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
From what I see on the forcasts I'll also be needing luck. Once the snow hits about 5AM the winds will be slowly rising with the temperature and once it hits about 31 it will be in double digits reaching the high 20 mph range which includes 6 hours of snow/ice thru the dark hours before the temps fall at Friday dawn as the winds shift. All in all about 14 hours of something falling until 7AM Friday and then 12 hours of warming up into the mid 40's before more heavy wet snow from another front from the SW. This could be a mess, maybe I'll get another 10 gal of gas early tomorrow before it gets really going, and then just hunker down. I got a feeling that all the utilities tree trimming the past 3 years isnt going to stop a lot of wires coming down. Carl KM1H - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: 'Carl' k...@jeremy.mv.com; topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 7:01 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow,freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Well, I expect that you are right, Carl. Perhaps I was in denial! I haven't had to deal with one of these in a long time! I should have gotten out there and dragged out the generator and fired it up and run a cable into thehouse before the bad weather got here. Perhaps I was complacent because during last week's snow and ice storm my power stayed on and it wasn't so bad. This one is much worse! The last time I had to deal with one of these, I wasn't so crippled Wish me luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Carl [mailto:k...@jeremy.mv.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:51 PM To: Charlie Cunningham; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Hey, you had plenty of advanced warning this one was going to be brutal! I hope you and anyone else in the path get thru it OK. The 2008 ice storm up here still shows plenty of scars and some of my VHF/UHF long booms still arent repaired/replaced. Is easier to play on the ground with low receiving antennas! Carl KM1H Survivor of the Blizzard of 78 - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 2:37 PM Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV P.S. How are things down Atlanta and GA way? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7086 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7088 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC
HI, Carl! Well, I figured folks up in your area are next in line, and considering how quickly this has moved up here from the Gulf of Mexico I figured it wouldn't take too long to arrive up your way ad impact sopme of my lawyer friends in Hartford, CT. Laying in some fuel for the generator and hunkering down sounds like a good plan! Good luck and stay warm 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Carl Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 9:27 PM To: Charlie Cunningham; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC From what I see on the forcasts I'll also be needing luck. Once the snow hits about 5AM the winds will be slowly rising with the temperature and once it hits about 31 it will be in double digits reaching the high 20 mph range which includes 6 hours of snow/ice thru the dark hours before the temps fall at Friday dawn as the winds shift. All in all about 14 hours of something falling until 7AM Friday and then 12 hours of warming up into the mid 40's before more heavy wet snow from another front from the SW. This could be a mess, maybe I'll get another 10 gal of gas early tomorrow before it gets really going, and then just hunker down. I got a feeling that all the utilities tree trimming the past 3 years isnt going to stop a lot of wires coming down. Carl KM1H - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: 'Carl' k...@jeremy.mv.com; topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 7:01 PM Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow,freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh, NC Well, I expect that you are right, Carl. Perhaps I was in denial! I haven't had to deal with one of these in a long time! I should have gotten out there and dragged out the generator and fired it up and run a cable into thehouse before the bad weather got here. Perhaps I was complacent because during last week's snow and ice storm my power stayed on and it wasn't so bad. This one is much worse! The last time I had to deal with one of these, I wasn't so crippled Wish me luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV -Original Message- From: Carl [mailto:k...@jeremy.mv.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 4:51 PM To: Charlie Cunningham; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Hey, you had plenty of advanced warning this one was going to be brutal! I hope you and anyone else in the path get thru it OK. The 2008 ice storm up here still shows plenty of scars and some of my VHF/UHF long booms still arent repaired/replaced. Is easier to play on the ground with low receiving antennas! Carl KM1H Survivor of the Blizzard of 78 - Original Message - From: Charlie Cunningham charlie-cunning...@nc.rr.com To: topband@contesting.com Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 2:37 PM Subject: Topband: Yikes! Heavy snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh,NC Yikes, HEAVY snow, freezing fog and 23 degrees F in Raleigh! It's really coming down and accumulating FAST here! Next we're supposed to get hit with sleet, freezing rain and ice - up to 1/2 inch! Hope my power stays on! I'm too crippled up and there's too much snow already to try to get out to the garage and fire up the generator and ru n a cable into the house! I guess my gas logs can keep me from freezing! Wish; me Luck! 73, Charlie, K4OTV P.S. How are things down Atlanta and GA way? _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7086 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3697/7088 - Release Date: 02/12/14 _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
