Although it has taken some time, progress has been realized on the WMLK Radio antenna repair project. As reported (HERE) the antenna suffered extensive damage from three ice and wind storms. The antenna was insured to a certain extent, and the insurance company has made payment to Assemblies of Yahweh for damage repair. Needless to say that the cost of repair was expensive, but necessary. The replacement cost estimate for the antenna alone within the framework of the support towers, was well over $300.000! This would be a complete replacement by a commercial antenna manufacturing company. However, we can and will repair the damaged antenna for well under this price and the insurance company concurs with this decision rather than complete commercial antenna replacement.
The repair parts, wire, insulators, spacers, and other components, are either in hand or on order. Some of these parts have a substantial lead time as they must be manufactured for design and antenna specifications. All repair materials should be in hand by years end, if all goes well. If the weather is not severe, some work on the Reflector Screen can take place during the winter months. However, if the weather is non-conducive, the repair must wait until Spring. The entire grid work must be replaced as the damage to this section of the antenna was severe. We are using a number 8 Alumoweld for the catenarie framework. What is Alumoweld? The following supplies the information on Alumoweld:
AlumoweldŽ Aluminum-Clad
Steel Wire and Strand
Alumoweld is an aluminum-clad steel wire that offers the advantages of each
metal and the desirable qualities of both. It has comparable corrosion
resistance to solid aluminum wire and eight times the strength. Compared to
steel wire, it has the same high tensile strength but furnishes much higher
conductivity and provides much greater longevity.
In the finished size, Alumoweld has an aluminum coating equal to 25 percent of
the cross-sectional area of the composite wire, and a coating thickness
guaranteed to be a minimum of ten percent of the wire radius. The thick aluminum
coating provides an electrical conductivity equal to one-third that delivered by
the same size solid aluminum wire. The conductivity, combined with the high
strength of Alumoweld's steel core, makes it an extremely versatile, highly
acceptable substitute for solid aluminum in many applications.
This design and high tensile strength properties supply the dynamics
necessary to support the number 8 hard drawn aluminum wire within the
catenaries. Because of the reduced weight supplied by the incorporation of
aluminum wire, the Reflector Screen can be large in size. The dimensions
for this section of the antenna are 31.25 meters by 31.35 meters. This
would be 102.5 feet by 102.5 feet. The antenna has sixty-four (64)
horizontal wires exactly spaced with eleven vertical (11) wire with measured
placement. This configuration contains a tension support system on each
side. The work must be accomplished with the use of a crane for several
days.
As the work on rebuild and restoration continues, the antenna progress will be posted.
After months of anticipation, work began on the WMLK Radio antenna. The following photos depict the crane in the field and the two man basket in the air. The reflector screen is being disassembled to make way for the new wiring. The storm damage was extensive and will require many hours to restore the antenna into operable state. Photos taken June 8, 2009.
This is the motorized unit that will be used to repair the reflector screen and the antenna array! This unit extends over 120 feet and that is what it takes to reach the top of the antenna array.
The wind and storms still are having an effect on the antenna array. This past weekend (March 12-14, 2010) brought more high winds and destruction to our area. The element array already damaged by several previous storm suffered even more damage. The winter months do not allow us to reconstruct the element array until the weather warms up. The ground is very soft and the equipment we use to repair the antenna is very heavy and will sink into the soil causing an imbalance in the system. This sets off the safety system and shuts the high lift down. Very dangerous! Here are some more pictures taken today (March 16, 2010). The sky is clearing up and the weather is supposed to start warming up, hopefully! Soon, Yahweh willing, we will be able to repair the element array.
Tuning stub on left side of picture and crossover feedline from vertical feed assembly.
Feedline crossover from vertical feed.
Part of the tuning stub.
Our antenna Engineer is in the process of redesigning the antenna vertical feedline. I have sent him the drawings that contain the physical and electrical dimensions. He will begin work immediately upon receipt of this information. WMLK Radio continues to stream the programming from the station 24/7.
