The best antenna weather

[KL7FZ]

Well, we all know that antennas put up in the worst weather work the best. It's proportional. The worse (or colder) the weather, the better the antenna works.
So how cold is too cold for all you fair weather ham types out there? What are the most extreme conditions you have endured to erect your antenna projects.
#Up here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH, if you don't stick to the aluminum, it just ain't cold enough. Some consideration will be given to those who work in extremely hot conditions also.
#Give us your horror stories.

KL7FZ

[KA9VQF]

I don’t wait for totally crappy weather it just seems to work out that way.

For a long time I didn’t have the time or need to erect antennae in decent weather. When one would ‘go south’ it was usually because of an ice storm tearing it down. Then I would toss up another in haste in the same storm or the next day if work were cancelled.

When good weather would return I generally put up what I think will be a better one or at least do a better job of hanging the hastily repaired one.

[WS2L]

I generally do most of my antenna work when the weather is nice and warm and not a cloud in the sky. One day in the mid 1980's I had a 15 element boomer on my roof for 2 meters, it was a 10 ft pole with a rotor and another 5 foot pole chimney mounted with 3 guy wires. I think it was around Feb/Mar on a cold, wet, rainy day that one of the guy wires snapped and I had no choice but to go up on the roof and make the repairs. NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, will I ever go up on the roof on a cold rainy day to fix an antenna I would rather let it fall before doing that again. I had to lower the entire structure in order to string the guy wire at the top of the 10 ft section of mast, not an easy task on a cold wet day. Somehow I was able to make the repairs without breaking my neck but never again, next time I will do without until I can do it safely.

Well I was in my early 20's then, now that I'm 41 the thought would NEVER cross my mind to even try.

[KC0NBW]

any antenna that stays up is obviously not big enough!
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[KC7UP]

I used to do my antenna work in cold weather however age smarten's one up.
Curt

[KC0NBW]

Quote[/b] (KC7UP @ Dec. 05 2004,15:02)]I used to do my antenna work in cold weather however age smarten's one up.
Curt
now you wait for freezing weather, right? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[KL7FZ]

Quote[/b] (WS2L @ Dec. 05 2004,13:29)]I generally do most of my antenna work when the weather is nice and warm and not a cloud in the sky. One day in the mid 1980's I had a 15 element boomer on my roof for 2 meters, it was a 10 ft pole with a rotor and another 5 foot pole chimney mounted with 3 guy wires. I think it was around Feb/Mar on a cold, wet, rainy day that one of the guy wires snapped and I had no choice but to go up on the roof and make the repairs. NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, will I ever go up on the roof on a cold rainy day to fix an antenna I would rather let it fall before doing that again. I had to lower the entire structure in order to string the guy wire at the top of the 10 ft section of mast, not an easy task on a cold wet day. Somehow I was able to make the repairs without breaking my neck but never again, next time I will do without until I can do it safely.

Well I was in my early 20's then, now that I'm 41 the thought would NEVER cross my mind to even try.
Rain doesn't count. That ain't NEARLY cold enough to count! It's when you have to chop through several inches of ice to get to the coax connector that you approach good antenna weather. It's when the torch is one of the most important tools in the belt. And the ice axe is next in line.

#KL7FZ

[AA0CX]

Okay, I won't argue with AK -- but ND has it's share of perfect antenna weather as well....reminds me of the time that I was changing out some rabbit-chewed coax on a ground-mounted antenna one night -- I think the temp was minus 20 or so...had to get on...just had to!

My then XYL knew for sure the marriage wouldn't last. It didn't. Only another 14 years. Hmmm...reminds me...have to get my vertical off her roof one of these days. Perhaps in January! Woo woo!

73

[W8EFA]

Back In February I got my license in the mail and had my station all set up and the only thing holding me back was installing a trap dipole between two pine trees on either side of the house. #

As luck would have it there was about 12 inches of snow on the roof. #Every day for about 7 days in a row I kept waiting for it to melt off. #It finally got down to about 2 or 3 inches and I couldn't stand it anymore. #Heck if people could climb Mount Everest surely I can ascend my roof!

I took off a half a day of work and up I went. #My house is a 2 story contemporary with about as steep a roof as you have ever seen. #The peak is at least 40 feet. #I started up sliding up on my butt a few feet at time holding on to the antenna, rope for both sides of the antenna, a 20 foot pole to try to fish it in the tree, tools etc. #The Roof had melted alright, #and I discovered it was combination of snow and Ice! #The higher I went the more scared I became. #I was hoping and praying that no neighbors would see me.

After about 2 hours sliding from one end of the roof to the other along the 70' long peak trying to throw the rope with weights on the end into the pine trees and "fishing" with the pole - #my hands, legs, butt, and feet were completely numb. #As I was coming down with absolutely no feeling in my body I was thinking what a dumba** I was and what a stupid way to die.

Later on that week at the monthly scheduled neighborhood Euchre party everybody of course had seen me and was asking what the heck I was doing! #I felt like a 12 year old telling them I was putting up a Ham radio antenna.

[w3sy]

I think Bob Euchre is a real funny baseball announcer.

[n5tjd]

Hmmm, the only antenna I have installed in the cold was a 2m/70cm antenna on a mobile. Of course we just drove the truck into the shop where it was equally cold as outside minus the wind, and welded up a mount to attach the antenna.

For hot weather, I spent a whole day outside in June setting up a parallel dipole. It was my first time dealing with an antenna like it and I made a lot of mistakes before I got it set up right and could trim it for the best match on all the bands. At the end of the day, I had a horrible sunburn on my face because I had spent all day staring up at it which was also in the direction of the sun.

[kf7qq]

I live in Oklahoma for now, and it doesnt matter what weather there is. If there is a need for an antenna installation at my qth, I turn into a mailman of sorts. Dont matter, rain nor shine, i have put up antennas in the worst. (except lightning storms of course)