The ARRL.org website reports W3LPL's extraordinary antenna farm has suffered major damage from an EF0 tornado, from storms that pounded the DC-Maryland corridor recently. The area is now without electricity although no injuries were reported from Frank or family. The tornado also hit Bernie, W3UR, who lives next to W3LPL. More information will be welcome as comments to this OP. :-( Chip W1YW
Pretty dramatic destruction. Frank lost most of the trees in front of his home yet the house and, more importantly, residents were spared.
EF0? I got hit with an EF0 last year. Most of my antennas survived. Not my roof. My TV antenna mast collapsed but it was cheap TV antenna mast. If the one I replaced it with takes damage, I'm going to lose a lot more of my roof!
I don't see any torque bars on the tower. Looks like the tower touqued with the big crossbeam at the top. Glad nobody was injured.
Wow! Hope it was the least used antennas. Glad to hear people and home were ok. See you on field day maybe. Jay AB9CG
Glad they're ok too. We got hit hard here in Maryland. Tornado's are odd, it will take out one structure but leave the one next to it untouched. Go figure.......
A similar thing happened to me here in Lakeland in central Florida a few years ago. It was a strong EF0 but still downed three of my oak trees, two 50 foot push up poles, all wire antennas and damaged roof significantly. When I got the new roof put on they also had to replace allot of plywood planking.
Frank, very sorry to learn of the damage. Am glad to know you, your family, and the house are ok. God Bless and take care, Grant, W5XB
Torque arms do almost nothing except make a climber feel more secure. As long as the guy assembly that wraps around the tower and provide a place to attach guy wires properly. Frank says that a few of the pirod fiberglass guy wires "rotted," which caused them to snap, which caused the tower to twist, which brought it down. It was a 200 (199 feet 6 inches to the top of the mast), 10 meter tower. He says he will rebuild with a HD version of AB-105.
Thankfully, Frank no one was hurt. You can avoid this by moving out here to Utah. SLC had an F2 in 1999, but that's the only one we've had in over 50 years!
