Everyone, I am very pleased to announce that Jim Idelson, K1IR, will present to us his tower safety talk. I foolishly made other plans and missed Boxborough (HamXposition) this year so I did not catch his session during the YCCC forum.
From Jim:
Tower Safety – An Issue of Great Urgency for Amateur Radio
Recent tragic events including the loss of our local friend, Joe K1JGA, and the serious injuries sustained by K1EEE drove Jim K1IR to do a full investigation of amateur radio tower fatalities in the US over the past 20 years. The results of the research are revealing and disturbing. But, they are also compelling. Come learn about the seriousness of this issue and the three simple things every ham must do to get it under control.
73 Jim K1IR
As someone with a tower in disrepair – so much so that it should probably be dismantled – I plan to perk up my ears at Jim’s talk. I remember some of my Mechanical Engineering statics classes and know that a steel tubing structure 50+ feet above the surface has a complex “free body diagram”! Wind, rain, sun, rotator torque and everything else immediately age even the best tower setups. When you throw used tower sections in the mix it adds up to a job best left to the experienced. I hope Jim teaches us all a lot about tower safety.
And a reminder: you do not need to be a BARS member to attend our meetings. Feel free to invite others to this. I’d love to see a big turnout.
Note: Club Elections will be held this night also. See you there!
Andy
KA1GTT
President, Billerica Amateur Radio Society
Time:
Meetings begin promptly at 7:00 PM, first Wednesday of the month.
Location:
Our meeting location in Chelmsford is at:
Chelmsford Bible Church
128 Gorham St. (Route 3A)
Chelmsford, MA 01824
Please park in back and enter by the rear door. A map can be accessed by the “Club Meetings” notice on the right side of the website.
The Billerica ARS encourages members to get on the air! (GOTA). There are many exciting operating events over the coming cold months to enjoy. Let us know what you’re interested in.
Bring a friend (or aspiring ham) and join us!
Note: The weekly BARS Wednesday night net will not meet on this evening because of the club meeting. Members are encouraged to get on Billerica (147.12) on their way to/from the meeting instead.
