Wow, the storm of April 2016 that wrecked my tower, converted 17 antennas into scrap metal. I kept what I could in a big pile, with plans to eventually rebuild as much as possible from the wreckage. I had a 13B2 on 2m FM, and a 13B3 on 2M SSB. I was able to salvage enough elements and boom tubing to build a 13B2 for 2M SSB :-) Let's get started...
I can't find the photo of the original pile, but it makes this pic look like new antennas :-) I picked and saved as much as I could, some of the parts were so smashed up that there was no way to use it for anything.
Here, I began to lay out what I had from this and another antenna that could possibly be straightened, repaired, and reused. It became obvious that there was probably only enough good or repairable parts to build a 13 element 2 meter yagi. At 112' with good feed line, that'll still do a good job for me. Being a tightwad, I try to build or restore as much as possible.
This is a section of boom stock that I think I can repair in my redneck tubing straightener. Read my previous blog on the 6m antenna rebuild for more info on that hi-tech device.
Boom stock after being reworked in my redneck tubing straightener.
Here's a pile of parts I have salvaged from the two antennas. Elements of various lengths, element mounting hardware, driven elements, etc.
Boom straightening and assembly almost finished here, just a little tweak here or there neeed for a perfectly straight boom, now...
Back in the shop, I sorted the elements, cut them to the required lengths where needed, and labeled them for re-installation on the boom. Enough for today...time to call it quits on the project and return later to finish it...
Dave WB4IUY
