Beaver, Oklahoma

BEAVER went back in service on April 13, 2011.

Current power is 45 watts with a Motorola MaxTrac and a KPC3 TNC... all into the 6 dB omni antenna at 200 feet. BEAVER is communicating with HEMPHL, GUYMON and W0WBS-7 in Hugoton, KS. It should become even more useful as soon as the new antennas are installed at Stinnett and Borger.

Above and below are photos of the node installed 4-13-11.

Below is the story of the site's original installation as an APRS digi:

The Beaver, OK project began with a big home-cooked breakfast for part of the crew, cooked and served by Gail, wife of Raymond, W5RAW. We enjoyed a fantastic ham/egg casserole, sausage, and blueberry pancakes! Then it was up to the Oklahoma tower location where we joined the rest of the crew, about nine miles south and six miles west of Beaver.

Below: Preparing to roll out the hardline and adjusting the antenna-- Left to right are Bryan, KD5WGM; Bryan, KD5VIU; Mark, W5EBS; Daniel, KC5HQY; Raymond, W5RAW; Kerry, KC5HQW; and Bo, KE5COY. Behind Kerry is Adair, KD5DYP.

In the picture below, "Smokey" Adair, KD5DYP, begins his climb on the Rhon 25...

Next, Bo and Mark guided the antenna and hardline as it was being pulled to the top. That's the N5LTZ "antenna bucket" tied on below.

Below: The BVR antenna assembly was completely mounted when Adair went to the top to retrieve the hoist pulley and Bryan, KD5WGM, climbed the tower to begin installing ties for securing the hardline.

In the next photo, taken by Bryan, KD5VIU, Raymond is shown as he carried up additional hardline ties to KD5WGM.

It must really be great to still be young enough for this maneuver! KD5WGM secured the final section of Andrew Heliax:

BVR was tested at 42 watts output, operating from the rather 'husky' Astron power supply, shown below. The supply is also used by the EOC simplex repeater, to the right of BVR. Even though the building has refrigerated air, the small fan was added for extra cooling.

Early tests show that BVR is "talking with" the APRS digis in Spearman and Guymon. In fact, it is tracking stations in what had been expected to be the coverage area of SPN. The transceiver and TNC (shown below) were contributed by Daniel, KC5HQY.