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Ice covered Sirio SY27-3 antenna.

SMILEX2692002

SMILEX2692002

Well-Known Member
Oct 26, 2011
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Big ice storm in Michigan over night. Go outside and look at the tower and the elements are slightly bowed down on the Horizontal Sirio 3 ele beam.
Really like the performance of this antenna on the flat side. Hope the ice don't break any of the elements.
The Swr is also like 3 to 1 due to all the ice built up on the antenna.
 

SMILEX2692002 said:
No amps here. Just a 100 watt HF/VHF radio.
Click to expand...


Pair of 6146B's to the rescue! (y)

Even tube gear has it's limits. It may be able to load into the God-awful impedance but it may not be able to deliver rated power without exceeding it's ratings. I used to have an FM transmitter with a 4CX5000 in the final running 5 Kw. When the ice would roll in up the mountain I would have to go up to the site and retune the output stage. Many times I could get no more than 1500-1700 watts out of it until the ice melted. Thankfully that site later got a wideband antenna stack with radomes so ice was no longer an issue. Good thing too as the transmitter was swapped out for a 20 Kw solidstate.
 
Its supposed to be cold all week so I don't see the ice melting any time soon.
If my antenna breaks then this spring I will be replacing with a Maco 3 ele.
I have heard from some that the elements on a Maco beam antenna are made with a stronger material and will hold up to ice build up better.

I did notice when I was assembling the Sirio antenna the elements were very lightweight and could be bent or broken very easily by hand.
 
you need to modulate during the storm, to keep the antenna warm.
you must be a ways up, here in detroit it warmed up to the low 40's this weekend.
 
Good news the Sirio 3 ele survived the ice storm here. Don't see any damage to the elements which is a surprise since they were being weighed down for around a week with ice.
 

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