Repair of the DDXA (W5RU) Repeater Antenna November, 2006

Destroyed by hurricane Katrina, the DDXA repeater, W5RU, has been on the air using a temporary unity-gain antenna for the past year. Today, 18-Nov-2006, a work crew of volunteers completed the 3rd weekend of work in re-installing a tower and 9-db gain antenna. Here are a few pictures to show the results of these efforts. Thanks to Bob/KE5CZV, Dallas/K1DW, and Don/W5FKX, for the pictures.

The old 50 ft. tower in September, 2005, a few weeks after the storm. The antenna had fallen over the edge and was apparently discarded by cleanup workers.		In October, 2005, the collapsed section was removed. It was necessary to cut it into 8-ft pieces in order to fit inside of the only working elevator. Don/AA5AU, saws away as Jim/K5NV and Greg/W5RY, help out.
	Sorry, I have no pictures of the 11-Nov-06 weekend work; however, thanks to Edward/N5KGV, here is a video clip of the windy condx that prevailed on the job!   Click here for video.
At the time (October 2005) a small Ringo-Ranger vertical was installed on the remaining base section of the old tower as a temporary antenna.(Note the other rogue antenna on the tower!)		The new 30-ft tower, installed on 11-Nov-06 weekend after being carried in sections up the 11 flights of stairs, was shortened to avoid the need for guying, at the request of the building manager.
Ready for installation, the two 21-ft sections of the new DB-228 antenna were partially assembled the previous weekend.		Part of the crew gets the sections ready for raising onto the tower.
Top, a bit of tape & goop to keep the moisture out ...
... and on the tower, Russ/AD5W and Ron/WA5ZFP, raise the top section into place.==>
After securing the top section,
... up goes the bottom section. ==>
(Above) Because it was the failure point of the old tower, additional bracing is attached to the new one at the top of the wall.
Right, the notice of ownership and admonition not to mount other antennas on the tower w/o DDXA permission. ==>
Above, Bob/KE5CZV routes the hardline cable into the equipment room.
The repeater, awaiting the connection of the the antenna.==>
The antenna connector at the Tx & Rx cavities (Resonant cavities are used to filter unwanted signals from the receiver - the Tx cavities block extraneous Tx RF on the Rx frequency, while the Rx cavities pass received signals and block the Tx signal).		... and the final check shows that all is well !!

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