FIELD DAY 2001
W4RNC
Antenna Test

When we received permission for the Capitol Field Day site, we were told we couldn't drive any stakes into the ground.  The sprinkler and power lines are just below the sod, and stakes might hit them.  Most operations that need tie-down on the Capitol lawn use weights, often large drums filled with water.
 

 
 

It seems to be working.  Here's the antenna at full height, supported by water-filled trash cans.  Just don't get too thirsty in the middle of the night.  This is Jeff AC4ZO, Bernard W4BRB and Dick KD4ISC in the front yard of KN4AQ and KD4ACW.  Wonder what the neighbors were thinking?

 So this is a large trash can full of water - about 250 pounds worth, sitting on a guy line, holding up a tri-band beam.  The line goes under the can so it doesn't pull the can over. 

We figured that the antennas don't pull people over when they hold the guy lines, so that should be enough weight.  If we messed up the math, physics or logic, we don't want to know about it. 

Turns out we could use stakes after all.  We only needed short stakes - less than a foot long - and that was OK with the grounds superintendent at the Capitol.  So we didn't end up using the water-filled trash can scheme.  But we could have.  And we showed we could erect a beam on the ladder "tower" anywhere we can get enough water to fill the cans.