Last Thursday, Dave ZL1DL met with a group of engineers at the clubrooms. There is a need to install a fibre up to the equipment at the “windowless level”. Having previously been through the process, Dave was able to quickly point out the route needed. Part of that route is under the long bench in the workshop. A slight problem was that there was so much “valuable equipment” stored under the bench, it would be somewhat difficult to access the required area for the install. Hence the focus for today was “operation tidy”.
Naturally, a ham can not tidy “valuable equipment” indiscriminately – at least one item needs to be investigated. And so it was. A UPS battery extension box, with no batteries, was considered of interest, so opening and dismantling was in order. After removing the 70mm² cables and Anderson connectors, the rest was junked. The cables and connectors might never get used, but we can justify holding on to them as we have “saved space”! But that was just an interlude: a big thanks to the crew who have tidied up under the bench in the workshop. Funny as to how its now a bit harder to move in the generator room!
Uri Geller dropped in to bend a few forks. (Google the name if you’re too young). More accurately, it was actually Harry, bending a few rods. And by rods, I mean 8mm stainless shafts, that we have been using as guy stakes for the portable antenna pole. Of course a stainless rod projecting from the ground is not ideal; we had them previously covered them with cones – resulting in our famous 3 cone antenna design. To make said rods a bit more user friendly, not to mention safer, Harry tweaked one end of the rods into a convenient handle. The sort of manipulation we would think requires a 50 ton hydraulic press to achieve, Harry managed with his hands behind his back while carrying on a conversation about something completely different.
Maurice ZL1MPU put his apiarian skills to use when he discovered a wasp nest in one of the window mounted fans. The nest was quickly dispatched. The last two exterior lamp protective cages received a coat of black paint. With the lack of direct sunlight, the paint needs a while to cure, so they were set aside for another day to install.
With some serious conversations / coffee consumption being the other order of the day, no photos were taken of todays activities!