Although this truck rack looks like its for hauling some kids 4-H lamb or calf, its really not for such a project! Chad's friend, who is an engineer at a well known place I cannot name, ( 'cause the hubby said so) built it to haul the antenna that came with our new home away. To his house. So he can set it. And run wild on the Hamm Radio airwaves!! ( :
Chads has been friends with John since he was 15 years old. And after trying to sell and or trade the thing away locally, Chad dropped John a line and asked if he would be interested in it. Chad said, "You come and help dismantle it and haul it away...its yours no charge!" John said, "perfect!!" He had actually gotten out of the Hamm Radio thing for a few years and moved into a place with FAA regulations on building heights... So this small antenna was just the right size to do the job and follow the rules!
And he was just getting ready to get his radio license going again so the timing was perfect! John showed up on a Saturday afternoon and went right to taking down the tower. Chad's pup got into the "helping" mode while they worked on getting the 8 ft. grounding rod out of the ground.
We also had to use a wrench and the tractor to set the thing on the ground. But all in all it went pretty smoothly and just after dark the tower was sitting on its rack on the back of John's truck!
Just before John headed out on Sunday morning the guys went out and tied down the tower. Didn't want it coming off as he went over Snoqualmie or anything crazy like that!! Of course it was pouring down rain...but we blame John for bringing it over with him from the coast!! ( :
Chad, being lots of great help, got out the tape we used to mark our property lines and tied it to the back of the tower. Wouldn't want anyone hitting the thing OR John getting a ticket for not having it flagged. John is a boat guy...now I know that he earned a real title, and am not so sure he isn't a captain with some sort of tonnage rating...if he were my semi-childhood friend, I'd know. But he is Chads and I don't. Except that this guy is into a lot of different activities and is pretty nice to hang out with.
The girls were less than impressed with John's knot tieing abilities. I however stood out in the rain and watched him tie a few different ones. He explained what they were and what they were commonly used for. Pretty interesting.... A handy skill that's for sure! Next time John's around, maybe I will learn one or two different knot! ( :
After all the excitement, Seven had to get into bed and take a nap. Too bad its not her own bed she seems to want to be in!
As a side note, John was one of the Hamm Radio Operators who stayed home after the big earthquake in San Fransisco in the 90's and relayed messages to and from the family members of those stranded in SF and surrounding areas and those elsewhere. He stayed home for 2 days and did his civic duty so to speak.
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