Yes Joel is getting hammered right now. This has been going on at K5UZ for about 24 hrs now. I have upwards of an inch of ice on everything in the air right now. The 20M6 is hanging in there but the elements are really deflecting under the ice load. I can state likewise for the 40m yagi. My long 2m yagis are looking worse for the wear also. If the Al in the elements doesn’t stress in to permanent set I may be alright! I’m sure my beverages which run through the woods are going to be a total wreck with all the trees that I can hear snapping.

Luckily we have not lost power here and with any luck this stuff should change over to all sleet and snow in a couple of hours! We have thousands here in Arkansas with out power. I think Boone Co. and a couple of others in N. Arkansas are completely dark from what I am hearing from our SM and SEC. Let’s hope this ends soon!

I’ll take some photos tomorrow when it gets light!

73

David K5UZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ [mailto:dsumner@arrl.org]
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:55 PM
To: arrl-odv
Subject: [arrl-odv:17535] Ice storm hits Arkansas

Joel Harrison reports that after experiencing freezing rain since 3 PM yesterday that is giving his antennas a beating, they finally lost power in Judsonia. He expects to be off line for quite a while.

Joel doesn't know how much aluminum he'll still have up in the air when the sun comes up tomorrow but he doesn't expect it to be much.

Dave K1ZZ

P.S. Here in Connecticut we're expecting up to 7 inches of snow tomorrow morning, changing to freezing rain and then to rain during the afternoon. The office will be open as usual but it may take the staff a bit longer than usual to get in.