WARC CH12 Tower Climb funding request

[John Lock]

To the Grounded Grid mailing list:

The Wichita Amateur Radio Club is seeking donations from area Hams to fund
the cost for a climb on the KWCH tower to install antennas and restore
operation of the 146.82 repeater. We have been granted permission to use an
existing feed line that goes to about the 350 foot level on the tower. We
plan to install the existing club DB224 antennas for 146 MHz and a DB420
for 440 MHz. This installation should provide a fairly omni directional
pattern for the repeater as well as allow linking on 440 MHz to the Kan-Okla
Inter-tie System. This will help extend repeater coverage for Sedgwick
county Storm spotting on the West side of the county.

What we need to fund is the purchase of Ice shields to protect the antennas
and the professional climbers. We have a quote from Randy's Tower Service
in Rolla KS of $3350 to provide the ice shields and install the antennas.
We have an anonymous Donor who has offered to match dollar for dollar any
fund donated from now through July. If 100 area hams would each give $15-20
dollars that would cover the cost of the climb.

Donations may be made at the WARC drop box in the Derby Ks Radio shack, by
PayPal on the club website, or by mailing donations to
Wichita Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
PO Box 771227
Wichita, KS 67277-1227

As of July 16 2012 donations totaling approximately $900 have come in which
with the matching funds gives us about $1800 which is over half way to the
goal but still short. The matching fund donor offer is made with the goal
of being able to sign the contract with the climber in August and conduct
the climb while we still have good weather.

The club board has determined if the funding goal is not reached and the
climb is canceled all donated funds designated for the climb will be
returned to the donors.

Another way to look at it is the climb costs about $10 a foot so every ten
dollar donation buys on foot of the climb and right now with the matching
gift every ten dollar donation actually gets 2 feet. We are at 180 feet
right now please consider helping the climb make it to the 350 ft mark.

Any funding received in excess of the amount needed for the climb will be
used to help pay the $200 annual lease payment to Ch12 for the site.


WARC 2012 Board.