[My computer was out of commission for a while, but, with our son’s help via email, it was possible to get it running again and back to doing our blog — Thanks, Allan!!]

With Transmitter 1 (TX1) all taken apart, today we began the final dismantling of TX2 by getting its top frame ready to come off.  Unfortunately, we can not take the frame off until the containers arrive because there is no more floor space left to put more large parts. We were able to find room to remove the tubes.

We raised TX1, weighing around 3 ton, about 4″ and put it on ‘skates’ [special rollers] then moved it to the center of the transmitter hall in preparation for moving it out of the building.

Now we removed the two feedline ducts that carried the signal from the transmitter to the outside wall of the building where it attached to the open wire feedline.  This proved a challenge because they are about 25 feet long and 15 feet above the floor, but we got it done!

The feedline duct that was removed is just in front of Larry, goes through one wall then to the outside wall about 12 feet beyond the first wall.  Overall length was about 25 feet.  For the other feedline duct we did not have the ‘luxury’ of working off the top of the transmitter, like this one, but had to work off of ladders to pull it through, then lower it to the floor.

George and his coworker, Jason who arrived today, began packing spare parts while Virginia made sure the outside of each box was numbered and labeled with what parts were inside.  She then made sure this information was transferred onto a summary sheet  This kept them quite busy all day.

Virginia making a list while Jason packs spares. Jason is from Colorado and when he found out we we also originally from Colorado, he asked “Do you ever get used to this humidity??!” Virginia simply replied, “No!!”

Although the first of two 40-foot containers was supposed to be delivered today, by mid-afternoon there was still no sign of it arriving.  It would be nice to have both containers at once, but there does not look like there is enough room to sit two on the ground at the same time and have both opening onto the concrete pad.  With the heavy equipment being moved into the container, there needs to be a firm surface for either rollers and/or a forklift considering the frequent showers that we are having.

Mike eventually called the shipping company and was told the container would arrive at 7:30am tomorrow.  Later they phoned back to say it would arrive no later than 10:30am tomorrow!