This week after a few false starts and cancellations the team of
W1UUQ, W6AMS, and KD6VEX got to Diablo Peak on a space available
basis for one day. Contractor for this project was AllTech who
removed >20,000 lbs of batteries, racks and electronics equipment
using both the 206 and 212 helicopters from Aspen Helicopters. New
batteries were delivered to the site by helicopter from Prisoners
Harbor. The 212 helicopter lifts were from a 100 ft sling. Some loads
exceeded 1000 lbs. The winds picked up requiring some tricky
approaches. In one lift as the helicopter lifted off the load got
caught in the wind and slammed into the K6TZ rigging pulling the
concrete based tower out of the ground. There was some damage to the
antennas which can be fixed. A come-along was used to bring the tower
back into alignment. None of the new batteries are for K6TZ.