Local amateur radio operators came together on May 11th, 2024, to take down the IARC repeater antennas and shack from its current location in Gas, Kansas. Earlier this month, the club was notified by the family of Robin Boyer, N0PWB, who passed away in January and had donated the tower space, that the tower would no longer be available for the club’s use as they were going to have it removed from its location. Several club members joined in to help with the operations. Steve Green (KD0JLE), Gale Jeffers (KD0GHA), Lexy Riebel (KF0MJI), Jessica Reibel (KF0MJH), and Doug Thomas (KC5VKG) provided ground support while Chase Riebel (KF0GFE), and Coleton Langworthy (KF0LTA) did the tower work.
The takedown began around 9:00am with the clearing out of the radio shack equipment while Colton and Chase prepared for the climb. Coleton had the honors of climbing the entire height of the approximately 185-foot tower, removing the club antennas, while Chase stayed further below removing additional smaller antennas as well as disconnecting the hardline cable that connected the antennas from the tower. Both men are experienced climbers and wore necessary and appropriate safety gear and proceeded in a proper and safe manner, while the ground crew kept the area safe and clear during the process.
Images from the day can be found in the Gallery