To the BARRA constituency and amateur radio enthusiasts:

The club has a 100 ft freestanding tower at the Cole Road repeater site. Forty feet of tower collapsed during a winter storm in early 2017. The membership of the club has rallied since this occurrence to rebuild the tower to its former functionality. New antennas and feed lines were placed on the unaffected portion of the remaining tower, replacing the equipment damaged by the afore mentioned storm. New 2 meter and 220 collinear fiberglass stick antennas as well as numerous yagi antennas were replaced. Other critical items were added to the remaining tower as well. Hard line of 7/8 inch and 1/2 inch, their connectors, and several hundred feet of LMR-400 with connectors as well were all replaced on the structure. The tower as now being used, however, is at a fraction of its former radio coverage.

All of these renovations would not have been possible had it not been for the financial support of those donators who gave graciously to the cause. For that, the club and those who use the Cole Road repeaters and tower, thank you.

As benevolent as those donations to the tower are, this enterprise requires more financial assistance. The second part of the tower reconstruction project needs to commence. The former structure needs to be replaced with a new 100-foot tower. All of the afore mentioned equipment purchased for the partial structure is being transferred to the new one. Nothing will be discarded.

Thank you to those club members who made the building permit from the Town of Boston possible. This will allow the club to replace the old tower with a 100-foot similar structure.

As always, the budget is a consideration. Our proposed budget is as follows:

A replacement SSV 5N at the bottom and 1N at the top-used $ 4500.00

Tower base to be placed in concrete $ 747.00

Excavator for the foundation – rented $ 500.00

Concrete, nine yards, delivered, for the base $1425.00

Reinforcing rods and other installation hardware $ 200.00

Installation crane unknown

Labor unknown

This goal can be accomplished, however, only with the help of BARRA members. If all seventy members would possibly consider donating $100 each, we will come close to reaching the goal of the new tower. The club will reimburse members, who donate for this cause, should we not reach our stated goal.

Amateur radio is a hobby that is enjoyed by many hams here in western New York. Ham radio has given so many people enjoyment. Isn’t it time that we gave back to amateur radio?

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

Donations should be mailed directly to:

BARRA

Post Office Box 507

North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Or, send a donation via PayPal to buffalobarra@gmail.com  (PayPal click-to-pay button coming soon!)

 

Sincerely,

Doug Alderdice, President, BARRA (ka2wft)

Bob Becker, Vice President, BARRA (k2vgz)

Bill Havas, Treasurer, BARRA (wb2jqk)

Rich Poczkalski, Director, BARRA (wb2dss)