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November 15th, 2007
Mount Do - Beginning of VHF/2m repeater dismantling works

Today Thursday, November 15th, began the work of dismantling the cottage housing the relay VHF/2m FK8ZHA-R belonging to ARANC Amateur Radio Society in New Caledonia. The 4 wheels-drive vehicle, a Mitsubishi Sportero not to appoint him, belonging to our friend Claude FK8IF was requisitioned for the occasion. It was of a great value and will certainly help us for a while in a very next future, since we do many transfers quite a few time ago, we will go on to carry out, from the original decision and for the effective implementation of this expedition.



On Mount Do site:

• FK8GX Michel from Bourail
• FK8IF Claude from Mont Dore
• FK8DD Sam from Noumea
• MARTIN Gerard, good friend of Michel FK8GX
• BERNUT Philippe, who is interested by ARANC hamradio activities.

09h40
Arriving on the site of Mount Do located at 1010m above sea level, average wind, cloudless sky, the day will be beautiful, but none of us has a sun protection, no matter as first of all, we appreciate this quiet moment, like to be alone in the world.


Firstly, equipment VHF radio is turned off, after having carefully identified all connectors, we disconnected VHF Transceivers one by one, and then coax cables from antennas and and those passing through the filters. All this equipment is stored in the 4 wheels-drive vehicle.


10:00
The first plates are released without major problems, in fact we lost more time to pave a path around the chalet, as the bush was so dense that traps would be hidden.


11:00
The first part of the roof is removed, revealing the extent of damage caused by rust and oxidation.

This leaves us puzzled, that could have been avoided by treating metal parts with a good anti-rust paint, bolts are also ridden by rust, except fittings and metal parts that were galvanized.

12:00
Its was lunch time (no alcohol today!). The shelf meals were prepared by Lionel, Claude FK8IF son's. We are in a hungry, the capacity of each lunch shelf was incredible.

Today-menu:
Pork sausages, various salad dressing cabbage, sliced lamb and cold turkey filets, accompanied of semolina wheat.

Dessert is composed of Roquefort cheese and in addition, a pastry house.

13.00
resuming work, it becomes more complicated when in the first quarter of an hour, the unscrewing socket no longer works, was deteriorating and no snag on the screws. We did have a ratchet but we shall lose too much time, especially since the second pan roof was more difficult to access. We decided to stop job today. Tomorrow at the opening of hardware houses we will buy screwing tools missing.

13.30
Site clean-up, everything was secured to prevent the gale very frequent in this place.
End of work. We leave Mount Do, down to Noumea, quietly, each of us to his own family.
Tomorrow the day's work ahead will be tougher and perhaps longer than today.

Again special thanks to all guys and especially to Gerard and Philippe.

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