[SBE] Theft of copper radials

[strask at star94.com]

Talking with a local chief that caught a person trying to take their
copper, the individual stated that he was told by a scrap yard where to
find copper to include the ground radials.  

They are definitely looking for clean copper as they hit me and got
about 50-60 feet of 3 1/8 feed line (they were in 2-5 foot lengths) but
left three 500 foot spools of copper wire (jacketed) and left 6 elbows
and 10 couplers that were still in boxes.  When I called 7 scraps yards
in a 10 mile radius of the Xmtr site, 6 were helpful and the seventh was
very evasive, BINGO!  

They have been so brazen that they removed a complete gutter system from
a home that they thought was copper.  They did it with the GA power
construction crew watching who had called police, but did not arrive in
time.

We are going to experiment with some concrete and a golf hole digger,
the one they use to cut new holes on a green, under random radials and
fill the hole with cement.  We are hoping it may slow them down as they
would have to pop these out of the ground to get the radials.

Scott F. Trask

Director of Engineering | Lincoln Financial Media Co. of Ga. | WSTR-FM /
WQXI-AM

* strask at star94.com  | * (404) 238-9485

Do you have your HD Radio!


-----Original Message-----
From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of Cris
Alexander
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 9:40 AM
To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'
Subject: Re: [SBE] Theft of copper radials

We have had very little taken in the way of radials. They go for the
strap,
the bus bars and the copper screen. Using copperweld has not helped at
all... These people are too dumb to realize what it is. If it shines
like
copper, it's gone.

______________________________
Cris Alexander, CPBE, AMD, DRB
Crawford Broadcasting Company
Denver, Colorado
(303) 433-0104
(303) 433-0905 Fax
Member AFCCE
 

-----Original Message-----
From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of Mike
Langner
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 7:15 PM
To: sbe member discussion mail list
Subject: Re: [SBE] Theft of copper radials

Among the things I've done -- several of which I've listed in previous
posts
-- is use copper-clad aluminum.  It's virtually worthless as scrap --
and I
left a lot of short pieces on the ground so that thieves would learn
from
where they "fence" their booty that there is no value. It worked until I
retired.  After that, I have no idea. . .

Nowadays, annealed copper clad steel is available from Copperweld --
it's
been used by the US Government in buried applications for years. Unlike
the
hard-drawn Copperweld we've all fought to keep from tangling badly, the
annealed isn't springy and is easy to work with. Copperweld has
extensive
tests that indicate the longevity in the ground is excellent.

I have no connection with or interest in Copperweld --

Mike Langner
Albuquerque, NM
_________________________


-----Original Message-----
From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org]On Behalf Of k7cr
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 6:59 PM
To: sbe member discussion mail list
Subject: Re: [SBE] Theft of copper radials


I've been thinking about this issue...Here's a thought or two -

Install the normal ground system, except around the tower, where thieves
like to dig first, Place a 'dummy' ground system down, then about 6
inches
below that, put in the real McCoy.

or

Still wonder what's wrong with a few strategically placed Jacob's
Ladders
around the tower? Seems to me that something to scare away the bums,
inside
the tower fence of course, could
be helpful.   The problem is that there is nothing around a standard
AM tower that would give the appearance that someone might get hurt.
Certainly Danger-High-Voltage signs won't do it, but
something that actually looks threatening might.   Should check
this out with your lawyer first.

Clay Freinwald


----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Rapak" <DanRapak at verizon.net>
To: "sbe member discussion mail list" <sbe at sbe.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 3:47 PM
Subject: [SBE] Theft of copper radials



> I've been following this thread for awhile. I seem to recall many 

> years ago (the 70's perhaps?) that a station was having problems with 

> their ground radials being stolen repeatedly. They did a little 

> engineering work and ultimately received permission from the FCC to 

> replace the radials with barbed wire. Cheaper to replace the barbed 

> wire periodically when it deteriorated than to constantly replace the 

> stolen copper. There was reportedly very little impact on their signal



> coverage and the thievery abruptly ceased.

>

> I'm sure the effect on signal coverage would have a great deal to do 

> with the conductivity of the native soil, but for what its worth.....

>

> Dan Rapak

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> SBE at sbe.org

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>

>


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