In the morning hours on July 21st a thunderstorm went through the area south of Rice Lake causing damage to the tower that the antenna for the 443.8250 repeater was installed on. High winds caused the tower to almost fold in half and the building at the base of the tower that contained the repeater had the roof partially blown off.
It was initially reported to the Barron County Repeater Association that an antenna was damaged by the storm and hanging from the tower. Baribeau Implement was contacted and they provided the news that the tower had been severely damaged in the storm. Our radio equipment was removed from the damaged building and the owners of the other equipment at the site were contacted about the status of the tower and their equipment shut off.
Baribeau Implement has graciously donated the use of its tower for amateur radio in Barron County for more than 15 years and it is unknown at this time if the repeater will be going back on the air at that site due to the damage.
The 70 foot Baribeau Implement tower damaged by high winds.
