wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 20, 12:19 pm, " wrote:
On Jul 20, 9:48 am, wrote:



Hi folks:

I've got a 110' 80 meter dipole that I've used for the past 4
years. I have the dipole strung about 30' in the air and connected
between two trees.

Because of where the trees are and the location of my house, I've
needed to use a pulley that's attached to my chimney to keep the
dipole closer to my house. The pulley is located near the center of
the antenna, and it creates about a 25 degree angle from the chimney
to the other tree.

Each year I have to repair the antenna wire right around where the
pulley is. I'm guessing because I use a cheap antenna wire
(purchased at Radio Shack ... about 14 gauge I believe), that's why my
antenna keeps breaking. I don't see how the pulley's creating that
much wear on the antenna, although I'm sure it's possible.

Would you guess that I'd have better luck if I was to purchase a
stronger antenna wire, such as a copper-clad steel wire I can get at
Universal Radio?
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/wire.html

Thanks for your suggestions.

Clark
KB9SJD

Hi.
Closely examine the break. You can tell if it was caused by wear,
flexing, or from chemical reaction with what is coming from the
chimney you mentioned. What are you heating with? Gas and oil heat
both create a small amount of sulfur containing acids going out the
chimney.

Also, are you using a pulley with a plastic wheel? A metal wheel, I
forget the real name for it, will wear the wire.

Good luck,
Paul KD7HB

Thanks Paul. The chimney is no longer being used, so there's nothing
happening there. I am using a metal pulley, but I'll look around for
some sort of plastic one. Thanks for your suggestion.

They make plastic clothes line pulleys. About 2 or 3 inch diameter, which
should minimize kinking of the wire.

Tam/WB2TT

"John Doe" wrote in message
. ..

"Chuck" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Hi folks:

I've got a 110' 80 meter dipole that I've used for the past 4
years. I have the dipole strung about 30' in the air and connected
between two trees.

Because of where the trees are and the location of my house, I've
needed to use a pulley that's attached to my chimney to keep the
dipole closer to my house. The pulley is located near the center of
the antenna, and it creates about a 25 degree angle from the chimney
to the other tree.

Each year I have to repair the antenna wire right around where the
pulley is. I'm guessing because I use a cheap antenna wire
(purchased at Radio Shack ... about 14 gauge I believe), that's why my
antenna keeps breaking. I don't see how the pulley's creating that
much wear on the antenna, although I'm sure it's possible.

Would you guess that I'd have better luck if I was to purchase a
stronger antenna wire, such as a copper-clad steel wire I can get at
Universal Radio?
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/wire.html

Thanks for your suggestions.

Clark
KB9SJD


Hello Clark,

Another possibility is to replace the pulley with an insulator and attach
the insulator to your chimney with a length of shock cord. The pulley can
allow movement of the antenna toward one tree or the other, but does
nothing to relieve the effects of the trees moving in opposite directions
in windy conditions. You need something other than the antenna wire to
reduce the tension caused by those movements.

The shock cord stretches nicely as the wind blows and it is cheaper and
easier to replace than the antenna wire. Some use springs or weights
instead.

Chuck
NT3G

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For a weight you might want to consider either a Duckpin bowling ball
about 4 LBS or a Tenpin bowling ball about 16 lbs... Hey don't laugh - you
can usually find an old beat up bowling balls at most bowling alleys and
for a couple of bucks or less they would probably give it to you rather
than sending it to the landfill... Most bowling balls are made of either
hard rubber or plastic and will not disinigrate for thousands of years in
the dump or elements... If you do decide to use a bowling ball, all you
have to do is drill a hole and screw in an eye-bolt, that you get at the
local hardware store - for both size balls, I would recommend one that is
about 3-4" long... 73's de Howard W3CQH


I am using half a cinder block for a similar application. Comes with its own
hole.

Tam/WB2TT

Tam/WB2TT wrote:

I am using half a cinder block for a similar application. Comes with its own
hole.

Cinder blocks weigh very little. Do you mean concrete block?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

"Roy Lewallen" wrote in message
...
Tam/WB2TT wrote:

I am using half a cinder block for a similar application. Comes with its
own hole.

Cinder blocks weigh very little. Do you mean concrete block?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL
I am really not into that kind of stuff. Whatever it is, it weighs around
10 # .

Tam/WB2TT

Tam/WB2TT wrote:
"Roy Lewallen" wrote in message
...
Tam/WB2TT wrote:
I am using half a cinder block for a similar application. Comes with its
own hole.
Cinder blocks weigh very little. Do you mean concrete block?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL
I am really not into that kind of stuff. Whatever it is, it weighs around
10 # .

That's concrete. Concrete blocks look like, and are as heavy as, well,
concrete. Cinder blocks are black (or maybe other dark colors), very
lightweight, and full of little holes -- like, um, cinder.

Not really relevant, but recently in Germany I saw "foamed" concrete
blocks, which had small air bubbles in them like foamed dielectric coax
insulation. They're considerably lighter weight than solid ones.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:46:17 -0700, Bryan wrote:

My counterweight is a 5 gallon plastic bucket filled, as necessary, with
rocks. A piece of scrap ¼" plywood (cut to fit) keeps the bottom of the
pail from blowing through. A cover placed on top of the bucket keeps water
& debris from adding more weight.

What keeps the UV from eating the plastic bucket -- which, I assume, is
a "contractor's bucket"? They only last about a year out-of-doors
around here.

Jonesy W3DHJ

Allodoxaphobia wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:46:17 -0700, Bryan wrote:

My counterweight is a 5 gallon plastic bucket filled, as necessary, with
rocks. A piece of scrap ¼" plywood (cut to fit) keeps the bottom of the
pail from blowing through. A cover placed on top of the bucket keeps
water
& debris from adding more weight.

What keeps the UV from eating the plastic bucket -- which, I assume, is
a "contractor's bucket"? They only last about a year out-of-doors
around here.

Jonesy W3DHJ

Good point, Jonesy. The tree is a cedar, with foliage close to ground
level, and mostly shields the bucket from the sun's rays. If/when it *does*
give up, I won't lose the end of the rope -- it's tied to one of the lower
limbs of the tree.
Bryan WA7PRC

Some primer paint and then two coats of OD green paint.


What keeps the UV from eating the plastic bucket -- which, I assume, is
a "contractor's bucket"? They only last about a year out-of-doors
around here.