keeping wire antennas up
 

A problem seeking a solution.





I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?



73,

John

AE7P

keeping wire antennas up
 

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:36:01 -0800, "Juan M."
wrote:

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Hi John,

From Rain City (Seattle). I did this in a Maple forest. I did mine
with pulleys top and bottom with a continuous loop like a flag pole. I
then passed up another pulley on that loop for the runner holding the
wire antenna. Then I made sure it would break at the wire connection,
not the rope. The continuous loop always gave me access to the pulley
that the antenna rope passed through. I used a two liter bottle of
water to ballast and tension the wire pulley system.

Think FUSE. Choose your point of failure, don't let it happen.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:36:01 -0800, "Juan M."
wrote:

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it.
I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Hi John,

From Rain City (Seattle). I did this in a Maple forest. I did mine
with pulleys top and bottom with a continuous loop like a flag pole. I
then passed up another pulley on that loop for the runner holding the
wire antenna. Then I made sure it would break at the wire connection,
not the rope. The continuous loop always gave me access to the pulley
that the antenna rope passed through.

Just be sure the two ropes coming off the pulley don't gett tangled up with
each other. Mine did

I used a two liter bottle of
water to ballast and tension the wire pulley system.


This also works. As the tree sways back and forth, you don't want the wire
to keep moving. I brought the fixed end of the rope some distance from the
tree, and fastened it to half of a cinder block laying on the ground. The
cinder block will move to give you slack, but not move back when the branch
moves in the other direction.

Tam/WB2TT
Think FUSE. Choose your point of failure, don't let it happen.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

keeping wire antennas up
 

Tam wrote:

"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:36:01 -0800, "Juan M."
wrote:

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often,
during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with
it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring
another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Hi John,

From Rain City (Seattle). I did this in a Maple forest. I did mine
with pulleys top and bottom with a continuous loop like a flag pole. I
then passed up another pulley on that loop for the runner holding the
wire antenna. Then I made sure it would break at the wire connection,
not the rope. The continuous loop always gave me access to the pulley
that the antenna rope passed through.

Just be sure the two ropes coming off the pulley don't gett tangled up
with each other. Mine did

I used a two liter bottle of
water to ballast and tension the wire pulley system.


This also works. As the tree sways back and forth, you don't want the
wire to keep moving. I brought the fixed end of the rope some distance
from the tree, and fastened it to half of a cinder block laying on the
ground. The cinder block will move to give you slack, but not move back
when the branch moves in the other direction.

I've often used window sash weights. There isn't much call for 'em
these days and they can often be found at yard sales and flea markets
for next to nothing. If you can't find them, try using a quart milk
carton filled with concrete mix. After you've filled the container with
the concrete, place a large fender washer on the end of a three or four
inch long eye bolt, add a nut and stick it in the concrete. A pencil
through the eye will hold it in position until the concrete cures.

Afterward, it is simple to peel away the waxed paper carton. The
concrete can be painted some neutral color.

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:
A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

w3rv

keeping wire antennas up
 

On Jan 19, 12:10 am, Brian Kelly wrote:
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:



A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

FUBAR'd link. Sorry.

Try | http://www.harkenstore.com
catalog
small boat blocks
classic blocks
bullet blocks
See #082,098,166,183

w3rv

keeping wire antennas up
 

Tam wrote:

...
This also works. As the tree sways back and forth, you don't want the
wire to keep moving. I brought the fixed end of the rope some distance
from the tree, and fastened it to half of a cinder block laying on the
ground. The cinder block will move to give you slack, but not move back
when the branch moves in the other direction.

Tam/WB2TT
Think FUSE. Choose your point of failure, don't let it happen.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC


A couple of decades ago, I experimented with the "cylinder" (don't know
the correct term for it) from a screen door. This is the device which
allows the door to be opened quickly and then to close slowly. There is
an adjustment on it which allows this action to be speeded/slowed. I
remember that I ended up with 3 or four in series. The final "fail
safe" was a weight which would move to prevent damage to the antenna.

It worked until I went on to other antennas ... I am surprised no
antenna manufacturer has designed a device more suitable but along the
same lines.

Regards,
JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

I haven't had any problems using a weight, through a pulley, to hold a
wire antenna up. If that weight really gets to bouncing on the end of
that line, I figure it isn't quite heavy enough, or the tree is moving
so much the antenna isn't gonna stay up anyway (just hope the tree
does).
- 'Doc

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:
A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees
of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles
and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at
anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation
is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber
to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can
be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it.
I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

w3rv

Juan you see, they luring you to buy expensive stuff, don't buy! be
smart! Art is right! same gang ..

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
On Jan 19, 12:10 am, Brian Kelly wrote:
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:



A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir
trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles
and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at
anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation
is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree
climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can
be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with
it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above
the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring
another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

FUBAR'd link. Sorry.

Try | http://www.harkenstore.com
catalog
small boat blocks
classic blocks
bullet blocks
See #082,098,166,183

w3rv


ye, ye u cant sell this stuff?

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
On Jan 19, 12:10 am, Brian Kelly wrote:
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:



A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir
trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles
and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at
anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation
is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree
climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can
be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with
it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above
the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring
another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

FUBAR'd link. Sorry.

Try | http://www.harkenstore.com
catalog
small boat blocks
classic blocks
bullet blocks
See #082,098,166,183

w3rv

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-removable-pull...photohost ing

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Bob" wrote in message
-Free...

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:
A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir
trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles
and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at
anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation
is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber
to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can
be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with
it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring
another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

w3rv

Juan you see, they luring you to buy expensive stuff, don't buy! be
smart! Art is right! same gang ..

great pulley! for all your antennas...

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-VINTAGE-PUL...QQcmdZViewItem

keeping wire antennas up
 

Bob wrote:

...
great pulley! for all your antennas...

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUGE-VINTAGE-PUL...QQcmdZViewItem




[busting a gut here!]

Yep, a very sturdy skyhook!

LOL,
JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:

inch long eye bolt, add a nut and stick it in the concrete. A pencil
through the eye will hold it in position until the concrete cures.

Arrrrgh! That'a a little extreme, donchya think Dave?


hehe.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

keeping wire antennas up
 

Michael Coslo wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

inch long eye bolt, add a nut and stick it in the concrete. A pencil
through the eye will hold it in position until the concrete cures.

Arrrrgh! That'a a little extreme, donchya think Dave?


hehe.

I don't care to imagine concrete blocks dangling in space or screen door
closers affixed to trees, Mike.

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:

...
I don't care to imagine concrete blocks dangling in space or screen door
closers affixed to trees, Mike.

Dave K8MN

Neither do I.

I'd imagine a pulley in the tree which a rope attached to the antenna to
be tensioned was attached. This rope would then run to a weight on the
ground to where the HD door closers were attached.

I mean, I'd imagine that as opposed to beginning to pour concrete to
which an eyebolt with a insufficient deadman held into the concrete!

JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

John Smith wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

...
I don't care to imagine concrete blocks dangling in space or screen
door closers affixed to trees, Mike.

Dave K8MN

Neither do I.

I'd imagine a pulley in the tree which a rope attached to the antenna to
be tensioned was attached. This rope would then run to a weight on the
ground to where the HD door closers were attached.

I mean, I'd imagine that as opposed to beginning to pour concrete to
which an eyebolt with a insufficient deadman held into the concrete!

Try to keep your anonymous sniping to yourself, CB "John". There's *no*
dead man in the concrete. It is simply a bolt, a large fender washer
and a nut. It is supporting only a wire antenna. It isn't guying a
tower. A 3/8", three or four inch long bolt in concrete is more than
sufficient for the job. Read my earlier post where I suggest a window
sash weight. These are cast iron with a loop at the top end. Both have
been used without failure for decades. No Rube Goldberg devices were
necessary.

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:
... It is simply a bolt, a large fender washer
and a nut. It is supporting only a wire antenna. It isn't guying a
tower. A 3/8", three or four inch long bolt in concrete is more than
sufficient for the job. Read my earlier post where I suggest a window
sash weight. These are cast iron with a loop at the top end. Both have
been used without failure for decades. No Rube Goldberg devices were
necessary.

Dave K8MN

The fender washer, now mentioned, would go a long way towards creating a
better deadman ...

JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:

...
Dave K8MN

OK. Sorry. I see the fender mentioned washer mentioned in one of your
previous posts. That is bound to happen, I only scan 1 out of 4-10 of
your posts--and have my news reader set to mark your new posts as
already having been read, easy to miss 'em. LOL

JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

John Smith wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
... It is simply a bolt, a large fender washer and a nut. It is
supporting only a wire antenna. It isn't guying a tower. A 3/8",
three or four inch long bolt in concrete is more than sufficient for
the job. Read my earlier post where I suggest a window sash weight.
These are cast iron with a loop at the top end. Both have been used
without failure for decades. No Rube Goldberg devices were necessary.

Dave K8MN

The fender washer, now mentioned, would go a long way towards creating a
better deadman ...

Check it out, "John". The fender washer was in my original post. If
you'd bothered to read it, you wouldn't be in an "Oops, never mind"
situation.

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

John Smith wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

...
Dave K8MN

OK. Sorry. I see the fender mentioned washer mentioned in one of your
previous posts. That is bound to happen, I only scan 1 out of 4-10 of
your posts--and have my news reader set to mark your new posts as
already having been read, easy to miss 'em. LOL

So you issued your statement based upon a post you didn't read?

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:

...
So you issued your statement based upon a post you didn't read?

Dave K8MN

Wow, what a rash statement!

There are millions, perhaps billions of books in the world. I have not
seen a man yet speak who has read them all--it is just impossible--as
are your posts ... :-D

JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

John Smith wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

...
So you issued your statement based upon a post you didn't read?

Dave K8MN

Wow, what a rash statement!

There are millions, perhaps billions of books in the world. I have not
seen a man yet speak who has read them all--it is just impossible--as
are your posts ... :-D

Yet you found time to snipe at something you hadn't read. You must be
feeling pretty foolish, "John".

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote:

...
Yet you found time to snipe at something you hadn't read. You must be
feeling pretty foolish, "John".

Dave K8MN

Hey, God made me that way--some are fortunate to be able to blame the
apes! ROFLOL

Regards,
JS

keeping wire antennas up
 

Dave Heil wrote in
:

Michael Coslo wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

inch long eye bolt, add a nut and stick it in the concrete. A
pencil through the eye will hold it in position until the concrete
cures.

Arrrrgh! That'a a little extreme, donchya think Dave?


hehe.

I don't care to imagine concrete blocks dangling in space or screen
door closers affixed to trees, Mike.


Just a joke Dave. Read the "A pencil through the eye will hold it
in position until the concrete cures" out of it's proper context.

Hey, I didn't say it was all that good of a joke.... ;^)


- 73 de Mike N3LI -

keeping wire antennas up
 

Mike Coslo wrote:
Dave Heil wrote in
:

Michael Coslo wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:

inch long eye bolt, add a nut and stick it in the concrete. A
pencil through the eye will hold it in position until the concrete
cures.
Arrrrgh! That'a a little extreme, donchya think Dave?


hehe.
I don't care to imagine concrete blocks dangling in space or screen
door closers affixed to trees, Mike.


Just a joke Dave. Read the "A pencil through the eye will hold it
in position until the concrete cures" out of it's proper context.

Hey, I didn't say it was all that good of a joke.... ;^)

I didn't notice it at first reading, Mike. It isn't all that bad a joke.

I'm just glad you didn't latch on to "fender washer".

Dave K8MN

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Bob" wrote in message
-Free...

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
On Jan 18, 3:36 pm, "Juan M." wrote:
A problem seeking a solution.

I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir
trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles
and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at
anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation
is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber
to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can
be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during
those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with
it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring
another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?

Install continuous loops through all your pulleys rather than
"halyards". Hauling one side of the loop hoists the insulator and
hauling the other side of the loop brings it back down to where you
can work on it. Regardless of the condition or fates of wires
suspended between pulleys.

An aside you might check out: Really nice pulleys:

http://www.harkenstore.com/uniface.urd/SCCYSPW1

w3rv

Juan you see, they luring you to buy expensive stuff, don't buy! be
smart! Art is right! same gang ..
I have used the pulleys in previous installs, but the eyebolts go into the
trees nicely and they don't jam or freeze up.

Thanks for the ideas.

keeping wire antennas up
 

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:36:01 -0800, "Juan M."
wrote:

A problem seeking a solution.


John,

Come on down South!

Greenville, SC is a lovely place!

Fred
W4FCM


I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?



73,

John

AE7P

keeping wire antennas up
 

On Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:36:01 -0800, "Juan M."
wrote:

A problem seeking a solution.


I live in a wooded area of the Pacific Northwest with dozens of fir trees of
100 ft or more in height that make wonderful supports for high dipoles and
other wire antennas. These particular trees have very few limbs at anything
below the 60 ft level so using a crossbow or slingshot for installation is
not practical. I have been forced to employ a professional tree climber to
install the eyebolts and halyards. Using this system, the antennas can be
raised and lowered for maintenance or modification.

This system works fine until our winter storms kick in. Often, during those
storms, a tree will lose a limb or two and take the antenna down with it. I
am then left with a halyard tied to an insulator 50 ft or more above the
ground with no way to get the insulator back down short of hiring another
costly climber.

Does anyone have any solutions to this problem?



73,

John

AE7P

I can't speak for your specific situation, but here is how I handled
the similar situation.

I used either a multi-band-parallel dipole (sometimes referred to as a
fan dipole) or a 135 foot dipole fed with 300 ohm twin-lead. These
antennas were raised about 100 feet or so into trees by mason's line
which can be purchased at Walmart or most hardware or building supply
stores.

My first antenna was taken down by tree movement shortly after having
put it up. After that, I created a 'fuse' mechanism that released the
line if too much tension was placed on the antenna end.

What I did was to pull the antenna up partially until the antenna was
just above the ground. I wrapped the excess line around two nails I
used as a make-shift cleat. Then I wrapped the string around a nail
and mounted it into the bark of the tree. I did this several times a
different intervals until the antenna was raised to a maximum height
still providing for general tree movement in the wind. When an excess
wind strikes, it removes one or more of the nails lowering the antenna
without breaking the string, or if a limb hit the wire, the antenna
was low enough for me to reach the end of the line and put it back up.

disclaimer:

I didn't really trust the mason line to work as well as it did. I
typically replaced it every six months or so (as I replaced antennas
this often, mostly in experimentation or for improvements.)

While I still use it today, I don't recommend it for anyone wanting to
put up a permanent antenna and just leave it alone for more than a
year.

Buck

--
73 for now
Buck, N4PGW

www.lumpuckeroo.com

"Small - broadband - efficient: pick any two."

keeping wire antennas up
 

Buck wrote:

I can't speak for your specific situation, but here is how I handled
the similar situation.

I used either a multi-band-parallel dipole (sometimes referred to as a
fan dipole) or a 135 foot dipole fed with 300 ohm twin-lead. These
antennas were raised about 100 feet or so into trees by mason's line
which can be purchased at Walmart or most hardware or building supply
stores.

. . .

While I still use it today, I don't recommend it for anyone wanting to
put up a permanent antenna and just leave it alone for more than a
year.

I don't think it works equally well for all kinds of trees. For many
years I've used nylon twine or mason's line for raising Field Day
antennas. The trees here in the Pacific Northwest are of course mostly
evergreens which have a lot of pitchy sap and in many varieties, fairly
soft wood. An antenna with a fair amount of tension causes the line to
dig into the wood in a very short period of time. And even after two
days, the line can sometimes be hard to get down because of being seized
in the pitchy slot it cuts in the wood. So while it's fine for a very
short time temporary setup, I don't consider it viable for longer term
installation in the kinds of trees we have here.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

keeping wire antennas up
 

From Rain City (Seattle). *I did this in a Maple forest. *I did mine
with pulleys top and bottom with a continuous loop like a flag pole. I
snip

Instead of pulleys, I use large screw-in insulators like you might see
on a
power pole. They are slick enough to act as pulleys, large enough to
take
two ropes (one for the continuous loop and the other for holding the
antenna), they don't cost much, and a rope NEVER jumps out of the
"pulley"!

I've also used a screen-door spring (or two in parallel) between the
rope
and the end-of-the-antenna insulator (with some more rope in between
so the spring doesn't add much capacitance to the antenna proper) to
give some strain relief.

--Myron A. Calhoun, W0PBV.
Five boxes preserve our freedoms: soap, ballot, witness, jury, and
cartridge.

keeping wire antennas up
 

Myron A. Calhoun wrote:
From Rain City (Seattle). I did this in a Maple forest. I did mine
with pulleys top and bottom with a continuous loop like a flag pole. I
snip

Instead of pulleys, I use large screw-in insulators like you might see
on a
power pole. They are slick enough to act as pulleys, large enough to
take
two ropes (one for the continuous loop and the other for holding the
antenna), they don't cost much, and a rope NEVER jumps out of the
"pulley"!

I've also used a screen-door spring (or two in parallel) between the
rope
and the end-of-the-antenna insulator (with some more rope in between
so the spring doesn't add much capacitance to the antenna proper) to
give some strain relief.

--Myron A. Calhoun, W0PBV.
Five boxes preserve our freedoms: soap, ballot, witness, jury, and
cartridge.

Myron;

The only problem with your insulators is that the tree is alive and
still growing. It will eventually grow around the insulator and embed it
in the wood. This will take a long time but they are still finding
cannon balls in trees left over from the Civil War.

Dave WD9BDZ

keeping wire antennas up
 

"Roy Lewallen" wrote in message
...
Buck wrote:

I can't speak for your specific situation, but here is how I handled
the similar situation.

I used either a multi-band-parallel dipole (sometimes referred to as a
fan dipole) or a 135 foot dipole fed with 300 ohm twin-lead. These
antennas were raised about 100 feet or so into trees by mason's line
which can be purchased at Walmart or most hardware or building supply
stores. . . .

While I still use it today, I don't recommend it for anyone wanting to
put up a permanent antenna and just leave it alone for more than a
year.

I don't think it works equally well for all kinds of trees. For many years
I've used nylon twine or mason's line for raising Field Day antennas. The
trees here in the Pacific Northwest are of course mostly evergreens which
have a lot of pitchy sap and in many varieties, fairly soft wood. An
antenna with a fair amount of tension causes the line to dig into the wood
in a very short period of time. And even after two days, the line can
sometimes be hard to get down because of being seized in the pitchy slot
it cuts in the wood. So while it's fine for a very short time temporary
setup, I don't consider it viable for longer term installation in the
kinds of trees we have here.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

If it is going to be a either temporary or permanent you might want to use
the first line up to hold a pulley, then run the antenna line thru the
pulley. Another way is to run your line thru a couple thickness of plastic
tubing positioning the tubing over the branch to keep the line from digging
into the bark.

Also, if you have a old spare bowling ball (don't laugh), either the 4lb
(duckpin) or the 16lb (tenpin) they make great weights for the end of the
lines instead of having to use a pail with cement for the weight with
eyebolt. Most of the bowling balls are made from hard rubber - all you do
is drill a hole and insert some epoxy glue or super glue in it and then
screw-in an eyebolt type of screw! When the wind blows and the tree sways
the antenna line should remain constant. Make sure that the line is about
3 - 5 ft above the ground when using a weighted system.

73 de Howard W3CQH