On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 22:25:22 -0400, Mike Coslo
wrote:



Hal Rosser wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...

I just got done installing radials for a new antenna, and was distressed
at the amount of time it was taking.

I was looking at some power tools that might speed up the trenching
process. Power edgers looked promising, but were 90 - 100 dollars for
electrical models, and more for the gas powered ones.

Finally I hit on something. I bought an inexpensive electric chainsaw.
I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a lunatic, but trenching for the
radials took surprisingly little time. So I laid all my radials in one
afternoon. It would have taken even less time if there had been an extra
person around to help.

Caveats:

This is of course *dangerous* - don't ever do it!!! Chainsaws are sharp
and nasty.

It wore out the Chainsaw chain. That really isn't a big deal. I'm just
going to save it for the next time I need to trench radials.

The chainsaw needs washed and lubed after trenching.

And the groove in the bar may be more V-shaped than when you
started. I once used a friend's well-used chainsaw and the chain could
wobble a bit in the groove because it was no longre a parallel-walled
groove. Not sure if this makes it easier for the chain to jump out. I
didn't use it for long.


But it was quick. The radials are in, the post for the vertical is in
and concrete setting as I write.

Just thought I'd share this with the group. I never saw anyone else
saying they did anything similar, so I either stumbled on something, or
I'm completely whacked! ;^)

- Mike KB3EIA -



Bravo! Thanks for the new addition for our bag of tricks.
The cost of a new chain is nothing compared to the labor savings.
How's the back from bending over that long?

The back is getting a bit sore as the evening wears on. I can only
guess that it would have been worse with the other methods form the time
I would have had to be bending.


One unexpected sore part is the fingers of my left hand got their nails
worn down and the skin is tender now - kind of like when a person first
plays the guitar. Probably from pushing and guiding the radial wires on
the ground as I pushed them under. Gloves for me the next time!

How about gloves plus a foot long piece of lath to do the
pushing?