Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On 2/11/11 13:22 , bpnjensen wrote:
So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Weigh the wire. The counterweight will find a balance with the
weight of the wire, allowing an amount of sag equal to the length of
the counterweight support. Doubling the counterweight will halve the
amount of sag. Redoubling will halve the sag, again. Don't exceed
the tensile strength of the wire and start with about 4 times the
weight of the wire.

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On 02/11/2011 11:22 AM, bpnjensen wrote:
So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Gallon jug of water

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On Feb 11, 2:11*pm, dave wrote:
On 02/11/2011 11:22 AM, bpnjensen wrote:



So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? *The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. *The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. *For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Gallon jug of water

Dave that's a good handy and free starting point.

Except if you Live where the Water might Freeze {Oops!}
-and- You may be getting Snow and Ice on your
Antenna Wire and Loading it down down down,,,

Old Plastic Bleach Bottle the Kind with a Handle
built into it. Fill the Bottle with about 3~5~10+
Pounds of Small Rocks {or Gravel}. Place the Cap
back-on the Bottle and and Tie your Antenna
Tension Rope End to the Handle of the Bottle.
* Option Tape the Handle of the Bottle with Duck
Tape to Reinforce it if needed.
* Option Spray Paint the Bottle Green Brown to
blend in with the surroundings if needed.
-service- These Bottles usually last about 3-Years.
-Safety- Use a 5~6 Foot Step Ladder and Position
the Bottle at around7~8 Feet or more above Ground
so that it is not a Head Injury Hazard.
-Rigging- Use a small Pulley to Rig the Tension Rope
End through so that the natural dynamic movement
of the Antenna Wire and the Counter-Weight Bottle
can occur as it happens due to Weather.
http://g8jnj.webs.com/Multi%20antenn...igs%28s%29.gif

BpnJ - Since you live in the SF Bay go to a Fishing
'Bait' Shop and buy a few Salmon / Down Rigger
Weights {3~5 Pound Lead Balls}
http://s.ecrater.com/stores/118075/4...4a_118075n.jpg
http://cdn.sella.co.nz/images/thumb/...0j-640x500.jpg

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On Feb 11, 12:16*pm, "D. Peter Maus" wrote:
On 2/11/11 13:22 , bpnjensen wrote:









So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? *The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. *The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. *For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

* *Weigh the wire. The counterweight will find a balance with the
weight of the wire, allowing an amount of sag equal to the length of
the counterweight support. Doubling the counterweight will halve the
amount of sag. Redoubling will halve the sag, again. Don't exceed
the tensile strength of the wire and start with about 4 times the
weight of the wire.

Well, the wire's already up there - but I don't think the whole roll
weighed but a couple pounds, and this is about 2/3 of the roll in the
air (maybe 65 horz feet). So, maybe something like 8 pounds will be a
good starting point. Water in any mass doesn't really freeze here (at
most we get thin ice on the birdbath, and then only about 5 or 6 times
a winter), so that gallon jug of water would be a good starting weight
-

IIRC, the tensile strength of 14 gauge wire is pretty high, over 100
lbs - isn't that right? So any reasonable weight (like less than 20)
is not liable to break it.

Good ideas, Peter and Roy and Dave - thanks.

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On 02/11/2011 03:52 PM, RHF wrote:
..
-service- These Bottles usually last about 3-Years.
-Safety- Use a 5~6 Foot Step Ladder and Position
the Bottle at around7~8 Feet or more above Ground
so that it is not a Head Injury Hazard.

So you want the bottle full of rocks so when the UV dissolves it the
rocks fall on people? How about a glass jug on UV treated Dacron antenna
rope?
.

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On Feb 11, 6:11*pm, dave wrote:
On 02/11/2011 03:52 PM, RHF wrote:
.

- - -service- These Bottles usually last about 3-Years.
- - -Safety- Use a 5~6 Foot Step Ladder and Position
- - the Bottle at around7~8 Feet or more above Ground
- - so that it is not a Head Injury Hazard.

- So you want the bottle full of rocks so when the
- UV dissolves it the rocks fall on people?

Dave -which-part-of-
"-service- These Bottles usually last about 3-Years."

- How about a glass jug on UV treated Dacron
- antenna rope?

Dave : ? "Glass Jug" ?
Neighbor's Kid with a Pellet Gun

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On 2/11/2011 2:22 PM, bpnjensen wrote:
So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Let me point you in a different direction...

When you ask about a weight, that implies you will also be using a
pulley (block, for you sailors). This is another piece to purchase and
another piece to rust up and fail, at least the hardware store
galvanized ones. Don't ask what the ones for sailboats cost.

I have had a 130 foot dipole (stranded 14 ga.) up between two trees
since 1994, with no failures here in the great Midwest (lots o' wind,
lots o' snow).

I considered the weight/pulley arrangement but ultimately decided on
using a screen door spring at each end. These are typically a foot (or
a little more) long and readily available at any hardware store. I would
recommend you pay a buck or two more and get the ones that are chrome
plated and then spray paint it too, for a little additional
weatherproofing (belt AND suspenders). Works fine, lasts a long time.

Wire antennas again - counterweight question
 

On Feb 12, 6:38*am, Joe from Kokomo wrote:
On 2/11/2011 2:22 PM, bpnjensen wrote:









So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? *The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. *The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. *For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Let me point you in a different direction...

When you ask about a weight, that implies you will also be using a
pulley (block, for you sailors). This is another piece to purchase and
another piece to rust up and fail, at least the hardware store
galvanized ones. Don't ask what the ones for sailboats cost.

I have had a 130 foot dipole (stranded 14 ga.) up between two trees
since 1994, with no failures here in the great Midwest (lots o' wind,
lots o' snow).

I considered the weight/pulley arrangement but ultimately decided on
using a screen door spring at each end. These are typically *a foot (or
a little more) long and readily available at any hardware store. I would
recommend you pay a buck or two more and get the ones that are chrome
plated and then spray paint it too, for a little additional
weatherproofing (belt AND suspenders). Works fine, lasts a long time.

Hi, Joe- I have thought about a spring - those screen door springs
provide enough tension and travel? I expect up to about 3 feet travel
on that tree in the highest winds we get here.

To be honest, a counterweight is not a problem as to position and
safety. A spring might be a little bit neater if it has enough
strength and give. Neither one sounds very expensive.

Thanks, Bruce

California's 'Golden' Railroad History
 

On Feb 13, 8:56*am, bpnjensen wrote:
On Feb 13, 4:03*am, RHF wrote:



On Feb 12, 10:03*pm, bpnjensen wrote:

On Feb 12, 6:38*am, Joe from Kokomo wrote:

On 2/11/2011 2:22 PM, bpnjensen wrote:

So, a mechanical question this time -

On a relatively short run of wire of fairly light weight (in this
case, 14 gauge stranded, insulated, and about 60-65 feet horizontal),
what's a good estimated counterweight for the far end? *The wire
itself is light, but the counterweight needs to account for tension as
well. *The support line is over a freewheeling pulley and is currently
tied off, but I think a modest eight would be better in this
circumstance as the near end of the line is a treetop with some sway
in the wind.

So, I ask if anybody has an idea about what a good weight night be to
maintain tension and avoid too much sagging. *For starters, I was
thinking a simple barbell weight of 5 lbs or so more or less, but I'm
wide open on this one.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

Let me point you in a different direction...

When you ask about a weight, that implies you will also be using a
pulley (block, for you sailors). This is another piece to purchase and
another piece to rust up and fail, at least the hardware store
galvanized ones. Don't ask what the ones for sailboats cost.

I have had a 130 foot dipole (stranded 14 ga.) up between two trees
since 1994, with no failures here in the great Midwest (lots o' wind,
lots o' snow).

I considered the weight/pulley arrangement but ultimately decided on
using a screen door spring at each end. These are typically *a foot (or
a little more) long and readily available at any hardware store. I would
recommend you pay a buck or two more and get the ones that are chrome
plated and then spray paint it too, for a little additional
weatherproofing (belt AND suspenders). Works fine, lasts a long time.

Hi, Joe- I have thought about a spring - those screen door springs
provide enough tension and travel? I expect up to about 3 feet travel
on that tree in the highest winds we get here.

To be honest, a counterweight is not a problem as to position and
safety. *A spring might be a little bit neater if it has enough
strength and give. *Neither one sounds very expensive.

Thanks, Bruce

OSH Hardware* has Good Quality Chromed Pulleys
with Brass Roller; Poly & Nylon Rope and a fair
selection of Zinc Plated Springs of all Diameters,
Lengths and Gauges. ~ RHF

Pulley : Chrome-Plated Zinc Die-Cast Housing
and Swivel Eyehttp://www.fdsons.com/popup_image.php?pID=19638http://www.acehardware...

* ACE, *Home Depot and Lowe's too.
*.

- OSH is my store, not the least of which because
- they have great free train calendars :-)

Free Train Calendars :-) :o) :-) :o) :-) :o) :-) :o) ~ RHF