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[TowerTalk] Re: using trees to anchor wire antennas

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Re: using trees to anchor wire antennas
From: Martin Ewing AA6E <aa6e@arrl.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 16:27:15 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I put up a wire antenna recently using a slingshot + monofilament/bait-casting reel. This is the system you see advertised for $100 or so, but I got my stuff from sporting goods stores for about $30. I shot a 13/16 socket from my socket wrench set. Lots of fun, but make sure there are no people down range.

After getting a 1/4" nylon line up across a good branch, I tied a pulley on one end, then a separate rope length to the antenna through the pulley and down to a cleat at shoulder height on the tree. I first hauled the pulley up to a good height and then hauled the antenna up. You can raise & lower the antenna without moving the pulley rope, which is an advantage - saves wear & tear on the tree & rope. Also, you get the benefit of a long stretchy run of nylon down to the cleat, which helps reduce stress when the trees wave around. (However, the pulley-rope "outhaul" takes an extra stress because of the "downhaul" - an interesting physics problem.)

Maybe this is overkill, but it's working pretty well right now.

73, Martin, AA6E

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