I?m experimenting with wire antennas here at my Breckenridge, Colorado, QTH
at 10,000?. I have the Arapahoe National Forest as my backyard with
Lodgepole pines that range up to 80-100?. I have had up in the past month a
half-square for 20M at 60? that worked great, a Windom at 70?, also worked
quite well, and full wave 80M Delta loop at 70? that really worked well.
I?ve used my bow &arrow, spinning reel, and parachute cord to get the
supports up, and have until this past week just tied the antennas up with
enough sag to compensate for the wind. When I put up the Delta Loop I used
small sailing pulleys mainly for ease in adjusting the loop after the two
support points were fixed. I also thought that letting the #14 insulated
antenna wire ?roll? through the pulleys would help with the wind.
I just received my 1000? spool of flex-weave and a spool of 450 ohm ladder
line for my next project. It will be a loop approximately 500-550? with the
lower side about 120? long at 70?, and two spans running up at about a 60
degree angle to three support points up a ridge to Lodgepole pines that will
be about 100? higher than the low end. There will be five support points in
addition to the feedline point which will be fixed.
My question is should I firmly attach the flex-weave to each insulator point
and leave enough slack for the wind, or should I use the sailing pulleys and
let the wire run through them as the wind blows?
I know that soon, there will be enough snow to perhaps seize up the pulleys
even though I coat them liberally with grease. Also does anyone have any
experience with radial ice on #14 insulated long spans?
I usually have 1 meter of snow back here, and maintenance then will be an
ordeal.
73's from 10,000'
Jon Hamlet, W4ZW/Ø
Breckenridge, Colorado 80424
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