[TowerTalk] Why not thicker Stainless cable?

["Tuva Traveler" <tuvaorbust@hotmail.com>]

Bill Coleman Wrote:
> Although stainless is more corrosion-resistant than galvanized cable, the 
> alloy isn't as strong as other steel. A stainless cable would have to be 
> larger in diameter to have the same holding strength.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net

It seems from some past stories that the high strength steel cables, can 
become dangerously weakened without being overtly detectible, sometimes with 
disasterous results...broken cable, destroyed towers, antennas, etc...I 
think the recommendation was to replace the high strength crank up cable 
every 2 years, independent of visual inspections, in order to be truly safe.

If the stainless steel cable was suitably matched to the load, it woud be 
thicker, which seems OK...
Just make it thicker, and use larger pulleys and you may have a vastly 
longer lived cable, that won't die from corrosive weakening.  Are there 
other negatives to Stainless Steel?  (Besides Cost, HI)
Maybe it fatigues from bending...it must be an expense issue...

73, de Pat, AA6EG
aa6eg@hotmail.com

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