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Re: [TowerTalk] Deer are a PITA but Trees are great - REMEMBER

To: towertalk <TowerTalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Deer are a PITA but Trees are great - REMEMBER
From: Richard Solomon <dickw1ksz@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2017 16:12:52 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Deer are tasty too, Stewed, Roasted,
etc.

This will get PETA on my case !!

73, Dick, W1KSZ

On Sat, Nov 11, 2017 at 4:03 PM, N2TK, Tony <tony.kaz@verizon.net> wrote:

> Hi Mike,
> Just curious how much impact on performance if you keep the feedpoints the
> same height and follow the slope of the land? Anyone model this?
>
> The deer, sometimes as many as 13 sleep right behind my deck. Deer smart
> pills everywhere.
>
> N2TK, Tony
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Mike Smith VE9AA
> Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2017 4:38 PM
> To: 'Kim Elmore' <cw_de_n5op@sbcglobal.net>
> Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Deer are a PITA but Trees are great - REMEMBER
>
> Hmmm – I might have to try (something like) that Kim.
>
>
>
> I did put on a little bit of black e-tape (like tiny flags) here and there
> on some of the more or less “paths” in the woods, so I (or deer coming
> through) would
>
> see it and to keep it low key so I couldn’t see it from the house, but I
> am now thinking about using something like that in the future.
>
>
>
> I have some green marker tape that would be “relatively” camo (at least
> until it fades from UV somewhat) so that might also be an option.
>
>
>
> Since this tiny sliver of woods is not particularly thick I’d rather not
> look out over 28 raised radials every day.  I am sure the neighbours
>
> appreciate the fact the wires and end of radial supports are for all
> intents and purpose ‘invisible’, too ;-D
>
>
>
> I’ve rec’d a few questions directly why I didn’t mount the bases of (some)
> of the verticals higher.  Here’s my reply to that:
>
> Because all my 4-squares are pretty much on a steep slope in a small
> rectangular strip of woods, adjacent my yard,  some are aprox 7-8’ AGL at
> the base of the vertical (and not as prone to deer damage as the radials
> are really high, at least where they start out), but the ones located
> closer to the lawn, on the edge of the woods, are only a couple feet above
> the ground level and do employ gullwing radials already.
>
> If I had made the lower ones, say, 7-8’, the ones deep in the woods
> would’ve needed to be 10-15’ high and not reachable without a ladder (not
> really possible over the very rocky ground, down in the woods)
>
> I designed it this way to make them all electrically/physically in the
> same plane, regardless of the undulating nature of the Earth underneath the
> verts.
>
>  It’s not perfect.
>
>  Deer are a menace.
>
>  They are lovely to look at, but eat my wifes plants too.
>
>  If I was good with a bow and arrow (or even throwing a big rock), I wager
> I could get 3 a week………until I finished them all off ;-)
>
>  AA
>
>
>
> Mike, Coreen & Corey
>
> Keswick Ridge, NB
>
>
>
> From: Kim Elmore [mailto:cw_de_n5op@sbcglobal.net]
> Sent: November 11, 2017 3:55 PM
> To: Mike Smith VE9AA
> Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Deer are a PITA but Trees are great - REMEMBER
>
>
>
> You might try tying strips of white cloth at intervals along the radials.
> That way, the deer can at least see them.
>
>
>
> 73,
>
>
>
> Kim N5OP
>
> "People that make music together cannot be enemies, at least as long as
> the music lasts." -- Paul Hindemith
>
>
> On Nov 11, 2017, at 11:57, Mike Smith VE9AA <ve9aa@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:
>
> I just spent the last 2 hours out in the woods during antenna season (ie:
> blustery wind, subzero cold, ice to slip on but no leaves on the trees)
>
>
>
> What was I doing you say? … Repairing 26 out of my 28 raised radials on
> all my wire 4-sq arrays in prep for contest season.  Only one wire itself
> was broken (I use fencing wire) but all the ends that attach to supports
> were broken.
>
>
>
> I accept Mother Natures wrath with some of my radials being broken due to
> swaying trees and falling widow-makers and don’t give it a second thought…
> It’s almost a ritual just to do the yearly repairs. HOWEVER the friggin’
> deer here are relentless !  It’s no exaggeration to say we generally go no
> more than 1 or 2 days w/o seeing deer either in the back 40 or crossing the
> road near our house.  Two have been hit within 100’ of my driveway this
> fall alone.
>
>
>
> I found radials up and over trees, going in the wrong directions, down
> under big rocks and one was wrapped around a tree twice!.....at one point
> when I got to the end of a particular 80m radial I thought for sure I’d
> find a dead deer at the end – LOL….but he must have finally got away….or
> maybe the cougar that was reported here 2 months ago got him.
>
>
>
> Last year when I installed all these 4-squares I got the (not so) bright
> idea I would use that oiled hemp string to go between the ends of the
> radials and the nearest tree. Well…..it was true….hemp is aesthetically
> pleasing (can’t see it from the house_) but definitely not deer proof.
> There was a radial here and there, which even had old limbs of trees on
> them where the hemp was NOT broken, so I can only imagine the deer chew on
> the stuff or something – HI !
>
>
>
> I have 2 repairs still left to do (the most difficult) where the (wire)
> verticals themselves came down.(Mother Nature, not deer)  One of the 160m
> ones is always tough to get up over a couple trees and I don’t look forward
> to the task.  For now, I have repaired all the radials with more hemp, but
> am contemplating doubling them up with 40lb test fishing line.  I don’t
> really want to go to ¼” nylon as I could see it from the house and road.
>
>
>
> I really don’t want to raise them up from the 4-5’ they are all at now to
> something higher as I’ll have to reengineering all the coax phasing lines
> and the locations of the bases of all the verticals, re-tweak all the SWR’s
> etc.
>
>
>
> I guess I just like to complain ;-)………
>
>
>
> It could be worse….I COULD be living in downtown Vancouver or NYC or
> London with no land and no trees.
>
>
>
> Thank God for New Brunswick, Canada and our wonderful trees !
>
>
>
> At this time of year, besides fallen wires and trees,  we should also
> remember the fallen in the World Wars so that we all can enjoy the life we
> lead today.
>
>
>
> For now I’ve put on a fresh warm hoodie, (Ironic that it says
> “Newfoundland & Labrador”, not “New Brunswick”), brewed a cup of Tim
> Hortons coffee and am thankful for what I do have.
>
>
>
> Mike VE9 Arborist Arborist !
>
> p.s.-can’t/won’t do ground radials….steep incline in the woods on the side
> of an old farm field, so it’s rocky, covered in leaves and the deer hooves
> would get caught up in them anyways.
>
>
>
> Mike, Coreen & Corey
>
> Keswick Ridge, NB
>
>
>
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>
>
>
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