W6RMK commented on K5UJ's suggestion on securing guys to a
push-up mast:
> Get a bunch of cheap knockoff locking pliars for 3 to 5 bucks each (about
> what a thimble and 3 clips would cost but don't get visegrips or you will
go
> broke) and pull the rope tight through the earth screw eye and clamp it
with
> the locking pliars. get the needlenose pliars as they can handle two
ropes
> each. These hold the rope fine and are a walk in the sun compared to
> kneeling in the snow for a half hour with nut drivers, pliars, etc.
> tightening clips.
Do you clamp the rope around the eye, or at some distance? I'm having a
tough time visualizing exactly what you're clamping here. Off hand, I love
the idea of using inexpensive clamping pliers.. You could use the slack end
of the rope to tie around the pliers to make sure they don't unclamp.
Instead of clamping pliers, just tie knots. Create a loop in the live end
of
the guy a few feet away from the guy anchor with the knot of your choice.
Take the dead end of the guy through the guy anchor, then the loop, then
the guy anchor again. Apply thimbles as required for each end. Pull on
dead end of guy until desired tension is achieved, then tie off around the
lot with another knot of your choice.
Many a mast with beams here have used this method, with credit to
Master Mariner VR2CT for perfecting it & VR2DX for coining the term
"Jesus knots" we use to call it - based on how well it holds in our
occasionally extremely inclement weather, as well as being able to be
easily dealt in the dark, usually in some precarious position on the edge
of the roof of some block of flats well after the typhoon signal has been
raised, the rain has switched from horizontal to going upwards & long
after sane folks have bunkered themselves down inside.
At VR2BG, the roof tower is now on house #5, supporting beam #3 & I
have yet to take a beam down in anger since 1990 - with the exception
of one time when I was away on an extended trip. After 15 years, it is
probably time to replace the Kevlar halyard I used for the guys as
preventative maintenance - once I can find a chandlery that still has
some of the smaller diameter stuff (4 or 5 mm, I believe it was).
I suggest leaving the clamping pliers for things like brake or fuel lines.
Memories of past lives are fading now, but I believe when doing antenna
work with K7LXC, I didn't tie the knots (I was only into the hiking as
a Boy Scout), so if I can do this just about anybody should be able to,
too.
73, VR2BrettGraham
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