TopBand: Balloons

[Thimmesch]

	Topbanders,  balloons
	
	I will post the phone number of a good supplier of balloons or AB5XP will
do so for me. Our balloons are 4 foot ones.
	We use what we call tank wire. I've also heard it called DR7 wire.It was
used by  the millitary to drag behind tanks for rear communications.
Needless to say, it is very strong, slippery, and light. Lightness and flex
are more important though. Before tank wire I used one leg of 18 gauge ZIP
cord or indoor 2 wire unsheathed extension cord wire. It actually worked
well.
	The balloons barely make it through a contest weekend. We always bring
three. After two days the helium leaks out through the rubber enough for
the balloon to lose lifiting power. There are chemicals available to slow
this down but after three days or so, the balloon wants to burst. As far as
refilling the balloons, thr rubber seems to change consistancy and we have
never tried this, the waste of helium, you know. We use the balloon for
target pratice after the contest is over. 
	A 4 foot tank will fill four balloons. We give a hundred dollar deposit on
the tank and fourty for the gas. After we finish laughing, there's none
left. No regulator or special fittings are needed to fill the balloon. Just
lightly crack the valve while holding the balloon over the valve fitting.
	Once filled, we twist the neck of the balloon and wrap it with electrical
tape. Under the next layer we lay the tank wire then bend it back over the
second layer then do a third. Then we tie a knot to keep it from slipping
out.
	Now for more problems. The first weekend in December is always wet, rainy
and windy. Rain will bring the balloon down just from the balloon being
wet. The wind will lay the balloon down, no, guys don't work. We use a 50
foot length of EMT, pieces inside each other for 24 inches and screwed to
each other with 3/4 X 10 SMS, on to the side of the top half of a 28 foot
wooden extension ladder strepped to a tree we have groomed for years. We
are also on top of a hill and keep the other trees cut down as not to snag
the balloon when the wins blows.
	Phew, the longest letter ever posted.
	See yall the first weekend of December,
			Rich,   WA5NYG

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