Topband: Hay Bale Twine as guy wire

[Larry Molitor]

Since we are raising hay on our WA property, I have become very familiar 
with bailing twine. It has, along with duct tape and bailing WIRE, become 
one of my essential shop supplies. I use it for tieing up all sorts of 
things. It's free after you reclaim the short pieces from a bail fed to the 
animals!

Over the last year and a half I have been observing how the twine survives 
the elements and uses other than it's intended use. Most of the twines show 
very good resistance to ultraviolet deterioration, but all I've seen show 
very little resistance to abrasion. Twine tied to the corral and left 
blowing in the wind rapidly wears itself to death, becoming frayed and 
loose. Pieces tied to metal objects in such a manner as to allow rubbing 
also wear through soon.

Knowing this, I would be very reluctant to use bailing twine as a permanent 
guying solution. However, it should work very well for short term projects 
like DXpeditions, field day, or experimental antennas. I plan on doing all 
my initial testing of the new array using baling twine and then switch to 
the good dacron stuff after all the lengths are well established.

73,

Larry - W7IUV