Topband: Beverage supports - Thinking of Deer...

[bruce whitney]

Bud,
I have been using four - 760 foot switched bi-directional (DXE) beverages for a couple seasons now. I have been using nylon cord to suspend 450 ohm ladder line in the woods. It holds up pretty well - no damage from the deer or other creatures - but of course when the trees fall over it takes it down. Often the wire is strong enough to support some pretty amazing weight - but it has broken plenty of times as well. I use a step ladder and tie the cord to the trees as high as I can reach - about 12 feet. I limit the lowest point in the catenary - mid span - to about 8 feet. When I tie the cord I suspend the wire about a foot or 18 inches down so that when disaster strikes the wire can 'pull' one way or the other to relieve the strain. I would be happy to send pictures of my set up methods, remote switching box and some awful disasters in the woods - if there is any interest.
73, Bruce W8RA

 

--- On Mon, 2/8/10, W2RU - Bud Hippisley <W2RU at frontiernet.net> wrote:

> From: W2RU - Bud Hippisley <W2RU at frontiernet.net>
> Subject: Re: Topband: Beverage supports - Thinking of Deer...
> To: Gary at ka1j.com
> Cc: topband at contesting.com
> Date: Monday, February 8, 2010, 11:06 PM
> 
> On Feb 8, 2010, at 9:37 PM, Gary Smith wrote:
> 
> > I'm sure the deer are being chased by coyotes &
> will 
> > be capable of jumping into my wire no matter how 
> > high I put it. I know any support I'll be putting 
> > out will be down in a moment if a buck decides to 
> > "debark" it with his antlers.
> > 
> > That said, where deer are present, what's a 
> > realistic "good height" to put the beverage supports 
> > at?
> 
> 
> I run my Beverages at ten feet above the ground.  We
> have an abundance of deer and coyotes here, but I don't
> think I've ever lost a Beverage wire to a deer, or vice
> versa.   Instead, I have frequent damage to
> the Beverages from dead branches or entire trees falling on
> them.  Obviously, they're equally vulnerable at ten
> feet or 4 feet.  Only a BOG is safe from falling
> forests.
> 
> Bud, W2RU 
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