Topband: Inverted L wire

[Les Kalmus]

Well actually I shot a line up in a tree with a slingshot and used that 
line to hoist a plastic clothesline pulley.
Prior to hoisting, I ran the inverted L through the clothesline pulley. 
The radius of the pulley is around 2" so the bend is not too sharp and 
the wire insulation holds up.
The pulley line moves with the tree so there is no abrasion. There is 
enough slack in the L wire that no damage has occurred from winds and 
the pulley can rotate a bit so no damage to the wire.
I have had a break in the wire from other causes. In that case, I 
lowered the line with the pulley, fixed the wire and hauled it back up.

Les W2LK

Gene Smar wrote:
> Gary:
>
>      I'm inferring that your wire actually touches the tree limbs somewhere. 
> If that is the case, you ought to run the L wire through a pulley that is 
> held up in the tree by a flexible link, like a bungee cord.  The bungee will 
> give the antenna a bit more flexibility in high winds that are probably 
> abraiding your current antenna configuration.   Or you can run a lanyard 
> from the ground through the pulley and use the lanyard to support an 
> insulator through which the wire is threaded.
>
>      It's a PITA to get the pulley into the tree (you obviously can't use an 
> arrow or slingshot) but it will prolong the life of your wire.  I've used 
> this method for my L for nine years after the first two wires broke due to 
> abraision.
>
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Gary Smith" <Gary at ka1j.com>
> To: <topband at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 7:26 PM
> Subject: Topband: Inverted L wire
>
>
>   
>> Hi,
>>
>> I just fired up 160 to see what I might find active at this time of
>> year & found the SWR was terrible. Resonance is now around 2 MHz and
>> my guess is the wire has broken inside the insulation again.
>>
>> I'm thinking my best bet is to replace the wire with something
>> essentially bulletproof as possible. Since it is over tree tops, I
>> have to use insulated wire and the insulation has to be durable.
>>
>> I am on the edge of a salt marsh and the antenna is over the closest
>> tall tree to the marsh. This means the tree gets hammered by strong
>> winds. The wire itself needs to be able to hold up under these
>> conditions.
>>
>> Any suggestions on what I might find most beneficial?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Gary
>> KA1J
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK 
>>     
>
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
>
>