Topband: Ends for older Phillystran

[Tom W8JI]

I would never design and especially never test for the maximum steady 
working load at a wind speed. The shock load of a bounce can strip the ends. 
I had a friend who lost a tower from a straight line wind in a normal 
thunderstorm because the outer layer stripped off. He used three saddle 
clamps. I told him he should have wrapped the insulator (he used insulators 
to transistion to steel) two or three turns before clamping.

This is not much different than getting hold of copperweld twinlead, or 
anything else with a soft outside and hard core.

Has anyone thought of a long rectangular bar with multiple champhered holes, 
with the Phillystran woven through from side-to-side? With enough weaves, 
this should self-tension with just a single clamp on the far end. 
Regardless, I would test pull and see what breaks first at what tension.

73 Tom