Topband: Dacron & varmits

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 2/17/2020 11:53 PM, Gary Smith wrote:
> Coupla things. I need new Dacron, some I
> have is from the 80's & finally at its
> end. I bought some replacement but it's
> not what I had. What I had was greenish
> and solid braid, tough and incredibly
> resistant to nature.
> 
> What my new "Dacron" is, is a white center
> conductor I assume is Dacron, with a black
> braided sleeve/outer-layer which slides

A local ham (W6REC) told me that he was the
original person who repurposed Dacron line
used by fishermen and introduced it to hams,
decades ago.  He never mentioned any alternate
construction like your legacy rope.  Are you
sure it was actually Dacron, and not some
other marine rope?  Someone posted on this
reflector or towertalk within the last year
about using marine rope impregnated with tar
to make it UV proof.  Is it possible that
your legacy rope might be that?

One trick that makes the Dacron rope easier
to handle is to use one of those fire starters
that generate an electrical arc.  You can
use the arc to cut the rope and melt it together.

Rick N6RK