[TowerTalk] tether vs. antenna on kite- and balloon-raised antennas

[James W. Fisher, Jr.]

25 years ago I used a (Fair Radio Sales) balloon-kit to raise a 5/8 wl 40M
vert for the 7MHz RSGB test.  (A neighborhood kid asked me what I was
doing--I said fishing for flying fish..He said "Oh." and walked away). 
Altho I had more modern equipment, I used an HT-4 and R-390A for this test
and had a ball.

I found it useful to separate the functions of tether and antenna.  The
tether was stationed upwind to some convenient tie point where the vertical
was more or less vertical.   The tether itself was at an angle considerably
off vertical.

One potential problem is that with varying winds the vertical slackened and
tightened.  More modern rigs might have noticed differences in SWR; my
plate glow and current stayed more or less the same.

73 es GL,

Jim, VE1JF


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