[TowerTalk] guy wire tension

[n4kg@juno.com]

Actually, I expect it would take an infinite force to keep a suspended
cable in a straight line, i.e., zero sag.

Think of a horizontal cable with both ends at the same elevation.
For simplicity, think of the cable mass (W) being concentrated at the
center.  Picture the center below the supports by Y (ft) and the 
distance from center to ends X ft.  The vertical component of
the tension in the cable W =T  tan (theta) or T = W / tan (theta).
Note that tan (theta) = Y / X so T =  W X / Y.
As the vertical displacement Y approaches ZERO, T approaches
infinity.

de Tom N4KG

On Wed, 23 Feb 2000 16:27:59 -0800 "Al Williams" <alwilliams@olywa.net>
writes:
> 
> Can anyone explain, in more-or-less simple terms, why guy wires need
> to have such high tension?  Intuitively (yes, I did pass some 
> courses in
> college physics), if there is no stretching of the guy cable, it 
> would seem
> that only enough tension is require to keep the guy on a straight 
> line
> i.e. no slack.
> 
> k7puc
> 
> 
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