[TowerTalk] polyrod panic!

[Peter Grillo]

Now you tell me!  After reading the earlier post I panicked and went out to
look at the condition of a 3/8" supply of polyrod which I had picked up from
K4XS early in 2004.  Each coil looks fine, with a smooth surface.  But I
took the suggestion to heart.  After unsnapping all the tie-wraps except the
few inside coils, the monster sprung several outside coils.  Then I tried to
lift on side of the remaining coils so I could hopefully roll them along the
ground to make them unwind, while using the ground to keep the individual
coils from springing open.  This was a bad idea.  It weighed at least 150
lbs and I lost control.  Now it's a mess!  I did manage to unwind about 300
feet of it by taking one coil off the top at a time and walking it.  This
will be a major effort in the end.  I now realize it's at least a 2-man job.
Oh well, live and learn....back to watching the Masters.  We're expecting a
foot of snow tonight.

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Tom Rauch
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2005 12:26 PM
To: Frank Donovan; towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] polyrod

> Despite reported claims by Polygon's "sales people," I
spoke
> their engineer ten years ago, after four coils of my
coiled
> Polygon guy failed after being stored for six months.  He
told me
> that Polygin fiberglas rod should be uncoiled after its
received.

Mine are no more less credible because they are "reported
claims" than anyone else's claims are.

I just didn't take the salesperson's (Nicki Barone) word.  I
spoke with their engineer, Yatin Chachad, on at least two
occasions (while I was deciding if I wanted to use this
stuff) and he said they normally store rod at the factory
for years without a problem. He couldn't understand why it
would fail from coiling unless something was wrong when it
was manufactured. The only precaution he gave was that it
might take a slight "set" and not lay straight for a while
when uncoiled, and to be careful uncoiling it.

> If you fail to uncoil your Polygon fiberglas rod shortly
after
> receipt, don't say you weren't warned!   Ask WB2BZR and
> KE3Q who were both warned, and both found that they
> had thousands of expensive tomato stakes when they
> uncoiled their Polygon fiberglas guy that had been long
term
> stored in coils.

Interesting. I wonder if older rod had problems and newer
rod does not. Maybe someone will call polygon and see what
they say.

Until Polygon says otherwise, I'll continue to leave mine
coiled and see what happens. It worked out fine for me with
rod purchased in mid-2001, some of which is still coiled,
and 5000 feet of rod purchased at a later date. So at least
in my experience of a few years (about four) it has been
perfectly OK. My coils are outside in the sun and open air,
leaning up against a fence. It all looks perfect even under
a magnifying glass, and a coil we unwound about a month ago
was fine.

If anyone hears otherwise, please let me know who. It's
important to be sure Polygon corrects the advice I received
if it was indeed incorrect.

73 Tom

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