[TowerTalk] Guy Rope

[Peter Chadwick]

I use 12mm diameter pre-stretched polyester rope, intended for marine use. It's UV proof and rated for just over 4000lbs. That's on a 60 foot crank up. 

No knots - they effectively half the strength. The ends are formed around thimbles and then are spliced. Then I uses a 1200 lb rated rope to go four times through the thimbles to act as a 'come along', much as was done with the blocks on ships in the days of sail.
There are quite a few ropes for marine use: some are intended to stretch, but pre-stretched polyester isn't. Also, not all are UV proof. The down side is that prestretched polyester isn't cheap - it cost me about $900 - and it isn't that light, either. But it works for me.
73
Peter G3RZP