[TowerTalk] Tram rope

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/19/2006 12:53:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>  Now, a final question: should I use wire rope clips or a guy  grip to form
the end that will connect to the tower? Seems to me a guy grip  would be
best, but I want to make sure it can be used on non-EHS cable.  

You can't use a grip because it's too long and  will interfere with your 
pulley going up the tram line up at the top of the  tower. You want the tramline 
pulley to end up right next to the tower or mast.  A thimble and couple of 
cable clamps will suffice.
 
    You can't use an EHS grip on non-EHS cable  either. 
 
>  I'll use a Klein grip and come-along at the bottom  end.



Yep. I always back up the Klein with a cable  clamp (clamping the comealong 
line and the tramline together) as a redundant  safety measure in case the 
Klein grip slips. And sometimes they will slip.  

>  That'll still be
3-strand 7/16" nylon, and my  impression is that nearly everyone uses some
sort of rope for the pull  line. Wouldn't want that to break, either.



         I don't like rope for  tramlines since there's too much stretch 
involved. Use a wire rope cable. Most  of the previous posts have included good 
info so you should be good to go. 
 
        The force at the  bottom of the rope - and 7/16" is plenty - pulling 
a 100# antenna up is  200#. That's 100#  of load up to the pulley at the top 
and 100# coming down  the other side. Of course it's a little different for the 
vectors of the  tramline as Eric has pointed out but the force isn't 100#. 
 
Cheers,
Steve    K7LXC
TOWER TECH