[TowerTalk] Ends of Dipoles - Mythbusting

[Tom Osborne]

Dave said:
>
> Personally I just form a small loop by folding this 10ga insulated
> Copperweld I use back on itself and secure with either tape or a >cable 
> clamp and just tie it off with Dacron rope.

One 'neat' idea I had was to use some closeline for rope to tie my antenna 
to a tree.  I just made a loop in the rope and wrapped the end of the bare 
antenna wire in the loop.

Checked the SWR and all was good.  Turned the amp on and the SWR went to 
pot.  Turned the amp off and all was well again.  Turned it back on and SWR 
went way off scale again.  Had me scratchin' my head.

Finally, I took the antenna down, and found that the closeline had a wire 
inside, and when I would turn the amp on, it would arc to the wire inside 
and lengthen the antenna by about 75 feet.
Tom W7WHY