[TowerTalk] Fishing line resistance to uv light query

[D Calder]

I use weed eater line. Works great.

73 Dave
n4zkf


-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mickey Baker
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 9:59 AM
To: Charles Harpole
Cc: towertalk towertalk
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Fishing line resistance to uv light query

The length of time that it lasts is relative to the sun exposure - tropical
latitudes with direct exposure. Here's a brief discussion in ascending order
or UV resistance,

Nylon monofilament line won't last well at all - it becomes white and
brittle in a relatively short time. Larger line last longer, but don't
expect more than a year under load. The ends of my windom are weighted with
4 ounce fishing weights tied with 80# monofilament - they last about a year
in South Florida - the line turns brittle and the weights fall off.

Fluorocarbon line, commonly used for leaders, is UV stabilized. It will last
twice or more as long as monofilament, but will cloud to a white milky
color. It's pretty expensive, but is made (or sold) by many companies.

The above two lines retain their strength when they abrade, almost
proportionally to the amount of material remaining in the line.

The braid lines based on Spectra, (Kevlar) or Dyneema hold up very well to
the sun, but they're susceptable to breakage from abrasion - once the
micro-braid structure is compromised, the lines fray quickly and fall apart.
The key is to make sure there is no abrasion. This works well for fishing
line where abrasion points change continuously as the line moves on and off
the reel through the guides, but I'm not so sure about antenna supports.
American name brands are PowerPro, Sufix and Spiderwire, to name a few.

Braid takes more care when tying (knots slip and ends fray) and the modern
fibers require a very sharp pair of scissors or cutters to cut.

Colors don't seem to matter - they all fade in the sun.

It is obvious, I suppose, that fishing line, generally, is not manufactured
for long term (years) load support, so an arrangement where the abrasion
points move would be useful to prevent wear - like a pulley support, for
example.

73,

Mickey, N4MB


On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 11:57 PM, Charles Harpole <k4vud at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> How long does fishing line last in exposure to lots of sun?
>
> Do colored lines aid in uv resistance?
>
> Brand names, please.
>
> I want to add support lines to my quad.  Tnx  73
>
> Charles Harpole k4vud at hotmail.com
>
>
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--
Mickey Baker
Fort Lauderdale, FL
"Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me, and
I will learn." Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.
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