[TowerTalk] K9LT/K3LR Lazy Vee Array - rigging question

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

About 10 years ago, I put up a 4-way lazy vee array for 80 meters, 
suspended from near the top of my 97-foot tower.  It is based on the 
design shown in August 94 QST, which involves 4 dipoles, pulled away 
from the tower by their center insulators, such that the lower leg of 
each dipole can come back to the tower base 6-7 feet above ground.

The only weakness of the design is that it relies on tension to take the 
slump out of the catenary, so that the feedpoint is as high as possible, 
and that requires either a lot of tension or anchor points that are well 
outside the guy circle.

I soon discovered that while the array was definitely directive, three 
directions (the W9LT design) would probably be sufficient, because the 
difference between adjacent directions was usually minimal.  About 7 
years ago, I replaced my top guys with 6700 lb Phillystran, as part of 
installing a second tribander under them. More recently, tree growth and 
wear and tear on the array wires has reduced mine to 3 dipoles anyway, 
and they now are aligned approximately parallel to the guys.

So, I had a bright idea.  Suppose I let all three dipoles down to the 
ground, and then attached some sort of smooth rings to the top insulator 
and to the dipole feedpoint.  These could then be attached so that they 
would slide up the Phillystran guys as I pulled the dipoles back up, 
suspending them, taking the weight off the catenary and letting me 
tether the three dipoles right at the guy anchors.

The one potential downside of this I can see is the possibility that the 
two hangers on each guy might chafe the phillystran's plastic cover and 
eventually cut down into the Kevlar itself.  On the other hand, it 
occurred to me that I could make the suspending loops out of some 
material that is softer than the Phillystran's jacket, so that it would 
not be harmed.  Presumably braided nylon rope, cotton rope or other 
materials might meet this spec.

Has anyone done something like this successfully?  Any advice on materials?

-- 
73, Pete N4ZR
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