[TowerTalk] Weight on ends of a OCF diploe

Fri Aug 12 01:20:09 EDT 2016

From Ed McCann AG6CX

I've used the first rope over the branch as halyard for years. But into that first line I tie a plastic covered steel bicycle locking cable (Home Depot -- -$10)

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that rides on the tree limb or in the limb crotch. To each steel eye I attach a stainless link of appropriate size, attach a 3/16" dacron line making a continuous loop. Marine block attached to highest end of bike cable, thru this block goes the antenna rope, outboard end in insulator with bowline, wire from other side of insulator outbound to the other tree. Tree one holds halyard with wear-free plastic covered steel cable, and both ends of what becomes the antenna wire lead.

Secure both halyard ends at tree bottom with cleat into tree, rope end of antenna wire thru marine block holding several window sash weights (approx weight 9# each.) easily  hooked on stainless clevis to the weight you desire.

Repeat at other tree.

Two bike cables at $10, weights at zero to $5 (or use sand or water -- pints a pound the world around in a five gallon plastic jug.)
Tree happy, XYL happy, no wear on halyard (protected by plastic - coated steel cable) and a few bucks for links (stainless recommended).

Been up for fifteen years. Easy to change to experiment with OCF stuff, cage dipoles, etc.

73,

Ed McCann
AG6CX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 11, 2016, at 8:34 PM, Wes Attaway (N5WA) <wesattaway at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> I feel compelled to offer an alternative view.
> 
> Jim Brown correctly pointed out that the question of pulleys and a
> counterweight depends on how tall your trees are, how high your antennas are
> in those trees, and how much the trees wiggle.
> 
> In my case I have Pines that are over 100' tall.  I put my OCF antennas at
> the 60-70-ft level.  The wiggling is minimal at that height, although the
> trees do move.  I leave a little slack in the antenna and I do not (and have
> never) used counter weights.  I use 3/16" or 3/8" black Dacron line over the
> tree limbs.
> 
> My method of attachment is that I get a line over an appropriate limb on the
> center tree and I use it to haul up a pulley that has a black line in it.  I
> hoist the antenna center with that line.  (There are two lines in the center
> ....one to hold the pulley up and one to haul the antenna center up).  I do
> not use pulleys on the ends.  I just shoot a line over a limb and pull a
> black line up through and over to the end insulator (on each end).   
> 
> I know all the stories about abrasion and all the other stuff but not one
> antenna has ever broken in the 15+ years that I have been at this QTH (and
> we have had some hurricanes come through) except once when a big limb broke
> off of a tree and crashed through the antenna wire.
> 
> I am sure counterweights are appropriate for some situations but I don't
> think you should just assume you need them.
> 
>  -------------------
> Wes Attaway (N5WA)
> (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA
> Computer/Cellphone Forensics
> AttawayForensics.com
>  -------------------
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Roger
> (K8RI) on TT
> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 9:36 PM
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Weight on ends of a OCF diploe
> 
> In a typical installation for an OCF antenna, I'd think a concrete block 
> in a bucket should be more than adequate. Be careful not to exceed the 
> ratings of the antenna or tower.   I agree with David on just using the 
> weight at the tree, but here (central Lower Michigan), I'd use a lot 
> more weight because of common spring ice storms
> 
> In my case I have a similar arrangement, but it's a center fed, sloping, 
> half wave dipole with one end to the tower and the lower end to a 
> "substantial" tree.  I use a relatively strong braided Dacron rope 
> (available from Davis RF and other sources). I depend on the elasticity 
> of the rope, but it's under "roughly" 200# of tension. To eliminate 
> center sag from the coax and choke weight. At this tension there is only 
> a slight visible sag, sighting along the length of the antenna from the 
> lower end.  With SW antenna the rope runs through a half inch hose 
> around the back side of the tree.  The hose is to protect the tree,  The 
> NE antenna ties off to a forged lag bolt with an eye, in a very large 
> tree.  At this size there is little danger of the mature tree growing 
> around the lag bolt.  A younger tree might require moving the bolt every 
> few years.
> 
> I use as much tension as desired within the strength capabilities of the 
> antenna and supports.
> As a personal preference I'd use at least 100#, with the tower back 
> guyed ( if necessary)  With my 45G, the antennas serve as tension 
> against each other.  OTOH.  My 100' tower's guying is strong enough that 
> back guying would not be needed even at 200# tension in just one direction.
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
> 
>> On 8/11/2016 Thursday 12:20 PM, David Robbins wrote:
>> Enough weight to keep it reasonably tight.  Normally only one end needs to
>> be able to move, I would do that on the tree end instead of the tower.
>> typical weights I have seen are buckets filled with concrete or rocks or
>> sand, 20-30 pounds at most... if it is very long then maybe more weight.
>> 
>> David Robbins K1TTT
>> e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
>> web: http://wiki.k1ttt.net
>> AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://k1ttt.net:7373
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Chuck
>> Gooden
>> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2016 16:14
>> To: towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Weight on ends of a OCF diploe
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Retired recently and am getting back into ham radion.
>> 
>> I am planning on putting up a 80 to 10 meter OCF antenna.  The antenna
> will
>> be supported on a TV tower with the ends attached to some pine trees.  I
> am
>> planning on using a pulley and some weight on the ends to allow for wind
>> effects on the pine trees.
>> 
>> My question is how much weight will I need at the ends to allow for wind
>> movement of the trees?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
> 
> 
> ---
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Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 11, 2016, at 10:07 PM, Jeff Draughn <n0ost99 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I've used old window sash weights usually 2 of the ones that are about 15"
> long works good.
> If you're attaching it to your tower you can strap a piece of PVC on the
> side of the tower and let the weights right up-and-down inside the PVC this
> way it's not clanging and banging on your tower.
> Good luck!
> 
> 
>> On Thursday, August 11, 2016, Chuck Gooden <Chuck.Gooden at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Retired recently and am getting back into ham radion.
>> 
>> I am planning on putting up a 80 to 10 meter OCF antenna.  The antenna
>> will be supported on a TV tower with the ends attached to some pine trees.
>> I am planning on using a pulley and some weight on the ends to allow for
>> wind effects on the pine trees.
>> 
>> My question is how much weight will I need at the ends to allow for wind
>> movement of the trees?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
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