[TowerTalk] Mechanical weak link in leg of dipole

[Steve65]

Hello all,

The south end of my 80-meter dipole runs among trees. The trees are 
higher than the antenna wire and have limbs which are above the dipole. 
Big limbs. The dipole is made of #14AWG THHN. It is supported at its 
southern end with about 40ft of 3/16in rope tied off in a tree.

One of the trees that is near the antenna is a large beech. One of its 
limbs broke off a few months ago and narrowly missed the antenna wire. 
I'm thinking about installing a mechanical weak link in this leg of the 
dipole that would break if one of the heavy limbs falls across the 
antenna wire.

Good idea? Bad idea?

What material would be a good choice for the weak link?

Thanks.

Steve, K8JQ