[TowerTalk] Tougher antenna rope

[Grant Saviers]

Any rope will fray when moving over a branch.  IMO, Synthetic Textiles 
(direct, DXEng, others) makes the most durable short of specialized 
arborist rope that has a polymer impregnated outer layer and then in 
larger diameters only.  The black dacron/polyester cover is UV proof (20 
years?) and the braided core is much stronger than unbraided.

I find the best strategy is to have the over the branch rope grow into 
the tree and have a pulley on the end of it with the antenna hoist rope 
passed thru and tied in a loop so the end is never lost when the antenna 
wire breaks.  Or a separate small pull down line on the insulator tie point.

I also only use marine sailboat blocks.  Lewmar makes a 30mm block for 
about $20 that lasts forever, has low friction and doesn't fray the 
line.  Harken also makes 20mm to 30mm blocks which sometimes I use when 
cheaper.  Hardware store die cast clothesline blocks freeze up or cut 
the line in my experience.

https://www.mauriprosailing.com/us/product/LEW29901321BK.html

"economic" all depends on what costs you care about.

Grant KZ1W


On 1/22/2019 12:26 PM, N4ZR wrote:
> I have a small variety of wire HF antennas that I've placed high in my 
> trees with a tennis ball gun.  All great except that the lifetime of the 
> rope I've been using (3/16" polypropylene braid with an unbraided core) 
> seems quite short, probably because of chafing against moving branches 
> near the tops of trees.
> 
> Does anyone have suggestions for an alternative, hopefully an economic one?
>