[TowerTalk] insulators and dipoles

Wed Jul 1 18:41:01 EDT 2020

I've used insulated wire for all my dipoles over the years.  Since it is insulated, I simply tie the ends in a knotted loop and tie the rope through the loop.  Over 40 years no issues.  
Bill K4XS/KH7XS/V31XX(soon)

-----Original Message-----
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Sent: Wed, Jul 1, 2020 4:00 pm
Subject: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 211, Issue 1

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Today's Topics:

  1. Re: Do I need an insulator on the ends of my dipole?
      (Kevin Zembower)
  2. Re: Do I need an insulator on the ends of my dipole? (Ken WA8JXM)
  3. Buck stop Model 54V116S1 (W1JCW John)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:44:45 -0400
From: Kevin Zembower <kzembower at verizon.net>
To: TowerTalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Do I need an insulator on the ends of my
    dipole?
Message-ID: <0b1067ce-16cb-cf8c-1334-9cd360112d63 at verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

Thank you all for the suggestions and advice. I never thought it would 
generate so many and such wide ranging responses.

I'll probably go with insulators on the ends of the wire dipole, but 
probably don't need the fins and larger size of the Budwig. I'm thinking 
of just a narrow, thin piece of plexiglass or Lexan, with holes drilled 
in the ends, or a piece of plastic rod, like are often used to adjust 
Venetian blinds. Or, I thought of just 6-12 inches of thicker, 100 lb. 
test monofilament nylon fishing line, tied to a thimble in the wire and 
the other end to the rope. Even when wet, I don't think that would have 
much conductance.

Thanks, again, for all your help.

-Kevin
KC3KZ

On 6/26/20 2:07 PM, Kevin Zembower wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I'm replacing my 40/20/10M fan dipole with an even more stealthy one, 
> using small gauge insulated stranded copper-clad steel. The suspension 
> goes from a post in my back yard, to a mast on the peak of my roof, to a 
> tree in the front of the yard. At both ends, there's at least 10 feet of 
> nylon cord.
> 
> Currently, there's a ceramic insulator at each end of the dipole, 
> between the dipole wire and the nylon cord. Do I need any kind of 
> insulator? Isn't the nylon cord an insulator? I can work out the 
> mechanical stress with thimble eyes. Why do I need an insulator?
> 
> I only run 100W maximum with my system max.
> 
> Thanks for your advice and guidance.
> 
> -Kevin
> KC3KZ

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:58:56 -0400
From: Ken WA8JXM <wa8jxm at gmail.com>
To: Kevin Zembower <kzembower at verizon.net>
Cc: Towertalk <TowerTalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Do I need an insulator on the ends of my
    dipole?
Message-ID:
    <CAABDLm1exrkJPHOMKwwL9uD3z60Z=hbkOY=nG3XeA3bY_m3DkQ at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Cut pieces of plastic clothes hangers and drill holes in the ends for
cheap, lightweight, hard to see, insulators.  That's what I use for
homemade open wire feedline spacers.

Ken WA8JXM

On Tue, Jun 30, 2020 at 2:44 PM Kevin Zembower via TowerTalk <
towertalk at contesting.com> wrote:

> Thank you all for the suggestions and advice. I never thought it would
> generate so many and such wide ranging responses.
>
> I'll probably go with insulators on the ends of the wire dipole, but
> probably don't need the fins and larger size of the Budwig. I'm thinking
> of just a narrow, thin piece of plexiglass or Lexan, with holes drilled
> in the ends, or a piece of plastic rod, like are often used to adjust
> Venetian blinds. Or, I thought of just 6-12 inches of thicker, 100 lb.
> test monofilament nylon fishing line, tied to a thimble in the wire and
> the other end to the rope. Even when wet, I don't think that would have
> much conductance.
>
> Thanks, again, for all your help.
>
> -Kevin
> KC3KZ
>
> On 6/26/20 2:07 PM, Kevin Zembower wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I'm replacing my 40/20/10M fan dipole with an even more stealthy one,
> > using small gauge insulated stranded copper-clad steel. The suspension
> > goes from a post in my back yard, to a mast on the peak of my roof, to a
> > tree in the front of the yard. At both ends, there's at least 10 feet of
> > nylon cord.
> >
> > Currently, there's a ceramic insulator at each end of the dipole,
> > between the dipole wire and the nylon cord. Do I need any kind of
> > insulator? Isn't the nylon cord an insulator? I can work out the
> > mechanical stress with thimble eyes. Why do I need an insulator?
> >
> > I only run 100W maximum with my system max.
> >
> > Thanks for your advice and guidance.
> >
> > -Kevin
> > KC3KZ
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2020 15:48:45 +0000
From: W1JCW John <W1JCW at hotmail.com>
To: "towertalk at contesting.com" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Buck stop Model 54V116S1
Message-ID:
    <MW3PR13MB39620B0AB980F2C13F56CC93F76C0 at MW3PR13MB3962.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

For Sale 

https://buckinghammfg.com/products/buck-stop-5vv124s1/

For full body harness with steel ring dorsal attachment.

Length-6ft.

Meets ASTM F887 Electric ARC 

New in package $120 plus shipping. 

73-
W1JCW
John

.

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