[UK-CONTEST] Pulleys and rope

[Steve Bunting]

Hi Folks,

Having relied for a number of years on brute force to pull a portable 
mast upright using a gin pole, it seems that it is time to use a pulley 
to provide some mechanical advantage. I guess a marine pulley is the 
grade to look for? I looked at several websites and there is a baffling 
array of pulleys available. Can anyone advise me on the type required? 
Also, I am looking for opinions on how many times should one go back and 
forth between gin pole and anchor stake to form a usable system? I guess 
this could be calculated from first principles, but I am too lazy to do 
that!

Finally, I have been told that some contest groups use marine grade rope 
for their portable masts. The plan is for this to "last a lifetime" so I 
wonder which of the plethora I should choose. Any comments?

73
Steve
M0BPQ