[UK-CONTEST] Enamelled wire -vs- Flexweave

[Callum M0MCX]

Nigel, 

I'm putting around 15 kilos of weight on these halyards due to the size of
the loop. Can one buy bungee cord in larger diameter? Sounds a good solution
for this particular application. I'll cruise eBay for this answer.

Thanks also to the off-list replies. The flavour of comments suggest that
Flex-Weave is a waste of time. There are other solutions from multi-strand,
single core lighting wire through to hard drawn copper wire. I'll keep my
enamelled wire and replace it if and when it stretches too much.

I'm still trying to source a decent economical rope. Probably not more than
6mm in diameter in a dark colour; black or green.

Cheers,

Callum McCormick
http://www.m0mcx.co.uk/



-----Original Message-----
From: Nigel [mailto:nubsey at ntlworld.com] 
Sent: 03 November 2008 16:48
To: Callum M0MCX; uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Enamelled wire -vs- Flexweave

I use some 1/4 inch bungee cord for the attachment of the halyard to the 
aerial. I run the wire through an insulator then tie the bungee cord to the 
other end of the insulator. This is then tied to the halyard. Good for two 
or three years. I can not say which wire is best, as I only ever use 
stranded pvc covered wire.
Nigel G0vdz
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Callum M0MCX" <callum at mccormick.uk.com>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 12:17 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Enamelled wire -vs- Flexweave


>I could send this to ham_antennas but I'm after a "British" answer(!)
>
> We have a horizontal triangular 174 meter loop up at 90 feet at the scout
> hut (58 meters per leg), currently made of 16 gauge enamelled copper wire.

> I
> don't have any proper ceramic insulators, I just wound the wire twice 
> around
> some strong US military paracord. I'm trying to make sure this lasts a few
> years. Clearly I have to junk the paracord and get some decent insulators
> that will allow the wire to  radius correctly? I see I can buy these 
> ceramic
> insulators from QST magazine, but not sure if there's a British supplier?
>
> Comments sought regarding: a) Is it worth replacing the enamelled wire 
> with
> flexweave (I'm happy replacing the wire annually rather than go to expense
> of flexweave) and b) what am I to replace the paracord with? I need a
> stealthy black or green cable?
>
> I could also use those "G5RV" style springs to make sure that if the 100
> foot oak trees get out of synch with each other, the cable doesn't snap. 
> Are
> they any good?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Callum.
>
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