I'm getting ready to mount a dipole between two trees in my backyard.
Both are large sycamores and I plan to have the dipole about 60 feet up
(max).

In an ARRL publication, there is a description of using a bow and arrow
to get over the branch desired.

This is the method I guess I'll try (can't climb these trees).
Once I have the nylon fishing line over, I'll need to hoist up a nylon
rope attached to a pulley attached to the antenna itself (I mean, of
course, the support line attached to insulator).

I can't figure a way to hoist all this up without, say, 120 feet of
nylon rope in an inverted U plus the weighted support line attached to
the antenna. Yes, I can use a slip knot but I still end up having 60
feet of rope draped from the tree. Should I find a way to cut the nylon
rope near the branch? Just tie up the hanging rope?

It seems necessary to "waste" as much as 60 feet of rope in either side.
If I support the center insulator, then double that.

Is there a better way?

John

PS, Sorry, I couldn't find a way to insert something with imaginary
numbers (hi)

It seems necessary to "waste" as much as 60 feet of rope in either
side. If I support the center insulator, then double that.

Is there a better way?

I'm not sure what the problem is, yes, it takes a bunch of rope if
you can't climb the tree.

I usually don't bother with pulleys as I prefer to get the antenna
up as high as possible. You will lose 15-20 feet of height (or more)
using a pulley compared to not.

Tor
N4OGW

"jawod" wrote in message
...
I'm getting ready to mount a dipole between two trees in my backyard.
Both are large sycamores and I plan to have the dipole about 60 feet up
(max).

In an ARRL publication, there is a description of using a bow and arrow
to get over the branch desired.

This is the method I guess I'll try (can't climb these trees).
Once I have the nylon fishing line over, I'll need to hoist up a nylon
rope attached to a pulley attached to the antenna itself (I mean, of
course, the support line attached to insulator).

I can't figure a way to hoist all this up without, say, 120 feet of
nylon rope in an inverted U plus the weighted support line attached to
the antenna. Yes, I can use a slip knot but I still end up having 60
feet of rope draped from the tree. Should I find a way to cut the nylon
rope near the branch? Just tie up the hanging rope?

It seems necessary to "waste" as much as 60 feet of rope in either side.
If I support the center insulator, then double that.


Wasting 60 ft of line is cheaper than a cherry picker rental, or broken leg.
I will usually tie the rope off by putting a couple of large nails within
step-ladder distance from the ground - but higher than a kid can normally
reach. Then if you need to lower it again, it may be possible.

Sal M. Onella wrote:
Hereabouts (Southern California) we do almost nothing with trees.
John

I hear y'all give 'em lots of hugs. :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

jawod wrote:
I'm getting ready to mount a dipole between two trees in my backyard.
Both are large sycamores and I plan to have the dipole about 60 feet up
(max).

In an ARRL publication, there is a description of using a bow and arrow
to get over the branch desired.

This is the method I guess I'll try (can't climb these trees).
Once I have the nylon fishing line over, I'll need to hoist up a nylon
rope attached to a pulley attached to the antenna itself (I mean, of
course, the support line attached to insulator).

Time for my Bow and arrow story....

A few years back I decided to do the antenna thing with a bow and arrow.
I didn't have any dummy heads, so I took the head off of a practice
arrow and wrapped a wad of duct tape around it. I attached a string to
the rear of the arrow. The kid saw me leaving the garage with the bow,
and decided to tag along. You never know when the Old Man is going to do
something funny. As he puts it, "for such a geeky hobby, there are a lot
of funny outside moments". We set up under the trees, and started.

The first couple of attempts were pretty lame, with the arrow only
going up about 20 feet or so. So I pulled back a good bit more......

Let me tell you, compound bows have more or less two speeds that they
impart to the arrow - almost nothing, and holy crap! The arrow heads
off, goes waaaayy above the treetops which are around 100 feet in my
yard, reaches the end of the string, breaks it, and then continues up a
bit more - I guess - because I lost sight of it. I heard something go
"thump some where.

It was getting kinda dark at this point, but I wanted to see if we
could find it. The neighbors put up with most of my quirks, but I don't
think they would appreciate arrows landing in their yard. So the kid and
I hopped in the car and drove around the neighborhood a few times.
Didn't find the arrow. I felt pretty dum by this time. A few weeks
later, the lad found the arrow only about 30 feet from where I had
launched it. Go figure. Thank heavens it didn't knock out any of the
neighborhood dogs.....

I now use a fishing reel/slingshot launcher. After a while, you can get
pretty good with them. About half the time I can get it around the right
limb on the first try.

I can't figure a way to hoist all this up without, say, 120 feet of
nylon rope in an inverted U plus the weighted support line attached to
the antenna. Yes, I can use a slip knot but I still end up having 60
feet of rope draped from the tree. Should I find a way to cut the nylon
rope near the branch? Just tie up the hanging rope?

Here is what I do. I use nylon rope of the sort used for chalkline. It
is very strong, and will stretch nicely if the trees head in the
opposite directions in the wind, but will spring back. Be careful that
you don't get the poly type - that stuff is nowhere near as strong.

After shooting the weighted line over the desired limb, I tie the nylon
line to it, and haul it back. I then attach that line to the antenna end
(be sure you nave an insulator on it. Then pull it through. I then leave
enough line so that I can pull back through. I have attached one of
those horn shaped pieces of metal such as is used for tying off flag
lines on a flagpole. Then I simply wrap the line around it. Don't worry
about the "waste" because it really isn't waste. How else ya gonna do it?


It seems necessary to "waste" as much as 60 feet of rope in either side.
If I support the center insulator, then double that.

Unless the antenna is extremely heavy, the nylon string method I use
will hold that antenna pretty straight. I'm using an OCF dipole, and it
even has a balun in the middle.

Is there a better way?

I personally wouldn't bother with pulleys on tree antennas. Something
seems to happen that necessitates putting a new (name the part) for that
wire antenna fairly often anyhow.

PS, Sorry, I couldn't find a way to insert something with imaginary
numbers (hi)

Someone will! ;^)

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Mike Coslo wrote:

I have attached one of those horn shaped pieces of metal
such as is used for tying off flag lines on a flagpole.

It's called a "cleat"

73, Roger (old Coastie)

--
Remove tilde (~) to reply

Remember the USS Liberty (AGTR-5)
http://ussliberty.org/

Mike Coslo wrote:

I have attached one of those horn shaped pieces of metal
such as is used for tying off flag lines on a flagpole.

It's called a "cleat"

73, Roger (old Coastie)

--
Remove tilde (~) to reply

Remember the USS Liberty (AGTR-5)
http://ussliberty.org/

wrote:
It seems necessary to "waste" as much as 60 feet of rope in either
side. If I support the center insulator, then double that.

Is there a better way?

I'm not sure what the problem is, yes, it takes a bunch of rope if
you can't climb the tree.

I usually don't bother with pulleys as I prefer to get the antenna
up as high as possible. You will lose 15-20 feet of height (or more)
using a pulley compared to not.

Hi Tor,

I don't use pulleys either, but I'm not sure I uunderstand why you would
lose height with them.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -