Over the next week or so I'm planning on doing some
tweaking to my random wire antenna outside, and
I came across something on either the net or in a book
that recommended bungee cord for an outside antenna
to relieve the slack during wind gusts. I was planning
on just keeping a standard poly rope, but I was wondering
what the group thought of the idea of a bungee cord.

--Mike L.

-=jd=- wrote:

Bungees don't seem to weather well, but will do for the short
term. You may also consider, instead of directly tying it off
at the far end, running the rope through a pulley, with two or
three bricks (or some other suitable weight) to hold tension
on the rope.

I found a 4" pulley for about $5 at the local home-improvement
store that's sold as a laundry-line pulley. Even though it's
plastic (with a metal axle), it's tougher than it looks.


The weight is a good idea. It has an automatic tensioning device that
keeps the rope tied to the antenna tight all year round. We all hate
sagging long wire antennas.

mike

JD,

Rope through the Pully.

Rope tied onto the Weight.

Figure your Rise-and-Fall movement and
tie-off the extra Rope at the Center Point
of this movement with just enough slack
allow the Weight to Rise-and-Fall with
the Movement of the Antenna Wire.

Having the extra Rope Tied-Off in this
manner acts as a back-up to the Weight.

jm2cw ~ RHF
..
..

"-=jd=-" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu 30 Dec 2004 11:29:49p, "Michael Lawson" mtl@[REMOVE-
TO-REPLY]fuse.net wrote in message news:Jw4Bd.15550$IZ2.13061
@fe37.usenetserver.com:

Over the next week or so I'm planning on doing some
tweaking to my random wire antenna outside, and
I came across something on either the net or in a book
that recommended bungee cord for an outside antenna
to relieve the slack during wind gusts. I was planning
on just keeping a standard poly rope, but I was wondering
what the group thought of the idea of a bungee cord.

--Mike L.




Bungees don't seem to weather well, but will do for the short
term. You may also consider, instead of directly tying it off
at the far end, running the rope through a pulley, with two or
three bricks (or some other suitable weight) to hold tension
on the rope.

I found a 4" pulley for about $5 at the local home-improvement
store that's sold as a laundry-line pulley. Even though it's
plastic (with a metal axle), it's tougher than it looks.

Hmm.. I've thought about that, but I think that the
kids wouldn't go for having a brick hanging off of
a pulley on the end of their wooden playset, and
my wife would freak if I did that at the other end,
where our screened in porch is.

I may just keep it with the poly rope in pretty
much an as-is configuration for a while, and see
how it goes.

--Mike L.

Ya know when I first looked at this thread, I thought the subject read "Pope
on a Rope used for Bungee??" Man I gota get my eyes checked.

B.H.

ML,
..
You can get fancier with a Three to Five Pound (3#-5#) Fish Weight
or an Old Wooden Window Weight instead of a Brick.
..
Buy a Ten Foot (10') Piece of PVC Pipe that the Weight
will just {Fit} "Slide" Up-and-Down in Freely.
..
Stick the PVC Pipe in the Ground about Two Feet (2')
with the rest of the Pipe above Ground.
..
Tie-Off the Weight with the Rope so that it is 'positioned'
Midway {Centered} in the PVC Pipe to Move with the
Dynamic Loading of the Antenna Wire.
..
Insert the Weight into the PVC Pipe.
..
Paint the PVC Pipe if that is what will make the Family Happy ;-}
(o: Out-of-Sight - Out-of-Mind )
..
..
iane ~ RHF
..
All are WELCOME at the Shortwave Listener (SWL) "Antenna Ashram"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/502
Some Say: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.
I BELIEVE: On A Clear Night . . .
You Can Hear Forever and Beyond, The BEYOND !
[ With the an Shortwave Listener "SWL" Antenna of your own making. ]
..
..

Brian Hill wrote:

Ya know when I first looked at this thread, I thought the subject read "Pope
on a Rope used for Bungee??" Man I gota get my eyes checked.


Polytheists don't believe in a Pope.




mike

Michael Lawson wrote:

Over the next week or so I'm planning on doing some
tweaking to my random wire antenna outside, and
I came across something on either the net or in a book
that recommended bungee cord for an outside antenna
to relieve the slack during wind gusts. I was planning
on just keeping a standard poly rope, but I was wondering
what the group thought of the idea of a bungee cord.

--Mike L.

Nylon rope is more durable (UV resistant) than polypropylene.

starman wrote:

Michael Lawson wrote:

Over the next week or so I'm planning on doing some
tweaking to my random wire antenna outside, and
I came across something on either the net or in a book
that recommended bungee cord for an outside antenna
to relieve the slack during wind gusts. I was planning
on just keeping a standard poly rope, but I was wondering
what the group thought of the idea of a bungee cord.

--Mike L.

Nylon rope is more durable (UV resistant) than polypropylene.

You got that right! I put up a 36' mast years ago and used that darn
polyproylene, and after a few years it started rotting.

Stay away from that stuff.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Bungee cords and sunlight don't get along. Works if you replace often
enough. A pulley and weight are better.

"Michael Lawson" wrote in message
.. .
Over the next week or so I'm planning on doing some
tweaking to my random wire antenna outside, and
I came across something on either the net or in a book
that recommended bungee cord for an outside antenna
to relieve the slack during wind gusts. I was planning
on just keeping a standard poly rope, but I was wondering
what the group thought of the idea of a bungee cord.

--Mike L.