[Elecraft] Fw: OT: Ladder Line Spacers

[Fred Jensen]

Ken Kopp wrote:
> Wes is of course correct about the UV resistance of
> nylon ... NEVER use white ty-wraps outside ... and 
> the method used by Steve (below) could be even
> cheaper if one cut the spreaders from "drip sprinkler" 
> tubing.  This is (almost) the method used by "W7FG
> Ladderline".

Oooh Kay.  The US military GRA-4 antenna [5' Al poles that you could 
push up by adding sections at the bottom, had nylon guy ropes and nylon 
haul ropes for the [usually] fan dipole.  My team and I used these in 
Vietnam and Laos for 4 years.  Nothing ever broke or fell down, and I 
still have about 150 International Feet of that now 45 yr old rope under 
the back seat of my truck ... not sure why, but it seemed like a good 
idea at the time.  Even if you weren't there, you can probably imagine 
the tropical sun, rain, and resultant mold.  This rope survived far 
better than my feet did.

I have two wires suspended between my tower and trees on nylon rope. 
It's been a long winter, however it does look like it's ending and we'll 
be in "forever clear and sunny" weather in triple digits soon [we hope 
:-)  The rope shows no deterioration, been up for at least 4 years now.

What am I missing here?

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2010 Cal QSO Party 2-3 Oct 2010
- www.cqp.org