[Elecraft] Fw: OT: Ladder Line Spacers

[Fred Jensen]

Ken Kopp wrote:
> 
> Hi Fred,
> 
> Is that long-in-the-tooth rope something other than white?

I have no color vision so I don't know what the GRA-4 rope color is, but 
it isn't white.  The rope I have up for my current antennas is white and 
was labeled "Nylon."

   OD maybe

Looks medium gray to me ... sort of like some shades of red, orange, 
yellow, green ... you probably get the idea :-)

> therefore resistant to UV degradation?  Does it stretch, indicating it's 
> actually nylon?

It stretches a little not a lot, but it's only about 1/4" in diameter 
and fairly tightly woven.  Very smooth, I sealed the end with a match. 
It's been out in the open for maybe a dozen years, the rest of the time 
in my truck.

   I've seen "military" rope in various forms and it seems
> to be Dacron or similar material, but not nylon.  I have some 3/8" black 
> Dacron here holding up a heavy dipole that doesn't stretch or degrade in 
> the sun.

Hmmm ... we always thought this was nylon, like the shroud lines on our 
parachutes which did stretch a little too.  If Dacron doesn't degrade, 
maybe I'll pull some of it over the pulley before the nylon rope breaks.

73,

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