[Elecraft] Trees eating wire

[Walter Underwood]

I was on a 50 mile Scout trek and two Scouts got a bear-bagging rope with a rock tied to it stuck in a tree. They pulled as hard as they could and it shot back and hit one of them in the neck. Luckily, it only hit soft tissue, but he was in shock and couldn’t turn his head for a couple of days.

There is a kind of rope which is specifically designed to not get stuck in trees, “arborist throw line”. These days, I exclusively use that for bear bagging and for field antennas. Arborists also have throw weights for trees, though I don’t take those on hikes.

http://www.wesspur.com/throw-line/zing-it-throw-line.html

wunder
K6WRU
Walter Underwood
CM87wj
http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)

> On May 26, 2019, at 11:35 AM, Tom Boucher <tomg3olb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Wayne's problem with a tree eating his wire reminds me of an incident some
> years ago when I was attempting to get an antenna halyard over a tall oak
> tree. I used some braided nylon cord with a probable breaking strain of
> several hundred pounds, which was attached to a drilled golf ball.
> 
> My catapult put the ball and cord over a branch somewhat lower than
> intended so I attempted to pull it back. Of course the inevitable happened
> and the ball wound itself around the branch. No matter how hard I pulled
> the cord it wouldn't come. So I wound the cord around a piece of wood and
> with my heels dug into the ground, gave it my full body weight plus some.
> 
> Finally it released itself and the golf ball shot towards me hitting me in
> the right foot and breaking several bones. I had literally shot myself in
> the foot! I'm just thankful it wasn't 2 or 3 feet up otherwise my voice
> would now be an octave or so higher.
> 
> Heard the guys sniggering behind the curtain in the hospital A&E department
> after I told them I had shot myself with a golf ball. XYL not at all
> impressed at having to drive me to the salt mine for 6 weeks.
> 
> Lead weights used by anglers could be even more lethal.
> 
> Needless to say I don't use that method any more and now use a compressed
> air device with weighted tennis balls which works a treat!
> 
> 73,
> Tom G3OLB
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