[Elecraft] Wire antenna ends and spools?

[Bob McGraw]

For years I've carried and used a 50 ft spool of #22 insulated stranded 
hookup wire.  I un-spool the length I guess-ta-mate to be the required 
amount, put a 1/2 hitch at the spool the wire comes on, and toss the 
spool end into the nearest tree, allowing the spool to hang down from a 
limb.  The other end connects to a specially designed banana jack on the 
camper.  When finished operating, just turn the end loose, the spool 
drops down, back off the 1/2 hitch and wind the wire on the original 
spool.    No insulators, rope, heaving lines, launchers,  or other 
things required.

I also carry a 100 ft spool of #22 in case I wish to put up a longer 
wire.  In that case I may use the 50 ft spool as a ground radial of what 
ever length I may think needed.   Some may ask "how long is the wire 
antenna?".   The answer is a very complex mathematical equation; " long 
enough to go from my termination point on the camper to the desired tree 
limb".

My viewpoint.......more parts = more issues.

73

Bob, K4TAX

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2021 15:59:45 -0700
From: Walter Underwood<wunder at wunderwood.org>
To: Elecraft<elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Wire antenna ends and spools?
Message-ID:<D2F8D78D-1731-4B8F-9F4D-90775131F267 at wunderwood.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii

I looped the wire and taped it with electrical tape.

For winding, I use the SOTAbeams midi winders. They are the same length as my KX3. I tried camping clothesline reels, but they would bind and it just took too danged long to wind them up.

https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/midi-winders/  <https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/midi-winders/>

For rope into trees, arborist throw line is great. It is lightweight and specifically designed to not get stuck in trees.

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