[Milsurplus] antenna wire reel

[Gene Smar]

Gents:

     Speaking of NVIS and long-wire antennas (N3FRQ and I wrote about same 
on the milsurplus reflector just this afternoon),  I bought one of these 
clothesline reels 
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=827E140T&categoryid=6100 
for possible use as a storage device for long-wire antenna wire.  It's 
certainly not as sturdy as the antenna wire reels in GRA-4 antenna sets, but 
it is cheap - around $4 - and lightweight.

     I also found this site:  http://www.hamradiofun.com/catalog.htm  that 
shows how these reels might be used.  My thought was to wind about 125 feet 
of #22 wire onto a reel and pay it out to various half- or 
quarter-wavelengths depending on the band.

     Has anyone already done this in the field?  How sturdy is the little 
tab at the end of the reel that is supposed to hold the wire at the proper 
length?  My concern here would be that this critical tab would break off 
after only a few deployments.

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F