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1-10 of 11 messages
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Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by W2FFQ on June 19, 2009
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What are some tricks/tools for getting a temporary wire high up into trees? I assume you could use a very light line messenger and a heaving line (e.g. weighted monkey's fist), but I doubt that I (personally) could get very high at all going that route.
What do folks use? Idea would be to get a wire up maybe 35-40ft into the trees in my backyard.
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by KI4SDY on June 19, 2009
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The most inexpensive way I have found to get an antenna 30' to 60' into a tree is with a wrist rocket sling shot ($5.00 at your favorite sporting goods store), a small circular magnet or large metal washer and some light fish line. Leave lots of fish line unrolled and untangled on the ground at your feet from the reel and start shooting, until you get the limb that you want. Make sure you have several extra weights because you may lose some if they become tangled on the wrong limb and you can't pull them down. Once you get the line over the right limb, tie your support line to the fish line weight and pull it back over to install the antenna.
If your want more height and are willing to spend more money, then I would get a medium draw weight crossbow on eBay for about $50.00 that has a fishing attachment with line on the front. You can use it to get a line to the top of almost any tree very accurately and when you get tired of talking on the radio, you can use it to shoot fish in a barrel (off a dock) with. Check your local laws for legal issues on the fishing!
If you will install the antenna the KI4SDY way, with pulleys at each end of the side dipole lines weighted with bricks, you can have a "convertible" inverted V or flattop antenna by raising and lowering the center support line.
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by W2FFQ on June 20, 2009
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Thanks for the tip on the wrist rocket and the weighted fishing line, that sounds pretty good (esp. the part about having a few extra extra weights). I don't think I necessarily need the height/accuracy of the crossbow.
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by K5LXP on June 20, 2009
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Spud gun:
<http://www.qsl.net/k5lxp/projects/Launcher/Launcher.html>
I modified this one to be a bit shorter, to make it more
transportable. I consider it as much an antenna tool as
wire, insulators and an MFJ-259.
Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by WB6BYU on June 20, 2009
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For tall trees I use a Wrist Rocket with a closed-face
spinning reel attached to the horizontal section (below
the wrist) with a hose clamp. Works very well.
The best tool I ever used for tall trees (>90') was a
standard recurved bow (35 pound pull weight) and weighted
arrows. (A .30-06 casing filled with sand makes a
convenient weight for the front of an arrow, but I just
taped on several nails.)
But my most common method is to throw the line up by hand,
and I've done this up to 60' without much trouble (but
with a fair amount of practice over the years.)
Use a thin braided line if possible: I found some crab
pot line in a commercial fishing shop in Alaska that
works great. Don't try to throw it overhand - even
a good pitcher will have problems at a high angle. I
attach a good weight (probably about one pound - a rock
the size of my fist is a good start) and feed out a
couple feet of line. Get the weight swinging back and
forth underhand to establish the desired azimuth
direction. Then swing it a bit more vigorously and
flip it upwards. If you try to swing it around in a
circle you can build up lots of speed, but it is harder
to time your release properly.
I tie the end of the rope onto a bucket and pay the
rope loosely into it, starting with the tied end. It
should then pay out cleanly when you throw without
tangling on the grass, branches, etc. An alternative
is to lay down a tarp or blanket and lay the rope out
on that, but since I've started using the bucket it
makes things much easier.
Now I keep a couple buckets around (the small red plastic
painters' buckets from Ace Hardware work well) with
rope and throwing weights in them. For backpacking
I collect a suitable rock at the operating site: when
I couldn't find one by the ocean I used an old sock
filled with sand. It really is simple, especially for
heights in the range of 30 to 40', so I don't bother
with the "heavy artillery" unless I plan to go higher
than that.
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by VE3WMB on June 20, 2009
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The slingshot + fishing reel works pretty well. You don't actually have to
mount the fishing reel on the slingshot you can secure the fishing reel to a stake (I use a big screwdriver) just slightly behind you and off to whatever side you hold the slingshot. Try to get the angle of the reel
to more or less match the direction you will be aiming.
Having the line on the reel works better as I have found that when you lay the fishing line on the ground it always manages to find something to get caught up on.
Oh yeah, do yourself a favor and invest in a pair of safety glasses, they are a lot cheaper than surgery to repair a detached retina !
Best of luck
Michael VE3WMB
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by W1ITT on June 21, 2009
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My favorite is the WB6ZQZ antenna launcher.
http://www.antennalaunchers.com/wb6zqz.html
It's safer than a crossbow, doesn't get hung up like fishing weights from a slingshot and is just plain fun. I got the kit and assembled it myself. It uses compressed air to shoot a weighted and tethered tennis ball. I had a crossbow bolt break loose from the line once, and it came down about 3 feet from a real nice car. The tennis balls are a whole lot safer, and probably less likely to scare the neighbors.
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by KO4XJ on June 24, 2009
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I've used the slingshots and fishing reels and they are ok BUT if you build the air cannon from the March QST you'll throw rocks at the slingshot. But do yourself a favor, get 2 or 3 others to build them with you, it's alot cheaper on the supplies!!
Good luck
John
KO4XJ
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by KC0JGJ on July 15, 2009
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Try a Hyperhanger....
Don’t worry about the headaches you’ll get with those sling shot 1oz weights. Simply launch your line over a tree or several trees if you like. The Ball is almost tangle free and easy to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxCMvkLG-4g
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RE: Launching a temproary wire up into the trees
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by KB1KGA on July 21, 2009
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I've just bought a Hyper Hanger and it worked very after some practice.
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