How I support wire ants. You have to read to the end to see my question...

Bill-W9OL

I use salt water clear fishing-leader line for my wire antennas

my wire antennas go to a couple of nicely convient BIG trees.

The one tree is in the parkway in front of my house.

I use a casting fishing rod to throw a 2oz. lead  weight over the top of the tree and let the weight decend.

Here is my little trick that solved the line breaking due to rubbing on the branches but still allowing the antenna to change height as the tower is raised or lowered pending weather conditions.

After I get the weight to the ground I attach this monofilament, almost clear and practically invisible SALT WATER FISHING line that's used for the big salt water fish.

Over 3 years of rubbing, going up and down in that tree (old iron window sash weight) and has never broken. (you youngsters probably don't know what a sash weight is) Previous types of line always succumbed to the effect of wind induced abrasion.

And if your wondering, I do have a much heavier rope from that sash weight to a limb so just in case the mono does break, the weight doesn't do any damage to my already feeble head.

I saw a note about this stuff in some antenna website. Cheap, very cheap end runs on ebay, and it comes in various 'test' weights.

I presently have 500# test which I have to strain to see and I know where to look. I don't bother with end insulators either.

The line comes with a supply of small crimps. I started trying knots and they just slid right out. So ended up using a bowline AND the crimps and they haven't slid out yet. Oh, and it has NO streching.

Now after some medical problems, my wife insists I can not go on the roof to replace this fishing line if it does break.

So has anyone yet used one of the remote gyrocopters to drag a light line over a tree? and then use that to get the strong stuff in place?

My only worry...I'm just about 3/4 of a mile south of the main landing runway at Ohare. LOL

Do you think they would yank my license? The tree is about 60 feet at the peak.

KF4HR

http://antennatensioner.com/drupal/

Mark_WS7M

Hi Bill,

Being that close to an airport, flying any kind of R/C craft is just asking for trouble.

Here is my simple suggestion:

Befriend a couple high school guys willing to do the roof and handle throwing or launching your weights etc to get where they need to go.

In my case I threw my arm out a long time ago during baseball.  I cannot throw a ball more than 20 yards these days and in my prime I could hurl a baseball from deep center field up and over the backstop behind the catcher.  Not any more...

So when I wanted to launch a rope over a tree for my wire antenna I got my 19 year old kid to launch a rock over it.  He cleared it easily by 10 feet and the rock was heavy enough to drag the line down. 

This is generally cheaper than buying a device or a launcher.  I do have have a tennis ball launcher for this very purpose but when you have a kid with a good arm why not use that instead.   Buy them a cheeseburger after the task is done!

Mark

Ernest - W4EG

Thanks Bill,
Great idea and it looks like a nice product; the "antennatension." 
I will implement your idea and now looking for someone to climb a tree.

KF4HR

By the way, the FAA recently implemented several rules regulating multi-rotor model aircraft.  Hefty fines can be levied for anyone flying a model aircraft within 5 miles of an airport. 

Bill-W9OL

I doubt that I am within 5 miles of the south western edge of Ohare. But I maybe just inside the landing approach.

But discretion definetly is the proper action in this matter.

Norm - W7CK

That was great and thank you for posting.  The only problem I had was when I got to the part that read (you youngsters probably don't know what a sash weight is).   All of a sudden, I realized I was no longer a youngster!   Shoot, I was feeling pretty good until that point......

I've always had trouble with the tree growing around the line and eventually jamming it to the point it can't be lowered and won't travel thru the branches when the wind starts blowing.  Pine trees have a lot of sap and tend to grow around the line fairly fast.  After getting a line over the branch, I usually pull up another heavier line with a small pulley.  Through the pulley I have the line that is actually attached to the antenna.  This way, as the tree grows around the first line, the line attached to the antenna which goes through the pulley continues to operate for many years to come.

When I lived in Alaska I have a Lazy H up at around 120 feet or so.   Darn thing usually out performed my tri-bander into the South Pacific and over the pole into Europe and Africa.  Boy do I miss tall trees!

Norm - W7CK

Its set at 5 miles but you can call the airport, describe what you are doing, where you are located and how high you plan on flying.  They will most often give you permission.  I live in Phoenix and there are several flying fields here that are within 5 miles of airports.  Most of them levy a 300' or less ceiling on RC flights, but I don't think you'll be going that high.

Make sure you have registered with the FAA for your RC aircraft.  Registration is free prior to sometime in February.  I don't think they are out to stop all RC flight.  I think they are just trying to make sure folks are aware of the rules.   Airspace around an airport is like an upside down pyramid.  At the airport, the controlled airspace goes all the way to the ground.  The farther you get from the airport the controller airspace rises incrementally.  

Most airport managers are pretty easy to work with and appreciate when you call them and explain what your doing.  I've flown many times within the 5 mile limit of an airport with the airport managers permission.

With that said, I don't think using a quadcopter is a good idea when putting up wire antennas.  It is much easier and safer to use a fishing pole, compressed air ball launcher, ball thrower for a dog, or a sling shot.

Mark_WS7M

Good advice.

With the recent news about drones causing problems better safe than sorry.

Take all the right steps:

1) FAA registration
2) Airport notification

etc.

George KF2T

I'm only about 1.5 miles from our local airport, and right in the pattern, so UAVs are out. Would absolutely love to try a 200 ft wire vertical to my auto tuner, supported by a quadcopter. Anyone done it?

Mark_WS7M

Hum... I never considered keeping the copter flying while transmitting...  Could mess up the copter.   

I live in an area where I could get away with that.    Have a copter take about 500 feet of wire up, need a big copter I think.

I used to fly gas RC helicopters and I did tow about 200 feet of wire once and that was tricky.

Interesting idea!

Mark_WS7M

Found this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9hsOWiB-Rs

Norm - W7CK

Tether it with a balloon instead of trying to use a quad copter to support a vertical......  Make the vertical a half wave long and it won't require much of a radial system and should perform fairly well.

KF4HR

I can't imagine how any airport manager would be willing to take on the responsibility, not to mention the serious potential liability, of overriding the FAA's 5 miles radius rule for model aircraft.  If one does, I highly recommend getting that permission in writing!  Not saying that model aircraft pilots aren't responsible, most are, but even with the best intentions, model aircraft have and do go out of control occasionally.