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Getting antennas (or rope supports for them) over tall trees is an activity in
which most of us have partaken, either for ourselves or friends.
This has been a hot topic on the Topband (160-m ham) group recently. Everything
from compressed-air launching devices to drones to bow-and-arrow techniques
have been given a mention. I suppose climbing and slingshot use are other
approaches.
You may wish to give this a look and then comment here and on other MW DX
groups about what has or hasn't worked for you.
http://lists.contesting.com/_topband/2018-11/threads.html
I have been using arrows with attached skinny (6 or 8 lb. test) fishing line
since the late '60s. The arrows aren't that heavy; furthermore, resin / sap,
along with branch tangles, can gum up the successful descent process. Still
I've had reasonable success raising antennas for myself and a number of other
DXers here in MA.
Step 1 is shooting the arrow with its fishing line over the tree. Step 2 is to
load nylon mason's twine at the end from which you've removed the arrow and
roll in the fishing line from the other end (original shooting position) until
you have only mason's twine going up, over, and down. Step 3 is to attach
heavy weatherproof rope (dacron typically) and reel in all the mason's twine so
that only heavy rope remains. Step 4 is to attach and hoist up the antenna
with whatever insulators, pulleys, etc. that may be desired.
Back in 1967 I was living next to Menotomy Rocks Park (Arlington, MA) NW of
Boston. I was installing ham and MW/SW receiving antennas in white pines that
topped out around 115 ft. / 35m. The town of Carlisle has old-growth white pine
even a bit taller, likely the tallest trees in eastern MA. Here on Cape Cod 66
ft. / 20m is about the maximum height of the pitch pines, oaks, and black
locusts in and near my yard.
Some of the guys out west are dealing with tree heights in the 200 ft. range
(Douglas fir, redwood, ponderosa pine, etc.). I'm sure what I do here would not
work for that kind of height. Some of the Topband discussions suggest
techniques that are successful for getting antennas over those really huge
trees.
Mark Connelly, WA1ION
South Yarmouth, MA, USA
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