On Sun, 10 Jul 2016 11:14:09 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 10 Jul 2016 07:11:38 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 9 Jul 2016 09:21:40 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:
...

The antennas telescope down to roof level and are quick and easy to
remove. Raising them is harder because the guy lines tangle, but I
don't have to do that quickly as a storm builds.

How many storms/yr force you to do that?

Perhaps once in 1 or 2 months. Everyone else's used weather funnels
out through New England. We see all types from Arctic blizzards
through tornadoes and Gulf hurricanes (Katrina), but rarely at full
intensity.

Egad, that's a lot. Condolences.



Do you loosen your guys prior to dropping? I've only known one
person
who blunt-forced his antenna back up with the guys untouched, and he
probably shortened the life of his ridge roofing by 15 years.

I found that loosening them (just two anchor points on the top two
sections of a 3-section pole) by about 6" each made it a whole lot
easier to telescope the pole back up. They always need a scosh of
retightening anyway.

There are two sets of guy lines. The lower ones run over pulleys at
the mast attachment and tie off at the base, so I can look up and
adjust them to straighten the mast since that's nearly impossible to
do from the outer ends. The upper ones are tied at the top with enough
slack that the antenna can sway perhaps half a foot, which I learned
to do at Mitre. Then I loosen the lower ones to reduce the column
loading on the mast.

Interesting. I've never left slack, but I've never lived in a
high-wind area, either. I've only lost one mast, and that was due to
not having replaced the 20 y/o rusted guy wires.


The lower ones are weighted to take up the slack as I lower the mast,
so they don't drag and snag on shingles. The upper ones just blow
around and catch on the chimney etc. When I raise it I may have to
unsnag them with a telescoping pool cleaning pole.

Yeah, those long uppers have too much play and move all over the place
with the slightest wind. I always try to do my antenna work in the
early morning, when it's very still. It's a helluva lot safer and
most indubitably easier.


A very handy jam cleat on the mast base holds the raising rope while I
untangle a guy line.
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...oden-Jam-Cleat

Cool.


If I don't have to replace a bent mast section the guy lines hold
their adjustment pretty well through lowering and raising. The antenna
jerks sideways to warn me if one pulls tight early.

Radio Shack masts folded. Chain link fence rail masts bend gradually
and can sometimes be straightened in a forked tree.

g


I think I've temporarily assembled the antenna elements with
stainless
screws when I ran out of aluminum ones without any corrosion
problems,
which would appear quickly as poor reception. The waxed wood
insulators needed longer screws than the molded plastic ones.

I remember talking with you about that a few years back. How are
they
holding up?

The signal level has dropped so I'll find out soon.

Ah...

--
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force.
Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
--George Washington