Topband: Arborist Slingshot Use
I've been using a Sherrill "BigShot" slingshot for years to install wire antennas in the tall Fir trees around my place. It will launch a 3/4-inch metal pipe-elbow over 100-plus feet tall trees w/o any problem. Make sure you paint the weight a bright color to make it easier to find. Ten feet of a colored line tied between the weight and spooled-line also helps with the "finding" part of the task. I use a big spool (about 5-inch diameter smooth spool-ends) of nylon thread (formerly used by Boeing to sew upholstery used in their planes) as the messenger line to pull heavier lines . My process is: 1 - stab a pipe in the ground elevated/pointed toward the tree-top to be used 2 - slip the spool of line on to the pipe so the line strips-off smoothly (axially) when weight is launched (you DO NOT want to have to deal with line breakage getting the spool to rotate to strip-off line radially). Note: position the spool so the support pipe barely protrudes beyond the end of the spool 3 - tie the line on the spool to the weight 4 - stand slightly forward and to the side of the spool 5 - engage the weight in the slingshot 6 - aim/launch 7 - find the weight on the far-side of the tree 8 - repeat 1--7 as needed NOTE: If you can not locate a useful spool of messenger line, wind several hundred feet (or more) of line around a plastic five gallon pail (Lowes/Home-Depot). Secure the launch-end of the line that feeds the "weight" with a bit of tape. Position the pail over the pipe as in step-1 so the line will strip off the pail axially from the bottom-end of the pail. I have found launching a few weights (stones) over the tree of interest helps to get a feel for the launching process. 73 Dick/w7wkr at CN98pi _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
Thanks for the data on the sch 80 pipe - I assume that the 300+ psi figures are working pressures which should give a good margin. It was the thought of having shards of PVC embedded in your body after a catastrophic failure that scared me David G4FTC From: Topband on behalf of Grant Saviers Sent: 01 September 2019 00:13 To: Topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation? I stick to max 80psi which has a good safety factor vs the pipe rating (4" @220psi in my launcher). Very cold weather and knocking it around when brittle or anytime is certainly to be avoided. An alternative is to buy schedule 80, McMaster sells sch 80 PVC in 5 foot lengths. The pressure rating for 3" is 370psi and 4" 320psi. Then the end fittings should also be sch 80. A friend once (young = stupid) made a firecracker out PVC pipe. Note that PVC doesn't show on xrays, so small bits were still erupting from his skin 20 years later. Fortunately no eye damage. Grant KZ1W _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drone
Mike, I'll bet your drone cost more than $200! ;-) I paid under that this winter. The one drone that did fly was absolutely uncontrollable. It would be helpful if you posted a list of features here to look for when shopping for a drone. Perhaps applicable snippets of text from that QST article? 73, Mike www.w0btu.com On Sat, Aug 31, 2019, 5:53 PM Michael Walker wrote: > I have used Quad Copters for years. In fact, there was a Picture of me > doing in QST about 8 years ago! > > It is by far the most accurate way to make it happen! > > Mike va3mw > > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
I stick to max 80psi which has a good safety factor vs the pipe rating (4" @220psi in my launcher). Very cold weather and knocking it around when brittle or anytime is certainly to be avoided. An alternative is to buy schedule 80, McMaster sells sch 80 PVC in 5 foot lengths. The pressure rating for 3" is 370psi and 4" 320psi. Then the end fittings should also be sch 80. A friend once (young = stupid) made a firecracker out PVC pipe. Note that PVC doesn't show on xrays, so small bits were still erupting from his skin 20 years later. Fortunately no eye damage. Grant KZ1W _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drone
I have used Quad Copters for years. In fact, there was a Picture of me doing in QST about 8 years ago! It is by far the most accurate way to make it happen! Mike va3mw On Sat, Aug 31, 2019 at 6:35 PM Rodman, David wrote: > https://dronefishing.com/ > > > I have used the bait release on this website to great success in order to > drop lines right where I want them vertically. You can do things with a > drone bait release that you can't do with other methods, but it is not a > substitute. Also you can search YouTube for other drone fishing videos for > other ideas on how to pull the line and release the "bait". I usually use > a bunch of wrenches tied together with a wire tie as my "bait". I have > also flown the drone around a roof pipe in order to pull a line around a > vent for a wire support. Lot of things you can do but be careful not to > crash or lose the thing. > > > Good luck. > > > --- > David J Rodman MD > Assistant Clinical Professor > Department of Ophthalmology > SUNY/Buffalo > > Office 716-857-8654 > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Drone
https://dronefishing.com/ I have used the bait release on this website to great success in order to drop lines right where I want them vertically. You can do things with a drone bait release that you can't do with other methods, but it is not a substitute. Also you can search YouTube for other drone fishing videos for other ideas on how to pull the line and release the "bait". I usually use a bunch of wrenches tied together with a wire tie as my "bait". I have also flown the drone around a roof pipe in order to pull a line around a vent for a wire support. Lot of things you can do but be careful not to crash or lose the thing. Good luck. --- David J Rodman MD Assistant Clinical Professor Department of Ophthalmology SUNY/Buffalo Office 716-857-8654 _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Safety with pneumatic tennis ball launchers
G4FTC wrote "The one thing that scares me with the tennis ball launcher is the risk of the plastic air reservoir exploding..." - which is why I always put on safety goggles when using mine. 73, Tom G3OLB _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
I meant to add, I keep my spud gun inside and have no UV concerns about it becoming brittle. If I did, it would be easy to re-manufacture the pressure chamber and make a new one as often as you think necessary. There's less than $15 in parts to make one including buying the long pipe if they won't sell you a 2' section alone. I used a metal Schrader valve so that could be re-used. 73, Gary KA1J _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
David, That is a worthy question and one I asked myself before engaging in making this. I used schedule 40 PVC pipe and it has a significant pressure rating. There are other pipes with a higher rating and some (can't recall the name) sold cheaply that has a cell foam core. They are light-weight and they are not for pressure applications. Schedule 40 is rated at 450 PSI. Schedule 80 630 PSI. https://www.commercial-industrial-supply.c om/resource-center/schedule-40-vs-schedule -80/ or: https://tinyurl.com/y2x5g9lk I have never pumped my pressure tank to more than 70 PSI to get over the tallest trees and that 70 pounds runs the line out to the end of the large open face spinning reel attached to the barrel propelling a foot long PVC spud that definitely finds its way downward through the leaves and branches more easily than a tennis ball will. If... the tennis ball launchers will also propel a heavier PVC spud, I'd use that in them as the difference in ease once it's shot is remarkable. But as to the fear of explosion, knowing the PSI and using the pressure guage in the hand pump relieved my concerns. YMMV. 73, Gary KA1J > The one thing that scares me with the tennis ball launcher is the risk > of the plastic air reservoir exploding - probably not a problem with > new pipe but as the pipe ages I would expect the pipe to become > brittle and that brittleness may not be easy to detect until it is > pressurised. > > The sling-shots do have the problem of the rubber tubes perishing - > but a visual check will easily detect this. > > David G4FTC > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Dwight's Drone
It's OK unless you let it do FT8. Mike K4QET _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Test Message..
disregard.. Sad News For Meghan Markle And Prince Harry track.volutrk.com http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5d6a81642b5716333f2st04duc _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
The one thing that scares me with the tennis ball launcher is the risk of the plastic air reservoir exploding - probably not a problem with new pipe but as the pipe ages I would expect the pipe to become brittle and that brittleness may not be easy to detect until it is pressurised. The sling-shots do have the problem of the rubber tubes perishing - but a visual check will easily detect this. David G4FTC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Drones for antenna installation?
A friend has one of these which makes shooting a tennis ball with fishing line attached over a tree very easy indeed. http://www.antennalaunchers.com/antlaunching.html Richard G3OQT > On 31 Aug 2019, at 07:11, David G4FTC wrote: > > Hi All, > > As a alternative to a drone, I would recommend an Arborist Sling-shot, namely > > https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6687 > > and > > https://www.sherrilltree.com/climbing-gear/throwlines-weights/bigshot-launchers?Brand=Brand%3ANOTCH-EQUIPMENT&ea_a=Brand%3ANOTCH-EQUIPMENT&ea_bc=&ea_c=&ea_path=climbing-gear%2Fthrowlines-weights%2Fbigshot-launchers > > In the UK we can also buy a 4ft extension pole which makes accurate aiming > much easier. The trigger assembly is also recommended. > > Tip - a light-weight weight and line will give you greater height although a > heavier weight will help the line to drop to the ground. > > Getting over a 65ft tree is no problem! > > David G4FTC > > > > From: Topband on behalf of Dwight Jones > > Sent: 30 August 2019 19:16 > To: topband@contesting.com > Subject: Topband: Drones for antenna installation? > > I have been thinking about purchasing a drone. It just occurred to me that I > might be able to use it to install antenna wires. A row of trees separates my > lot from my neighbor's. The row is about 150 feet long and 65 feet high. A > similar row runs in front of my house, but that row is closer to power lines. > > Should I use the drone to drop a wire directly on the trees? Or should I drop > a fishing line and try to pull a wire through all those trees? A third option > is to use a Cushcraft MA160V. > > I'm a newbie on 160 (and don't claim any great skill on other bands...) > > Dwight > KO6FE > CN71 > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
