Outdoor rope suggestions?

[Bill, KD0HG]

Soliciting opinion here..Which type of commonly available rope for antenna halyards, etc., (ie, Home Depot) is the most durable when exposed to elements, especially UV?

I have not been impressed with that yellow Polypropylene stuff, it turns to fuzz after a year or three of exposure to our high altitude sunshine.

I have had really good results with Kevlar rope, but I want to avoid its price, if at all possible.



Bill

[W1AEX]

Bill,

You'll get lots of opinions on this, so it should be interesting. I've had very good luck with the darker versions of parachute cord sold by my local True Value hardware store. They sell it in black, dark green, and even camouflage if you find that to be inspirational. I have not seen evidence of UV deterioration or rot after more than 5 years of use. I have noticed some evidence of wear when abrasion is present, like when it gets pulled back and forth over a limb repeatedly, but I think that's common to all kinds of rope, and I have yet to have one of these lengths actually break. I had an antenna strung between two trees last fall and another tree dropped several hundred pounds worth of branches onto that antenna. The balun at the center of the dipole disintegrated and both sides of the dipole slingshot themselves over the tops of the tie point trees. When the tree crew was here earlier this week they retrieved both ends of rope and amazingly there were no signs of stress or failure. I came across another hunk of parachute cord out in the woods that I put up at least 7 years ago and it shows no signs of deterioration. I give parachute cord high marks for rot resistance, durability, strength, and invisibility. My local hardware store sells it in two thicknesses and I always grab the thicker stuff which runs about 15 bucks for a 100 foot piece.

Rob W1AEX

[N4zed]

I'll side with Rob. I've got para-cord up in the tress for at least 5 years. The only problem I see with it is it likes to cut into limbs and is hard to pull up because it is pretty thin.

You can get really cheep prices from cheaper than dirt . 1000 ft for $49 or so. Its the good stuff not the knock off. I've bought 3 or 4 1000 ft rolls of it.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/MHR-305

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

That's good stuff Rob. The only limiting factor I've seen is size, which really depends on the aerial set up it's used for. The nice thing about its smaller diameter is how easily it blends in at a distance. Especially the drab green mil stuff.

I've gone to using the black Dacron-sheathed stuff available at most hamfests. Got a 1000' roll of the heavier size at Berryville a few years back for long runs using pulleys and counterweights. 3+ years later there isn't so much as a mark on it anywhere, and the sun hasn't affected it from what I can tell. Price is reasonable.

[K3ZS]

I use the black double-braided dacron rope that is available from all the internet antenna accessory suppliers.   Sun light does not bother it.   I use the heavier stuff about 3/8 inch in diameter.    My doublet has been up for 15 years and the tense part of the rope is still perfect.    The part that is loose and coiled up has been chewed up by critters, so I don't leave any loose now.   Also use the olive drab military stuff with a PVC pipe section to loosely support the feed line.  The nylon and polypropylene rope available in hardware stores goes bad in sunlight.

[KM1H]

Ive used green and gray para cord for decades and havent had any fail even on a 160M inverted V at 180'.  The wire gradually was destroyed by lightning I guess as the individual strand ends were bubbles.

I also buy 1000' spools and from the Internet these days so I dont have to drive to various hobby shows to buy. At one time I was buying the black stuff from Synthetic Textiles but they got ridiculous with prices.

For heavier duty such as hauling items up the towers and gin pole rope, I buy marine grade nylon rope from a few Ebay outfits.

Carl

[WA3VJB]

Using para cord here too, with sailboat pulleys that use ball bearings on the hub and have a housing made of stainless steel.

Amazon's got 1000 feet of olive drab parachute cord from one of their vendors for $50 and free shipping right now.    
I ordered a 1000' spool last year for $42 from the same place and it's good stuff.  
Look for designator "MIL-C-5040H." sometimes includes "Type III."
Watch out for sub-standard varieties. Read the reviews.

http://campingsurvival.com/oldr10fe.html

[K6IC]

Yep,  Polypropylene turns to trash in about a year.

Have used Synthetic Textile's double braid Dacron for about 15 years,  and holds up very well in the CA sun.

Most Nylon does not do well in the sun.  The para cord must have UV inhibiters,  as most of it that I've seen claimed to be Nylon.

Nylon generally has a lot of stretch ability.  Dacron stretches very little,  altho, bellieve that braided line has more stretch than three-twist.

Rigging suppliers usually stock PolyDac line that is great,  holds up very well in the sun,  but have not seen any around here that is stocked smaller that is  than 1/2",  so not much use for mere mortals as antenna lines.

Sailor's Kevlar is amazing stuff,   but ...   co$ts too much for me.  YMMV, Vic

[Tom WA3KLR]

Attached is a rope parameter table I obtained many years ago from a hamfest vendor, who has been a silent key for many years now.

The chart is in pdf and jpeg.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Thanks for all of the excellent ideas!

My 300' 75M double extended zepp was hit by lightning a few weeks ago ago and I'm trying to come up with a replacement antenna for this coming season. Unbelievable damage to everything that was up on the stick. The far ends of the zepp were melted off of the end insulators. Go figure. The *ends*?

The TV antennas and 5.8 GHZ internet microwave antenna, the router and the NICs in the home computers were torched. All are fixed now.

i was sitting on the porch with a beer when the strike hit. It was like shorting out a HV cap with a screwdriver, but ear blasting loud. "BANG"!! Never been that close to a strike before.

I do have several marine type pulleys at the top of the Rohn 45 to make it easier to repair without climbing to the top but I wanted something to hoist a wire antenna up to replace the old rope that's currently in use. It looks kinda worn.

The 1/2 wave double zepp has been a PITA to maintain, I am thinking of a humble RG-213 balun fed dipole now. But way high.

My tower is 80' of Rohn 45-G, on the edge of a an 80' high ridge which gives it a killer height to the east. You can see a good 50 miles from the base of the stick. I have end supports some 300' N and S of the tower, makes for a hell of a high antenna. The ends of the former zepp are supported by Kevlar rope, small, incredibly strong and light, but I just can't afford more of the same. It survived the hit.

I was unaware of the 500 lb parachute cord, it might be just the thing to use. Reasonably priced and strong.

Thanks all!!!

Bill

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I think the Dacron Polyester, either 3/16 /or 1/4 inch stuff, is what I bought over the years from RF Connection, in 100 foot lengths when I saw him at flea markets. If you cut the rope you have to burn and melt the end so that it doesn't unravel or do something weird. I've have several lengths up in the air for at least 15 or 20 years. The stuff still looks robust with no signs of aging. Critters seem to ignore it. When I had a very large tree branch fall on one leg of the 160 antenna, the 12 gauge wire broke but the rope suffered no problems.

[Bill, KD0HG]

Thanks for all of the excellent ideas!

My 300' 75M double extended zepp was hit by lightning a few weeks ago ago and I'm trying to come up with a replacement antenna for this coming season. Unbelievable damage to everything that was up on the stick. The far ends of the zepp were melted off of the end insulators. Go figure. The *ends*?

Fortunately, I had all of the ham gear completely disconnected from antennas. The stick is some 75' from the house and I use buried runs of 1/2" Heliax between the tower and house. That saved my ass.

The TV antennas and 5.8 GHZ internet microwave antenna on the stick, the router and the NICs in the home computers were torched. All are fixed now.

i was sitting on the porch with a beer when the strike hit. It was like shorting out a HV cap with a screwdriver, but ear blasting loud. "BANG"!! Never been that close to a strike before. I have a lot more respect now.

I do have several marine type pulleys at the top of the Rohn 45 to make it easier to repair without climbing to the top but I wanted something to hoist wire antennas up to replace the old rope that's currently in use. It looks kinda worn.

The 1/2 wave double zepp has been a PITA to maintain, I am thinking of a humble RG-213 balun fed dipole now. But way high.

My tower is 80' of Rohn 45-G, on the edge of a an 80' high ridge which gives it a killer height to the east. You can see a good 50 miles from the base of the stick. I have end supports some 300' N and S of the tower, makes for a hell of a high antenna. The ends of the former zepp are supported by Kevlar rope, small, incredibly strong and light, but I just can't afford more of the same. It survived the hit. The wire and feeders didn't.

I was unaware of the 500 lb parachute cord, it might be just the thing to use. Reasonably priced and strong.

Thanks all!!!
Much appreciated. Seriously.

Bill

[K5WLF]

I'm in with the crowd on the parachute cord, Bill. Get the good stuff from a reputable vendor. There are some ripoffs out there.

Yep, I've been close to a couple lightning strikes. It'll definitely get your attention. Glad you're OK and that just some antennae got zapped.

[N4zed]

And you will want to melt the ends of the paracord as well.

[KM1H]

All synthetic rope needs the ends melted.

Ive been using the Synthetic Textiles for boom supports since they first started selling to hams in the 80's. After years of stress the knots dont want to come apart but for stretch I use either small turnbuckles or just lower the boom a bit.

Also have various lengths salvaged from wire antenna experiments that didnt pass their tests.....such as an 8JK, wire yagi, LP, and other half assed ideas trying to get gain on 80/75.

[ke7trp]

At home depot the rope packages have a chart like the one above that shows the specs for each type. I too like the antenna rope or para cord. Seems strong after two years in az sun.

[K5IIA]

has anyone tried that strap that electricians use to pull wire threw conduit? i was thinking of using some of that? a guy told me he has had some up for years and its holding up fine but you know how that kinda info is. 

[WA3VJB]

I wouldn't bother with it Brandon, unless you've got a free source of it to mess with.

The cost-benefit ratio has to be worse than with parachute cord, even if you buy the para in smaller quantities.  At the $50 price of 1000 ft spools, not much can touch the stuff.

I use tall trees to hold my dipoles up.  Before I started using center supports, I needed some awful strong end support to handle the wind load when the trees would tighten up the antenna.

Plastic coated aircraft cable, Dacron/Kevlar cord, and 1/4" marine rope, all on pulleys, were among the ways I kept the aerials aloft for a few years at a time. The pulleys allow the support line to ride back and forth instead of cutting into the tree branches.

These days I've gone to center support dipoles, which handles the weight of the coax better besides.  I use marine/sailboat rope on pulleys for the center, and lightweight parachute cord on pulleys for the ends.  It's a complicated system, but works well.

[WA1GFZ]

Tom,
I remember that chart. I have some polyester that has been up for over 20 years. The green stuff. Even better was some black stuff that was around for a couple years. My reference 75 meter dipole has the same rope from the 80s.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

As a complement to what Tom, KLR, posted, this rope spec (Working Loads and Approximate Average Break Strengths) was on the back of my sheet.