any metrowest hams have a bow I can borrow to mount a dipole?

[lord1234]

I'm in Framingham and need to shoot a rope up into a tree to pull my dipole up. I had it up, but it got knocked out of the crotch of the tree with the wind recently.

Anyone have a bow they'd let me shoot up into the tree? I'd provide the arrows(actually a dowel cut to length).

--L

 

[Lucas McCain]

I dont have a bow for you but I use a fishing rod with a big sinker on it. Not as accurate as a bow but it does work pretty good if you can cast.

 

[whatluck]

Check this out.

 

[lord1234]

sure, i saw that, but I can't use it, since I can't LEGALLY buy a slingshot in MA.

 

[cockpitbob]

sure, i saw that, but I can't use it, since I can't LEGALLY buy a slingshot in MA.

I've seen them being sold new at ham fests. I don't know if the seller is ignorant of the law or, because of the attached fishing reel and its intended purpose, it falls into a legal category.

Can buy a bow but not a slingshot or even a pea shooter. This state is beyond stupid.

 

[lord1234]

I've seen them being sold new at ham fests. I don't know if the seller is ignorant of the law or, because of the attached fishing reel and its intended purpose, it falls into a legal category.

Can buy a bow but not a slingshot or even a pea shooter. This state is beyond stupid.

Preach brotha' preach.

 

[Harleynut]

I dont have a bow for you but I use a fishing rod with a big sinker on it. Not as accurate as a bow but it does work pretty good if you can cast.

I agree with this I have done lots of antenna's with the fishing rod and with a little practice you can chose the branch you want it over. The other thing with the bow you can get grief for shooting to close to a neighbors house or street. They can't bitch about the fishing rod.

 

[Realtor MA]

Did you string up the dipole yet? I have a kid sized compound bow that works pretty well.

 

[lord1234]

nah...tmrw

 

[Realtor MA]

Good luck. If things don't work out and you need to borrow the bow let me now.

 

[lord1234]

i ended up mounting it with the slingshot I found in NH. Its up, but I want to get the other 2 ends up, cuz right now its an inverted V, but the inner angle is too small IMHO. It's about 60 ft up(though i probably should get a proper measurement of height). Facing basically due west. I hear a lot of Milwaukee hams.

 

[Lucas McCain]

60 feet is outstanding, good job. the apex angle wont affect things too much, generally it only really has an effect on the characteristic impedance of the antenna. Since (I assume) you are using a 50 ohm coax feedline, it actually works out better since the characteristic impedance of a resonant dipole in free space is about 73 ohms, by having the apex at less than 180 degrees, you are lowering the impedance of the antenna a little. This will provide a better match to the feedline. Just watch out that the ends dont get too close to the ground or people and you are probably good to go.

 

[lord1234]

Nah the ends are ~20 feet in the air. I got out to Kansas City with a QSO with a friend of a friend last night for my first ever decent QSO. I had serious problems because 40 was FULLLLLLL and he was being heavily clobbered, but he said I was +20 over so I'm pleased. I'm going to hang out on 40 and 20 for a while...mainly because my tuner is set PERFECT for it...

 

[Howard Roark]

Are you running a simple dipole? fed with coax? Are you trying to get it flat topped or maintain the inverted V and just change the angle? Just wondering, I've got my G5RV flat top about 20' and getting out real well. Congrats on your first decent QSO!

 

[lord1234]

Simple dipole, fed with coax. Its an inverted V....I got out to Moscow and the Azores last week. I don't expect to have any problems working the entire world...