Hello All,
Tried out the sota wire winders yesterday on GM/CS-103.
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/products.htm
They are the best, saves all that fustration with the dipole getting tangled in the worst of the weather.
Left some tails of the tying rope at the end so the winders stay on the guys when pegged in the ground, so won’t get lost and easy to wind up again.
Thanks to all the ops yesterday all time record 71 qso’s.
Andrew GM0UDL
In reply to GM0UDL:
I got a couple of the winders a while back when I ordered my beam. Didn’t have much luck fitting the 80m dipole on them, but that could be due to the thickness of wire. Other wires I’ve had on them fit fine, as you say it saves messing around with a tangled piece of wire in the cold!
Well done on the 71q’s!
Adrian
In reply to MM0TAI:
They do look good, but I was able to do it on the cheap - last year I found a couple of crabbing lines that I bought for the kids when they were young. The antenna winds on them quite well, and the line makes good halyards! When they break I will be a customer.
73
Brian G8ADD
Hi all The one that I use is a Clansman Military Manpack Hf Dipole.(available on Ebay) You get 2 for £8 plus loads of quality antenna wire and loads of high quality mylar cord .ATB Geoff G6MZX
I must say that the Clansman Dipole winders are really the best you can get but the wire that comes on them is a little heavy for carting up the hills. Don’t get me wrong the Kevlar covered wire is the best too, just not right for keeping things light. I have four of these antennas, there are no better wire antennas anywhere.
Second best on the winders front are ones that come with up to 100m of guy rope. I bought two of theses spools with different thickness’s of useful cord from Charlie’s in Connah’s Quay (they have stores nationwide and sell on the net too). I then wound the cord on to some card for storage.
Third best are available from several kite manufacturers or Richard CWI’s SOTABeams.
I made the ones I currently use from plastic card. They are extremely light but have developed a curve over the years due to me winding the wires too tight.
To keep things light I use a .5mm PVC covered hook up wire to make the linked dipoles. I have use automotive bullet connectors and Anderson Power Poles for the links. The last one was made using John GW4BVE’s sizes (on Flickr) without needing any adjustment. The next time I make one I intend to use the small gold bullet connectors favoured by the radio control model guys to reduce bulk.
Regards Steve GW7AAV
In reply to GW7AAV:
I found the best to the be the winders I made out of a sheet of plastic estate agent For Sale board. Easy to work, strong, light, doesn’t bend and free!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to GW7AAV:
Hi Steve I have to agree with you rgarding the wire on the clansman being too heavy for portable use.I remove the wire and use it for antennas at home.And I re wind it with an home brew linked dipole.ATB 73 Geoff
In reply to GM0UDL:
If you use light wire, you can simply wind it figure-of-eight around your thumb and little finger. Tuck the ends through the loops, and it is really surprising how the resulting bundle will not only keep its shape but not tangle when unwound again. I first learned this in the 1960s from a telex operator who showed me how to do it with paper tape, which could then be thrown around the office without coming undone.
73
Ken
GI4FLG