Home - Techniek - Electronica - Radiotechniek - Radio amateur bladen - QST - Counterweight antenna support
Amateurs having conveniently spaced trees for antenna supports may find the counterweight arrangement that I use interesting. In order to provide sufficient tension on my center-fed antenna, about 20 or 30 pounds of pull is required. In the event of antenna-wire or insulator failure, the prospect of a counterweight of this size dropping to the ground is not pleasant. To hold the counterweight captive and also to attain a 2:1 tension step-up, I use the simple pulley arrangement shown in the sketch, Fig. 1. Stainless-steel sheaves with large diameter nylon pulleys used for motorboat steering harnesses are useful in this application and don't require any lubrication. Since the counterweight will move vertically twice the distance that the trees sway horizontally, leave room for sufficient counterweight movement.
Fig. 1. K2ZZF's counterweight antenna support.
D.C. Mead, K2ZZF.