Branch 25'-30' up in tree; any EASY way to trim it?

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Kill your television. End of problem.

[Dan Hartung]

I regularly use a pole saw; I can't imagine this is much worse. Yeah, it's a workout, especially for larger branches. I've done them up to about 4" diameter.

Today I was over at the Wisconsin Arborists' Assn. annual tree-climbing competition. Those guys have tons of safety equipment and climbing skill, and obviously it's a lot easier to do things right. It's probably also safer to be on the opposite side of the branch that gravity is going to be pulling it!

[Tim and Stephanie]

Amen, Brother! Preachin' to the choir....

9 years ago, when I was a young lad, with no money, the cable bill was often the last bill to get paid. If we paid it at all. The cable company didn't seem to feel that they needed to provide me with free service, so they disconnected it. I remember the moment exactly - I was watching a bonerrific Warren Miller film about heli-skiing in British Columbia - "six thousand goddam vertical feet of untracked powder, woo hoo, oh look at that awesome..." "click!" "...the hell?"

Now, I can afford it, but I don't want it. Everyone's always suprised when they find out that I don't intentionally submit myself to hours and hours a day of self-induced force-fed crap and advertising. There was a significant withdrawal period, to be sure, ("Dammit! I just gotta know what happens on ER! This is serious!") but that passed quickly and I came to my senses. I always think of Peter Falk's line in "The Princess Bride" - "When I was your age, television was called 'books'."

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Can you throw a line over the branch? There are flexible saw chains (NOT a chainsaw chain) that are made to be thrown over a branch, with a rope at each end, and work by pulling each rope alternately. They don't work all that great IME but for a single 1 inch branch would be OK.

[Dog Ma 1]

I've used these a few times for the same purpose. Very inefficient, bind easily, and also broke in the cut. I went through two or three of them (bought from a camping store) before giving up and climbing.

Looks like a handy package, with a specialized blade. I've often thought of using a regular chain-saw blade the same way - just need to punch out one link to open it. Might make sense to loop the rope so you can pull it around a few times in case the saw gets to the top pointed the wrong way.

Does shooting branches down really work? How big a green branch will a .308 round take down?

[Nick Hull]

Just toss a line over the branch and pull up 1/2 stick of 60%, preferably with an electric cap. Fuse is cheaper but you are committed when you light it and a lot can happen in 60 seconds.

[RPG]

Bert wrote in news:oBtJc.36953$eH1.17635791 @newssvr28.news.prodigy.com:

Dishes don't need to see the sky in the direction they appear to be pointed.

They are like mirrors, with the LNB looking at the dish from BELOW the axis of the dish, so it is picking up reflections from the dish that come from significantly ABOVE the axis of the dish. In other words, the dish is "pointed" higher than it appears to be from its shape.

You cannot get a steady signal through a tree.

[Pat]

Live oak tree, they spread like crazy. I have one too that is higher than that about 45 ft high. Three years ago the cable company came in and cut the whole back of the tree off. Since all the growth was now growing towards the back of house and over the house. I had to have it trimmed. Not by me.

Expect to pay $250 +, especially if they can't get into your yard with their buckets. My neighbors brother does this for a living so it only cost me $200. But other estimates were over $300. And mine needs it again. Hopefully no hurricanes this year.

Pat.