Hello:
Will be putting up an outside antenna which will necessitate the use of some rope on the end to tension it.
Will Nylon braided rope last a "pretty long" time outdoors ?
I know that UV Resistant Dacron Rope is the recommended choice for outdoor usage, but it sure is a lot more expensive.
BV.
no. sunlight will degrade it pretty quickly.
Why not a stainless wire-rope (cable)? A 1/8" diameter wire rope with a breaking strength of 2100 lbs will probably cost around 30-50 cents per foot (at least where I'm looking - McMaster Carr). That plus a few clamps would probably do the job. You could probably even buy a turnbuckle to make tensioning the guywire easy.
Nylon stretches, dacron doesn't. UV degrades both but nylon goes faster.
Your best bet is wire as louie suggested. I'd use 7x19 wire for flexibility.
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You could go to your local hardware and look at what the packages of rope say to use. OTOH, if you go to the hardware store, bypass the rope and buy wire cable (often sold with a plastic cover as clothes line). 1/8" wire cable will last a lot longer than rope.
It's a lot cheaper than that if you buy it as clothes line at a variety store or hardware. Maybe $6 for 25-30 feet, may not be stainless but most people don't need to last for 30 years.
Hi, I have Dacron guy wires on my ham radio antenna which is over 10 years old. No sign of going bad yet. Softer(easier to handle) than Nylon. Tony, VE6CGX
Hi, That's called aircraft cable.
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One word about rope: fergeddabout it.
And I believe you will need three to triangulate it, right?
If one fails, that means you have two pulling it another direction.
ANY type of rope is not great when exposed to weather and UV rays 24/7. Freeze/thaw cycles. Ice buildup if you live in that climate. They just don't last.
I would buy some 1/8" cable and do it with that. DO NOT buy just anything, like clothesline cable, but buy something decent. It doesn't have to be stainless, or aircraft quality, either. This is an easy thing to do. Use Crosby clamps to secure the ends, and buy some good turnbuckles to adjust it.
Do it once. Do it right.
Steve (an old rigger)
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