My grandfather used use to say...put it away properly for a few minutes will save you 30 minutes of knots/frustration later. I like your method - thanks!
Those weaver weights are really nice. I clip mine to the end of the line with a carabiner so its easy to unclip the weight and clip on whatever i'm dragging up into the tree.
I've been doing the weaver throw line the past year. The downfall of having a carabiner is for the possibility it could get caught in a tree branch - or the Y of where two branches meet and it gets stuck. K4SWL's method of winding up the throw line that Mike used in this video is by far the best method to put it back in the bag.
Here's a trick which will save some time and/or trouble. The dynema line is so slick that it can undo a bowline in the tree. To solve this and to end the continuous tying and untying just make a long loop in the end of the line using a figure 8 loop. To attach the throw weight, stick the loop through the ring then pull the weight through the loop and pull tight so that you form a knot, called a lark's head, at the ring. When you want to undo the weight, pull the loop back over the weight and out of the ring. No tying or untying needed and the figure 8 knot is smoother than a bowline and goes through branches a lot easier. P.S. I use a 6 oz. solid lead, banks sinker for a weight. Cheap and smooth.
How great it would be to have a HAM friend like you to show me how to set up a wire in a tree to be able to enjoy my Malachite DSP2, shortwave radio, HF. I bought this because of you. Now I have to figure out how to get it up into the tree next to my apartment. KN6ZFM.
Oh, no, a Red Wings fan!! Life-long Blackhawks fan here. One thing I’ve learned living in the south with sappy, catchy southern pines it to tape-off the loose ends of your throw rope to other rope knot. There’s nothing more frustrating than to hang the perfect branch and get hung up on the knot! I also use opposing single-loop knots over each end then tape the loose ends. A thinner knot might get over the branch easier. 73.
Awesome bit of kit. I've had mine for sometime now. The hardest part for me was picking between the 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 ounce weight. Like you, I settled on the 12 ounce one. Like you said, the key is in how you prepare the line ... several figure-8's is the way to make this work easily in the field.
I didn't have that many options for weight. I just went on amazon and thats what I saw lol! Fortunately it seems like the perfect weigh to get the rope over the branches and pull the rope along with it. Figure 8's for the win for sure!
So, I didn't get the bag but I had a little draw string backpack to use. I used mine today and by far the worst part is stuffing the line back in the bag. I stuff the bag like a rescue throw rope, basically just feeding the line into the bag inch by inch. That way it feeds back out and there are no tangles or knots. By the time I'm done my hand has the worst cramp. I was going to 3D print a winder for it tonight but I'll have to try your method first. Good timing.
It's all fun and games until you get a water bottle and paracord stuck 40' up in a pine tree, in your front yard 🤣 Yes. Arborist rope is a must have for the wire antenna enthusiast 👍 73!
I leave the weight on and use an s-biner to attach antenna to the ring on weight, pull it up and ready to go. Using para cord in a tree with an EFHA can be a struggle to get it down, with the arborist line and weight attached to antenna it falls out like a dream when you're ready to go, and only the arborist cord to wrap up. Although a dipole will usually come down because of the coax I still don't use para cord in a tree.
I have ordered something similar to this with a slingshot to give me a bit more ability to get the line into a tree. The line length I ordered was roughly 60 metres to support my 40-metre-long EFHW, depending on just how high I can get the line.
I picked up one of those not too long ago. First couple of times using it took me 15 minutes untangling the line before each use. I eventually just wrapped it around a stick I found on the ground and have been using that as a wire winder. I will have to try your figure 8 method next time. Thanks!
use the weaver 12oz and line myself. I have the cube because I thought it was easier to keep untangled and to throw it out of... now im not so convinced my 20 extra bucks was well spent on the cube.. that bag works just as good.
I’m just now smart enough to get an actual throw weight and line. I’ve tried every “off the shelf” line out there including using a fishing pole. I live in Florida and predominantly the woods are full of oak. I don’t know what their bark is comprised of but it hangs every rope. No issues with it fraying just makes it impossible to get the rope over and back. If one has gription issues analyze oak tree bark. Lol
Wanna thank you guys again for inspiring me get get my ticket and expand my gmrs hobby to amateur radio which I grew up with my pops. Jason mentioned my similar comment on that live stream a couple weeks ago. I had mentioned to you guys I was excited to get out that weekend hunting SOTA stations. Will you make a video on SOTA and SOTA hunting. Which logs are appropriate to use. I been putting my SOTA contacts in QRZ in the comments section. I need a place to put the contacts & grids in a dedicated place other than the comments. Not sure how to do this correctly I am all alone in this. Thanks John KN6REL 73
Well thanks for watching and welcome to the hobby JB. Unfortunately I would be one of the last people to ask about SOTA. I am nowhere near mountains and don’t do SOTA. I can bore you to death about POTA and I’ve produced many many videos on everything involved with that. Check out K6ARK or RED SUMMIT RF for more SOTA related things. I just don’t have the knowledge like they do.
by the way, like the rope roll up technique. I've been using your coaxial from your "You've Been Doing This Wrong Your Whole Life!!" video. Works great!
...a HINT that might be useful: before u release the weight when throwing, take note of where u've grasped the throw line; if that particular point on the line results in the best throws, tie a simple knot at that point; it'll save time when ur wondering "where'd I hold this throw line the last time, when it worked so well?" 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸 dit dit 😃
I think that would hinder more than help. It's pretty easy to find the sweet spot but I would worry a knot may get caught in the tree. That would be my luck.
I'm a big fan of the Slipped Overhand Knot on my throw wieghts. Very easy to tie and untie. BTW I'm not sure how well this would work with a dynema line. I typically use it with paracord.
Well, I hate to disappoint as it would be a very short video. I don't use any kind of list at all. The first couple times I went portable I made a list on my notes app on my phone but that is long gone. It really depends on what kind of activation I'm going to be doing and what radio, antenna, etc. There are so many variables. Honestly there are only a few must haves. Radio, antenna, coax, some kind of power supply, a way to deploy the antenna, and maybe a logging computer/phone. Everything else is extra weight that may or may not be needed. When I'm hiking with the 705, everything is already in it but its still: the 705, lifepo4 battery, coax, antenna, sotabeams carbon 6 mast, Yaesu VX-7R. I log with my iPhone which is always on me anyways. Thats literally it. I have just recently added a couple bnc-So-239 adapters and a Signalstick antenna for the 705 but that is really all I bring. For QRO activations it's pretty much the same, just everything is bigger and heavier. I'd suggest setting up your portable station in the yard. See what you need, what you don't need, etc. Thats a great way to practice, and you can develop your own list if need be.
I've been using mason line or paracord tied to an arrow that gets shot over the tree. There is a technique that I learned so the arrow does not snap back at you.
Most of the parks on the East coast pretty much have rules against any device that could be thought of as a weapon. Even slingshots are considered a weapon and can’t be used. I had been using an air powered “spud gun” to shoot a projectile up into a tree and was told that couldn’t be used either. This looks great. Thanks for the review Mike. 73. N3EDO.
The throw line is made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. As you said very slippery surface and very strong for its diameter. I could say more but who really gives a crap?? ;)
Why bother with para cord to pull antenna up? I leave the weight on my line, snap a small caribeener on my wire then hoist. Makes it easy peasy to get the antenna back down, especially an efhw.
@@hamradiotube We generally go as high as we can (top of the tree), but what I'm asking is how high your able to practically get these throw bags to go. I bought one (based on other utube videos already using them for antennas) but haven't tried it yet. We routinely go over 100 feet high with my Pneumatic Launchers and 4 ounce tennis balls, but I view these throw bags as a good solution for lower height needs with less equipment (and still safer and more accepted than slingshots). What is your height goal? How many tries does it take to get to your ideal height? When I was developing the Pneumatic Antenna Launchers I had a height goal of 150 feet for the launch trajectory. That's more than we generally use but it is nice to have some margin. Dipoles 90 feet up work very well. :) de w6akb.
@@alanb76 Honestly I've not tried getting it as high as possible. I would imagine 100' might be a bit out of reach for me. I easily throw it about 25'-30' up and thats really all the height I need. I would guess if I really launched it I could prob double that height though. I've gotten pretty good at throwing this and often I can get the branch on the first try. Not always though. I'd say go out and see if you can get it up as high as you need it for lower activations. Like you said, it's less equipment and safer than slingshots.
Cool stuff man! For anyone who has hand issues a bit back my daughter and I did a video on a very similar wrap for a ridge line. Just 3 sticks and you're G2G. Peep it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hHHCHVGsFug.html You mock Josh on bowline but use a granny knot over a square or sheet bend. Some people's kids... 🤔😂 Consider putting a cheap carabiner on the front end of that throw line. Game changer, no untying needed. Clip on/off. 73 God bless