Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 12:18:30 -1000 From: Jan van Niekerk Message-Id: <45erfm$5it@hermes.is.co.za> Organization: No organisation supplied Subject: Antenna lifter A kite used for lifting 80 metres of antenna wire (4g per metre) should display the following properties: 1. Widest possible range of wind speeds 2. Fly the antenna (line) as vertical as possible 3. Stable, unattended flight 4. Easy to manufacture Any suggestions? I have heard that boxes have been used but have very little info. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 07:03:28 -1000 From: neitzke Message-Id: Organization: Bayer Corporation Subject: Re: Antenna lifter Aren't you going to have problems with keeping the wire verticle if it's that light? I've got some 100'+ tails and they trail out behind nicely. Granted the wire will have lower wind resistance but if verticle is a big requirement then it'll have to be anchored and the wire will then have to be strong enought to take the extra lift that the Kite/Wind may ocassionally provide. Just a weight might be OK too. But there will still be more stress on the wire. Possibly an anchored line that also functions to open panel on the kite to dump air/lift when pulled too tightly. This would make the precise amount of life automaticly regulated after the minimum had been achieved. Experimentation and design will be necessary. This sounds like a military project. Or maybe a survival kit notion. For Lifting Kite try a French Military style or simpler Delta Coyne then try some of the suggested mods. let me/us know how your doing -- Bob Neitzke CAD SysMgr, Voice 219-262-7023 Elkhart Site, FAX 219-262-7966 Bayer Diagnostics = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 08:10:11 -1000 From: Mark de Roussier Message-Id: <813546611snx@murder.demon.co.uk> Organization: damage Subject: Re: Antenna lifter In article <45erfm$5it@hermes.is.co.za> Jan van Niekerk writes: > A kite used for lifting 80 metres of antenna wire (4g per metre) should > display the following properties: > > 1. Widest possible range of wind speeds > > 2. Fly the antenna (line) as vertical as possible > > 3. Stable, unattended flight > > 4. Easy to manufacture > > Any suggestions? I have heard that boxes have been used but have very > little info. Well, I know that deltas have been used as antenna lifters. They do fly at quite a high angle ( approx. 70 degrees ), are simple to make ( simpler than a parafoil, IMHO ), and are usually very stable. Wind speed range might be the problem, but the system I am thinking of used a stack of deltas, probably for that reason. You want to lift less than 500g - this should be moderately easy. -- Mark de Roussier ******************************************* I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal. Jane Austen. ******************************************* = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sun, 15 Oct 1995 18:45:30 -1000 From: sirby@nwlink.com (Steve Irby) Message-Id: <45so1a$omk@texas.nwlink.com> Organization: Northwest Link Subject: Re: Antenna lifter In article <45erfm$5it@hermes.is.co.za>, Jan van Niekerk wrote: >A kite used for lifting 80 metres of antenna wire (4g per metre) should >display the following properties: > >1. Widest possible range of wind speeds > >2. Fly the antenna (line) as vertical as possible > >3. Stable, unattended flight > >4. Easy to manufacture > >Any suggestions? I have heard that boxes have been used but have very >little info. > When I was in the US Navy, we used a box kite about 36" tall and 12" square to lift the antenna wire on the "Gibson Girl" survival radio. This was standard survival gear on all Navy Transport aircraft, and Patrol aircraft also. I saw one of these kites at the Tulsa Convention of the AKA. I believe the sail was cotton and the frame was small diameter aluminum tube. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEVE IRBY sirby@nwlink.com (206)930-8350 Seattle, Washington U.S.A. Skynasaur Sport Kites flyer/rep for Western Washington State Have *you* Buggied your kite today? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 17 Oct 1995 05:44:49 -1000 From: dlw@odi.com (Dan Weinreb) Message-Id: Organization: Object Design Inc., Burlington, MA Subject: Re: Antenna lifter In article <45so1a$omk@texas.nwlink.com> sirby@nwlink.com (Steve Irby) writes: When I was in the US Navy, we used a box kite about 36" tall and 12" square to lift the antenna wire on the "Gibson Girl" survival radio. This was standard survival gear on all Navy Transport aircraft, and Patrol aircraft also. I saw one of these kites at the Tulsa Convention of the AKA. I believe the sail was cotton and the frame was small diameter aluminum tube. David Pelham's "The Penguin Book of Kites" has a nice photo of the kit including the radio, antenna, and kite, along with a description. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =