Tom Raymond Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 This isn't HI related, so I posted it here. Click to Enlarge 16.67 KB While driving home from a weekend camping trip, my seven year old son asks me what these things are and I don't have any idea. I figure one of the gurus here will know. These are attached to telephone transmission lines, I have only ever seen them along rural roads. They are rarely positioned so as to make sense as warning markers. It's hard to see in the picture but there are two triangular fins. Any guesses? My son will appreciate your help. Thanks, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Moore Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Tom, I've always thought they were there to make the lines more visible for crop dusting planes (perhaps all small planes), but I've never actually confirmed that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Lozier Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 This isn't HI related, so I posted it here. Click to Enlarge 16.67 KB While driving home from a weekend camping trip, my seven year old son asks me what these things are and I don't have any idea. I figure one of the gurus here will know. These are attached to telephone transmission lines, I have only ever seen them along rural roads. They are rarely positioned so as to make sense as warning markers. It's hard to see in the picture but there are two triangular fins. Any guesses? My son will appreciate your help. Thanks, Tom I see them mostly in windy areas, and assume they at minimum stabilize lines to keep them from flapping to much in breezy conditions.... ????????? Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Tom, I've always thought they were there to make the lines more visible for crop dusting planes (perhaps all small planes), but I've never actually confirmed that. I had a similar thought but was thinking of tall vehicles passing beneath them, the telly lines are the lowest on the poles. If they are warning markers you would think they would be orange. Nearly all of these are near farm land, but not really where you would expect a conflict with a tractor and impliments. Where there are small private or semi-private airstrips (real aircraft, not ultralights) there are bright orange balls attached to the upper most power lines. Jerry, that kinda makes sense. We were driving through wind farm country, but these dohickeys were only on some of the lines with no apparent pattern with respect to exposure or elevation. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 This isn't HI related, so I posted it here. While driving home from a weekend camping trip, my seven year old son asks me what these things are and I don't have any idea. I figure one of the gurus here will know. These are attached to telephone transmission lines, I have only ever seen them along rural roads. They are rarely positioned so as to make sense as warning markers. It's hard to see in the picture but there are two triangular fins. Any guesses? My son will appreciate your help. Thanks, Tom I've seen them too. Always along rural roads, as you say. They make no sense as warning markers; they're not positioned well and they're not a good color for that. I suspect that they have to do with dampening movement from wind, kind of like a Stockbridge Damper on a high tension line. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL_Inspet_Man Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 It's a flying G-String.......lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Could it also have something to do with preventing animals (squirrels) from using it as a pathway? It is hard to see details in the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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