Sylmar Hang Gliding Association

Think you can design a tamper proof windsock? Let us know about it. For whatever reason someone thinks the windsock needs to be cut down. It would be nice to make it REALLY hard for them!

How about instead of a simple post we make a giant cross the same height? With the windsock at the top....

Even a confirmed atheist may hesitate before cutting down a cross on a hilltop....

Could also run a high voltage current through it to be sure....

How about instead of a simple post we make a giant cross the same height? With the windsock at the top....

Even a confirmed atheist may hesitate before cutting down a cross on a hilltop....

Could also run a high voltage current through it to be sure....

What if...

we fill the tubing with granite gravel? At least they'll go through a lot of blades.

we find pressure-filled canisters (non-flammable contents) to put inside the tube? It would give us a chuckle to see some boor driving down with gooey gloop all over himself.

Just a few starters for all you booby trap designers. We aren't going to keep a determined vandal from cutting the pipe but a simple deterrent like placing biohazard stickers on it with a warning might help... if they can read.

Larry: Liability?

Just thought of something:

If someone cuts the sock down and it falls on their buddy, who is liable?
Especially if there are spikes on it?

i would be happy to camp out up there commando style and let the air out of all four of the perps tires while he is taking out sock. I would simple unscrew the inside of the value stem.

let me know...before it gets too cold to be up there all night.

Some suggestions:

Current pole is tube A. Add second tube (tube B) that fits loosely over tube A. Add third tube (tube C) that fits loosely over tube B. Tubes B & C should be at least 8 ft tall to prevent easy access above them. Add bolt as a stop above tubes B & C to prevent them form being slid upward. Grease all tubes during assembly so they spin freely around each other. Grease outside of tube C to prevent climbing.

Pole cannot be cut because tube C will spin when cut is attempted. If they somehow secure tube C, then after cutting through C, tube B will spin. This will piss them off and they will be out of beer and energy.

More simple (better): Lock 2 heavy pieces of angle or I beam around bottom half of pole. This would be very difficult to climb or cut. Grease them to make it impossible (almost).

As of the week before Christmas, the windsock is reported missing again. By my count that;'s the third one since summer. This latest windsock was tattered to half-size, and was old to begin with, so I am now personally convinced (finally) that it isnt a fraternity prank, or random drunks, but that Somebody Up There Doesnt Like Us.

My answer: PVC pipe and ribbons, plan on many replacements.

Christian's is the best idea so far. Also the cheapest.

Several pipe/ribbons sets could be stored in the LZ, and brought up and installed quickly.

Who is accepting donations for this? The club?

I agree with Christen. Let's just put up something simple and be prepared to replace it often.

My guess is that the person(s) cutting down the wind sock finds it a challenge to do so - and they will continue to do so until they they get bored with the "challenge" - not likely if you look at the popularity of video games.

On Dec. 22 a streamer was installed as a windsock substitute. It is two 10' lengths of PVC (1.5" and 2" dia), telescoped to 15' long and screwed together. Three lengths of 4" wide heavy Dacron streamers, the longest óf them 4', were bound at one end and duct-taped to the top. The pole is secured upright in the branches of a bush, duct-taped at various points. This was under $10 total materials, not counting the Dacron donated by Windsports (which may be expensive). We'll see how this rig lasts against wind, rain and scumbags.

The steel windsock mast was intentionally destroyed, apparently pulled down by a vehicle. It lies bent horizontal. It is stuck in the base and the anchor pin is sheared off. Removal will require a Sawzall and crowbar.

A small supplay of 5'-7' sticks was on the bottom of the ramp last time i went down to put up a streamer there. A roll or two of a streamer material in the LZ will do the job, just take some up every time there is a truck going up.

The PVC mast and streamers on launch have turned out to be better than than nothing. But you can't see it from the LZ with cheap binoculars, and it's sometimes hard to read even on the Windsports Kagel Kam.

Next evolution: A small windsock on a mast of ABS. (ABS is black, dents rather than shatters, and is longer lived in strong sun than PVC).

This rig will be erected in the higher bush at launch. Will it survive? Maybe not.

Call it bait.

Maybe we could erect a large streamer about 50 ft down the front of the mountain in the brush, but out of the launch line. Somewhere where it would be less tempting, more difficult to get to, impossible to get a vehicle near and less visible from on top at night. We could see it from the LZ and Kagel Cam, and it would tell us if it is blowing in. It would be a little more difficult to do, but that's the idea. And it's less work than constant replacement.

I think the current plan for cheap streamers, while better than nothing, will still often be destroyed leaving us no indicator on many days. Plus we have to keep doing it. The problem is that the current location is just too tempting under the influence of alcohol and testosterone and too easy to destroy even drunk and stupid.

If I get no negative feedback here, I may do this on my own I can provide another large streamer setup like the current ones I made for the LZ.

Tell me what's wrong with this idea, or you may get stuck worshiping the glory of it's splendor. I'll give ya a week to flame me.

That's a great idea. Go for it.

Sounds good, but be sure it is not only out of the launch line, but clear of anywhere someone would like to fly. I almost got trapped by another pilot in that area once. If there'd been a pole, I'd have been in deep doo-doo. Also, be sure it can be seen from the LZ and Windsports. It would be a shame to put one up only to find it 2 feet below the line-of sight behind the ridge...

I installed a new large streamer on the front side of Kagel directly below the launch summit as viewed from the LZ. Although it is a large streamer, it is deep red on a green mountain so you need binoculars to view it well. If the streamer on top gets destroyed we should still have this as a back up. It is difficult to see from on top and quite hard to get to, so it should be safe. It is in the wind shadow of northerly winds but indicates well when it blows in on launch.

FLYYYYY

Great.

>>>Next evolution: A small windsock on a mast of ABS. (ABS is black, dents rather than shatters, and is longer lived in strong sun than PVC). <<<

This evolution won't occur. I didn't relaize that the smallest pro windsock available is much too heavy and powerful for any plastic pipe. I'm donating the windsock to the club.

One idea I had was filling the pipe with red die that's really hard to get off, and when they cut it, several gallons, maybe pressurized, sprays out. It would mark them and they'd inevitably get some on their car.

I also like the spinning core idea, that would make it really frustrating to cut.

I'll keep thinking of ideas

Sept. 26, 2006

Richard Shaw has erected a new windsock pole and streamer on launch,
visible on the Windsports Kagel Kam and hopefully from the l/z.

The experimental PVC windsock erected in the bush on the knoll lasted eight months. It was torn down two weeks ago--the night before Richard planned to put up this new mast.

Richard notes that the old steel mast, which was pulled down and bent flat apparently by use of a vehicle, showed evidence of gang tagging.

Tuesday, Jan 9, 9 a.m., looking at Windsports Kagel Kam.

Do I need to clean my glasses or has the windsock disappeared again?