I think it might be time to invest in a set of monkey type strainers. I plan on tying the wire off on the strainers and using the monkey type strainers to tension then join with a gripple. Most lengths of the fence are only between 50- 70m long, would a gripple tension up 50m length of plain wire with just the gripple tool? Get your straining posts in, preferably driven in but one way or another get them in as solid as possible and strut them against the direction of strain at both ends of the span. I have got a fencing job to do and the top wire is plain. I have usually used barb on the top which I can strain tight and staple behind the barb on the strainer to keep it tight. Its easier if you use two sets of strainers top and bottom and you can put a bar or clamp on the net, use tirfors, landies, rachet straps or tractors - but if you only have a short length of fencing and dont have any of the ancillaries you can do it fine with one set of monkey strainers - and you don't need HT wire.

Been told that pulling from both ends and joining in the middle is how it's done now to get even tension. So I've also bought a load of gripples and T gripples for the strainer ends and gripple tool. (was gonna try the crimps but like the idea of being able to tighten with gripples too)