Jeff If you haven't seen it, here's a very good implemation of combining steel fencing polls and a fiberglass in a crank up configuration that would be totally invisible if left in the down position during the day. It's a very clear explanation of his design.
JP. k5JPP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mynik3R4ySU > On 03/30/2022 3:01 PM Jeff Greer via BVARC <bvarc@bvarc.org> wrote: > > > Hi, BVARC! > > I'm curious as to what others are doing for masts/towers. I'm in an HOA > ("no antennas") with a tiny little yard. Nobody has complained so far about > my homebrew "DX Commander" style fan vertical, which looks like a 31' jackite > pole (because that's pretty much what it is, with some 3d-printed wire > spreaders). I was holding that up w/ a 5' piece of 3/4 copper water pipe > driven halfway into the ground. Worked for several months, but the wind > finally bent the pipe. I have some 5' electrical conduit that looks a little > tougher, but I may resort to guying. The metal inside the bottom of the > fiberglass pole, I suspect, interferes with my 10m element, anyway... > > I'm also wanting to put my Ed Fong DBJ-1 (which looks like a 5' PVC pipe) > up with the feedpoint 25-30'. I picked up a couple of old tires, and I'm > thinking of filling one with concrete (think tetherball pole) and mounting a > couple of pieces of angle iron in the concrete, so I can drill holes, put > some sort of mast between them, and make a "tilt over" base/hinge for the > mast. Has anybody built a self-supporting (non-guyed) 30 foot mast out of, > say, some sort of stock from Home Depot/Lowe's? The internet has lots of > stories about using chain link fence top rail (10' sections), but most say > that 2 of those (20') is all you join before it gets super wobbly. Would > love to use some sort of square tube - maybe nesting sections - but not sure > where to get 10' sections, and not sure aluminum would be strong enough or > steel would be light enough... > > Anyway, that's where I am. I thought I'd float this out there to benefit > from the experience of those who have been there and done that. Hope y'all > can help me come up with something that will work while avoiding poor choices > that could cause damage or hurt somebody. > > Thanks! > > -Jeff, W5JEF > ________________________________________________ > Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club > > BVARC mailing list > BVARC@bvarc.org > http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org > Publicly available archives are available here: > https://www.mail-archive.com/bvarc@bvarc.org/ >
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