[ADXA] fiberglass poles

Sun Sep 22 22:29:15 EDT 2024

[image: image.png]

On Sun, Sep 22, 2024 at 8:21 PM Jussi Eloranta <eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org>
wrote:

> The trouble is finding suitable people here. Internet turns nada, people
> who I have asked don't usually do this sort of thing and don't know. Money
> is not an issue, finding the right people is. The local ham radio club
> people hardly use HF and couple of them that do, have only wire antennas.
>
> Regarding the fiberglass pole, I am thinking of running the wire along the
> pole (vertical), so there is hardly any additional load. I have seen 4sq's
> built with these that have stood up for a few years at least. Or putting up
> a metal vertical (like Joel) is a fine option too and does not require much
> digging & concrete. Need more people to get it up though.
>
> I just need to get decent temporary antennas up first while I plan for the
> permanent solution. For 20-10m the spider beam wire yagi does a nice job.
> Low bands and 6m need more work in this regards. And hence I was asking
> about fiberglass poles.
>
> Jussi (aa6kj)
>
> Sep 22, 2024 8:03:44 PM BILL KENNAMER <k5fuv at prodigy.net>:
>
> My experience with spiderbeam poles is that they are trouble to guy and
> will break in the wind even if just used to hold an inverted L.
>
> Here, I can get a backhoe and operator who will dig two or three tower
> bases for $200. I dug my last tower base by asking a trackhoe operator
> working across the street to do it for $100. You should be able to find
> someone, they’re common in Arkansas. Concrete trucks are also available
> too, and surprisingly cheaper than buying and mixing yourself.
>
> Lots better than temporary solutions.
>
> FUV
>
>
> Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPad <https://more.att.com/currently/imap>
>
> On Sunday, September 22, 2024, 8:10 AM, Jussi Eloranta <
> eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org> wrote:
>
> Hi Stan et al.,
>
> One step at a time. I have plenty of space (40 acres mostly pasture), so
> that is not an issue. I can't do everything at once, so I am starting by
> putting up low band antennas. But since there seems to be no fiberglass
> alternatives, I will get the longer one from apiderbeam and not extend it
> fully.
>
> Jussi (aa6kj)
>
> Sep 22, 2024 6:14:45 AM Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com>:
>
> Jussi,
>
> If all you want is to make one or more 80m verticals, the difference
> cannot be detected between a vertical wire 70 feet long and a 50 foot
> vertical wire with two or four (preferably as horizontal as you can get
> them) wires for top loading.
>
>  Also, I have no idea how much property you have, what it looks like or
> what your budget is, but for now trees are your friend.  Until you decide
> how you are going to accomplish what you want to do, if you have enough
> property and some trees, there would be nothing wrong with a couple of V
> beams that would be better on two or three bands than what about 90% of all
> contesters and  DXers have.
>
> If you actually do all of what you said you wanted to do, you will have to
> have someone you can call to come fix things if they break.  Rotating
> towers are good because the rotator is at the base of the tower.  It is
> possible to do everything in such a way that it would be maintenance free
> for decades but the odds of that happening are not great.
>
> Stan
>
> On Sep 21, 2024, at 9:09 PM, Jussi Eloranta <eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org>
> wrote:
>
> 
>
> Hi Stan,
>
> Thanks. I saw the dxe pole but it is too short. Yes, I agree that rohn 25
> would work best but, well, I am in the middle of nowhere (literally) and do
> not have any contacts for digging, pouring concrete etc. I have a ground
> auger that I have used for digging holes for my current masts but it is not
> well suited for bigger projects. Also managing those 80lb concrete mix bags
> is too much for my back (but managed to pour enough concrete for my current
> masts). So for the time being, I have to stick to solutions that I can do
> on my own (until I find people here who have the right machinery). Thus
> fiberglass it is for now. Also Joel had a hinge system that looked like a
> very nice idea for a metal pole. But again pulling a metal pole up on my
> own is not so easy. I already had quite some trouble with the Al telescope
> mast (14.5m) that has my five band spiderberam wire yagi at the top.
> Apparently strength and age are inversely proportional to each other :-(
>
> Also, if a fiberglass pole breaks, I just put a new one in its place. They
> can also be taken down with little effort if a storm is coming. There is a
> 28m pole from spiderbeam that is available but it would be an overkill ($
> and construction). These are pretty easy to install - just "walk them up"
> because they are not very heavy.
>
> Jussi (aa6kj)
>
> Sep 21, 2024 8:44:38 PM Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com>:
>
> Forgot to paste the link to the pole I was taking about
>
> [image: dxeogdefaultimage.gif]
>
> Free Shipping on Most Orders Over $99 at DX Engineering
> <https://www.dxengineering.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=FIBERGLASS%20POLE%20KITS&srsltid=AfmBOooH9DoHeYoxChesk1kTtRIS8L17xG_hG8qNfCu_3ikvwUR17u8y>
> dxengineering.com
> <https://www.dxengineering.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=FIBERGLASS%20POLE%20KITS&srsltid=AfmBOooH9DoHeYoxChesk1kTtRIS8L17xG_hG8qNfCu_3ikvwUR17u8y>
>
> <https://www.dxengineering.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=FIBERGLASS%20POLE%20KITS&srsltid=AfmBOooH9DoHeYoxChesk1kTtRIS8L17xG_hG8qNfCu_3ikvwUR17u8y>
>
>
> On Sep 21, 2024, at 8:37 PM, Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Jussi,
>
> This 46 foot one from DX Engineering is about as big as they come.  There
> are 7 sections beginning with 3” at the bottom and down 1/4” in diameter on
> each section going up.  7.5 feet per section x 7 sections (they claim 46
> feet). Anyway the top is 1.5 in and I suppose if you have them guyed
> properly you might use 1.25, 1.00 and .75” to get you close to a quarter
> wavelength.  I had four 25G towers with one set of guys for my four square.
>
> I think I would put up 100 feet of 25G with a little top loading, shunt
> feed it on 160 and run ropes off the top to have a 4 Square on 80m. A
> significant number of radials (50-100 of them) under each wire and all that
> tied in with radials under the shunt fed tower for 160 would make for a
> good setup.  You may or may not have to do something to detune that 100
> foot tower when you are on 80m.
>
> In my opinion this is much better than messing with many levels of guy
> ropes on 60 + foot fiberglass poles that probably would not survive the
> first 40 mph wind with a little ice on the guy ropes.
>
> 73…Stan, K5GO
>
> On Sep 21, 2024, at 7:52 PM, Jussi Eloranta <eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org>
> wrote:
>
>
> Hi,
>
>
> Does anyone know a good source for approx. 20m fiberglass telescope poles?
> A 22m pole used to be available from spiderbeam in Germany but now their
> web page states that available sometime in 2025 :-( This would be for 80m
> quarter wave vertical(s).
>
>
> Jussi
>
>
> --
>
> If you knew the truth, you'd be banned for knowing it.
>
>
> Jussi Eloranta (AA6KJ)
>
>
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